site.btaDanish Ambassador Stender: EU Security and Competitiveness Top Priorities for Denmark’s Council Presidency

EU security and competitiveness were Denmark’s two main priorities during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ambassador Flemming Stender told a Euroclub meeting at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) in Sofia on Tuesday.

Stender reviewed the results of Denmark’s presidency in the second half of 2025, while the meeting also looked ahead to the priorities and programme of Cyprus’s new presidency over the next six months. Denmark and Cyprus, together with Poland, form the trio of Council presidencies.

Denmark did all it could to persuade the bloc of the importance of those two themes, Stender said. Speaking to Euroclub members, he set out some of Denmark’s achievements under its motto "A stronger Europe in a changing world", in its two priority areas: security and defence, and competitiveness.

On the first priority, he began with Ukraine, which he described as a major issue for Denmark. He referred to an agreement signed by European leaders and supported by 24 member states to provide a EUR 90 billion loan to Kyiv.

On defence, he referred to an agreement on Europe’s defence-industrial base and support for the European Commission (EC) roadmap to achieve defence readiness across the bloc by 2030. He also cited the coalitions established to strengthen defence capacity and the adoption of the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, which will provide member states with additional funding to invest in national and European defence.

At the same time, Stender referred to the 18th and 19th packages of sanctions against Russia, as well as ongoing work on a roadmap to phase out Russian gas in Europe by 2028, strengthen the bloc’s energy security, and ensure a smoother transition to renewable energy.

He also pointed to what he called an ambitious programme for the EU enlargement process.

We underscored the need for Europe to continue enlargement to strengthen its geopolitical stability, Stender said, adding that the focus was particularly on the accession prospects of Albania, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova.

In the area of security and defence, he also pointed to a breakthrough in migration policy and in strengthening the security of Europe’s borders through an agreement on the list of safe third countries.

He said another achievement of Denmark’s presidency was a declaration endorsed by all 27 member states, setting out a shared commitment to a safer online environment through clear EU requirements for social networks and user age verification.

On competitiveness, Denmark’s second key priority, Stender referred to legislation under the omnibus package and measures to reduce bureaucracy; the launch of negotiations on the multiannual financial framework, expected to conclude under Cyprus’s presidency; climate change and ensuring the EU remains a leader on climate action; and trade, where the Mercosur agreement was brought close to completion, the approval process for the Mexico agreement began, and work continued on other deals, including with Indonesia.

The EU needs more such agreements to ensure the European economy remains flexible, Stender said. He also cited progress in European science and initiatives to foster innovation.

Stender again congratulated Bulgaria on its accession to the euro area. He also said he would continue to engage in active dialogue with young people in Bulgaria, which he maintained during Denmark’s presidency.

Guests at Tuesday’s Euroclub meeting at BCCI included outgoing Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Doncho Barbalov and members of the diplomatic corps in Bulgaria.