Poland and Denmark discuss Presidency - Main contents

Representatives of outgoing Polish Presidency and incoming Danish Presidency hold joint press conference in Brussels on Friday

Taking part in the joint press conference were Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, Polish Secretary of State for European Affairs, and Nicolai Wammen, Danish Minister for European Affairs.

Dowgielewicz recapped the Polish Presidency, which saw the finalisation of some 100 acts of Union law. Among its key achievements he mentioned the ‘six-pack’, a substantive agreement on the single European patent, the conclusion of work on Croatia’s accession to the European Union, the European Protection Order and the launching of work on legislation concerning online commerce, i.e. the Blue Button. ‘I am glad that the work on this is advancing so well and I hope the Council can reach an agreement in 2012,’ Dowgielewicz noted, commenting on the work related to the 28th legal regime designed to facilitate cross-border online transactions.

‘It has always been our priority to defend the European method and EU integrity and I am pleased to note that this approach resonated favourably within the EU. I am particularly glad that we will be discussing the questions of fiscal union, economic growth and competitiveness among the 27 Member States,’ commented the Polish Government representative, referring to the EU summit planned for January or February.

Other notable achievements of the Presidency highlighted by Dowgielewicz included adoption of the tenets of the EU’s external energy policy, the establishment of a European pact against designer drugs, extension by two years of food aid for the needy, and the adoption of a directive on food labelling.

Dowgielewicz also assessed the results of the Climate Summit in Durban, where the EU position was presented by the Polish Presidency together with the EU Climate Commissioner. ‘For the first time we attained very broad agreement with the developing countries as to the need for reducing carbon emissions.’

‘The programme of an open Europe has been one of our priorities. Though times are tough, we’ve managed to achieve a lot,’ he noted, pointing to the enhanced economic integration endorsed at the September summit of the Eastern Partnership. This envisions both the liberalisation of visa regimes and comprehensive free trade agreements. Negotiations with Moldova and Georgia have been commenced. Dowgielewicz predicted that the association agreement with Ukraine would be initialled before the end of the year.

In addition to the signing of the accession treaty with Croatia, the Polish Presidency also managed to ‘open the door’ to accession talks with Montenegro and bring about the closing of six of the seven negotiating chapters with Iceland. Another joint success was the admission of Russia into the WTO, after 18 years of talks.

‘Congratulations on a job well done, you’ve done some impressive work during a very difficult period for Europe,’ Minister Wammen said, referring to Poland's six-month Presidency of the Council.

Describing the priorities of the Danish Presidency, the Minister disclosed the motto that his government feels most succinctly expresses its programme for the next six months: ‘A responsible, green, dynamic and secure Europe’.

data publikacji: 17-12-2011