About the Presidency

What is an EU Presidency?

People often say that the 27 EU countries take turns holding the EU Presidency. This might sound as though a single member state leads the entire EU, but in reality, it means that each member state chairs the Council of the EU on a six-month rotational basis.

When a country holds the Presidency, it sets the agenda in the Council of Ministers and leads the handling of EU matters - both within the Council and in negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The Presidency is responsible for organising and chairing meetings between ministers of the member states, as well as coordinating the work of the Council’s various working groups composed of civil servants. It also plays a key role in brokering compromises between member states and bringing together the outcomes of negotiations.

Additionally, the Presidency represents the Council of Ministers as an institution, for example, during the ordinary legislative procedure, when the Council negotiates with the European Parliament.

The role of the Danish Parliament during the Danish EU Presidency

The EU Presidency is primarily the Government's responsibility, but the Danish Parliament also plays an important role in supporting and expanding cooperation between national parliaments. Therefore, it is said that the Danish Parliament chairs the parliamentary dimension of the EU presidency. 

During the presidency, The Danish Parliament will host and chair several conferences where members of national parliaments of the member states and the European Parliament meet to discuss current EU issues.

The Danish Parliament will host and chair four fixed interparliamentary conferences:

• COSAC Chairpersons’ Meeting
• Plenary Meeting of COSAC
  
• Conference on Foreign, Security and Defence Policy
• Conference on Stability, Economic Cooperation, and Governance of the EU

The Danish Parliament has also chosen to highlight Danish priorities such as the future of food production, digital service rules for youth protection online, and Europe’s competitiveness.