Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

At the end of this month, Denmark's rotating presidency of the European Union, which began at the start of July, will conclude. The Brussels summit provided an opportunity for leaders of EU institutions and member states to commend the work accomplished by the Danish presidency during the last six months of this year. At the summit's closing press conference early Friday morning, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the Danish Prime Minister, saying, "I would like to commend the Danish presidency of the EU. In just six months, you have achieved remarkable results. Forty-one issues were finalized, and we obtained negotiating mandates on 17 others. You ensured the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine by adopting the 18th and 19th sanctions packages. Furthermore, we swiftly agreed last week on freezing Russian assets. Together, we made history by agreeing on the REPowerEU initiative – our roadmap to complete energy independence from Russia – and by achieving the 2040 climate goal. Thanks to your efforts on migration, We have effectively launched the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration and Asylum.

Notably, significant progress has been made on return legislation and safe countries of origin, which were recently agreed upon.

You have also strengthened Europe’s defense by concluding the long-awaited agreement on the European Defence Industries Programme (EDIP) and the Comprehensive Defence Budget.

You have also made remarkable progress in streamlining procedures by agreeing on several Comprehensive Budgets, which has made it easier for companies across Europe to operate.

Last but not least, you have successfully led the initial work on the next EU budget.

In doing so, you have laid a solid foundation for future presidencies.

These achievements are a testament to your leadership and commitment to the European project.

For his part, European Council President António Costa said, “I would like to commend the excellent work done by the Danish Presidency, under your leadership, Mette.” Significant steps have been taken over the past six months: a strong push to bolster Europe’s defense and security, a reduction in energy supplies from Russia, and important progress in streamlining procedures and enhancing our competitiveness. In conclusion, the decisions we made at the Summit

lay the foundation for a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Europe.