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The Kingdom of Denmark has assumed the revolving Presidency of the EU, from 1st July to 31 December 2003. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen outlined the programme of his government for the next six months, which will be especially important because of the conclusion of the membership negotiations with the candidate countries and due to the second phase of the work of the Convention for the future of the EU. The Danish Presidency’s priorities were spelt out as follows. Enlargement: the objective of the Presidency is the conclusion of the membership negotiations with at least ten candidate countries by 2002; space of freedom, security and justice: campaign against international terrorism, against cross-border crime, drug trafficking, implementation of the decisions taken in the sector of asylum and immigration policy; sustainable development: the main objectives are employment, greater prosperity and economic growth, wider competition, the reinforcement of the internal market, a system of modern transport, the extension of the information society, the cross-border application of rights, the improvement of the environment for healthier and safer work; food security: the priorities of the sector are the mid-term revision of the common agricultural policy, the quality of food, animal well-being, ensuring a future for the fishing industry and innovating the food sector; “ global responsibility“: the policy of security and defence (comprising the civil aspects, the military aspects and the prevention of conflicts), the liberalization of world trade and aid to the developing countries, the promotion of democracy and human rights and the reinforcement of the EU’s relations with third countries and regions. Premier Rasmussen will also present the programme of the Danish Presidency to the plenary session of the European Parliament, taking place at Strasbourg this week.
