The Programme and priorities of the Danish EU Presidency, which started on July 1, show a strong focus on fighting serious cross-border and organised crime, especially migrant smuggling and reducing irregular migration, securing external borders, and progressing on asylum and return rules.
While Victim Rights and the continued implementation of EU strategies on gender equality and LGBTIQ rights and combatting gender-based and domestic violence is mentioned, next to improving support for child victims and those affected by online sexual abuse, there is no specific reference made to the fight against human trafficking or the development of new EU Anti-Trafficking and Victim Rights’ strategies, which are both expected to be adopted early next year. Also, it is expected that the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive is to be concluded under the Danish presidency.
The programme does mention Denmark’s commitment to ensure fair and decent conditions for workers, especially posted and third-country nationals, next to referring to the need for occupational health and safety, as well as support for the European Care Strategy, with attention to long-term care, ageing, and working conditions in the care sector. Reference to Civic Space and the role of Civil Society is only made in the context of promoting independent living, but a reference to a broader EU Civil Society Strategy – which the Commission is currently working on – is absent in the documents.
Picture: © European Union, 2025 – EP