Priorities of the Danish Presidency relevant to the hospitality sector

From 1 July to 31 December 2025, Denmark assumes the presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Council, made up of ministers from 27 EU Member States, is the central decision-making institution of the EU. 

Overall, the Danish Presidency’s will focus on competitiveness, while supporting the green transition. Priorities relevant for the hospitality industry are detailed below:  

1. Consumer Affairs: The Presidency will engage on trilogue negotiations on the Package Travel Directive (PTD). 
2. Competitiveness: The simplification and burden reduction agenda will be a central priority for the Presidency. It will prioritise negotiations on the Commission’s Omnibus packages and will focus on the fourth package which introduces a new business category (Small Mid-Cap enterprises (SMC)) as well as amendments to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It will also seek to maintain the EU’s commitment to the green transition, prioritising further discussions under the Green Industrial Deal and beginning negotiations on the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act. It intends to secure better access to clean and affordable energy in much larger quantities than today. 
3. Social Affairs: The Presidency will place a strong focus on free and fair movement of workers, decent working conditions, upskilling and reskilling. It will engage with the European Semester, the Quality Jobs Roadmap and the Commission’s Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights. It will also work on a new declaration on European cooperation in vocational education and training. The Presidency will build on the New Pact for European Dialogue to strengthen social dialogue at national and European level. Equal rights will also be high in the Danish agenda. 
4. Housing: The Presidency will focus on delivering sustainable and affordable housing, proposing Council conclusions addressing the Commission’s Affordable Housing Plan.  
5. Migration: The Presidency will prioritise the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and will promote initiatives that promote opportunities to recruit international labour with the adoption of the EU talent pool regulation.  
6. Taxation: The Presidency aims to advance, and possibly conclude, negotiations on revising the Energy Taxation Directive. 
7. Energy: The Presidency will work towards a more energy-independent Europe which is able to provide affordable energy to both citizens and businesses. This will require reinforced infrastructure development and connectivity, as well as an increased generation of affordable and clean energy. 
8. Sustainable food system: The presidency highlights the necessity to support a sustainable food system and a strong internal market with a focus on attaining a well-functioning EU food chain based on a single market with a level playing field. 
9. Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): The Presidency will start negotiations on the MFF, namely on cohesion policy after 2027, focusing on ensuring effective and result-based deployment that supports common European Priorities.  

The website of the Danish Presidency is available here. The programme outlining the priorities and goals is available here. A precise calendar of events during this period is available here.