As of the end of June, Poland’s six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union has concluded. Throughout this term, Poland focused on various dimensions of security — external, internal, informational, economic, energy, food, and health — with a landmark achievement being the unprecedented increase in EU defense spending. As of July 1, Denmark takes over the presidency, with Baltic Sea defense among its key priorities.
“The Polish presidency is being rated very highly. It was very active — perhaps the most active in the last six years,” said Andrzej Halicki, Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform, in an interview with Newseria. “We started under the slogan ‘Security, Europe!’ — a meaningful theme, encompassing not only military security, especially with war at our doorstep, but also energy, economic, social, migration, and food security, all of which are vital for agriculture. And in each area, we’ve delivered concrete results.”
SAFE: A Milestone in European Defense Policy
The most notable success was the adoption of the SAFE (Security Assistance for Europe) regulation. This new EU financial instrument will provide loans to member states investing in defense-related industrial production through joint procurement. A total of €150 billion has been allocated for this purpose. SAFE will also support Ukraine by integrating its defense industry into this framework.
“Without SAFE, strengthening Europe’s security would not be possible. Initially, closing such a deal within six months seemed unrealistic, but now we already have pending orders under review by the European Commission, including for the Polish defense industry. In May, a large delegation from the Polish Armaments Group visited Brussels. Over 20 Polish projects are potentially eligible for support, with over PLN 100 billion in funding that could be directed to Poland,” Halicki noted. “Security also includes border security — both the EU’s and Poland’s eastern frontier. Already, PLN 52 million has been transferred to reinforce infrastructure, including the ‘Eastern Shield’ and the Baltic Line — for the first time backed by EU funds.”
Deregulation and Economic Competitiveness
Another key theme was strengthening the competitiveness of European businesses and industries. Poland’s presidency delivered five “Omnibus” deregulation packages, simplifying reporting requirements, easing investment financing, and reducing red tape for agriculture, defense, and SMEs.
During the same period, the European Commission unveiled the RePowerEU roadmap, aiming to phase out Russian fossil fuels and lower energy prices by increasing Europe’s energy independence.
Halicki also highlighted a major negotiation success related to EU-Ukraine agricultural trade:
“After the liberalization and open-border policy, we faced a huge challenge. By March, no one believed we could restore pre-war trade terms by June 5. Today, that’s a reality — and no one is contesting it.”
Other Achievements: Pharmaceuticals, CBAM, and ETS Reform
Poland also brokered a compromise on the EU pharmaceutical package, improving access to cheaper generic medicines for patients and enabling European pharma companies to compete more globally.
In addition, Poland negotiated revisions to key green regulations:
- There will be no ban on registering new combustion engine vehicles in 2035.
- Poland made substantial progress in revising the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).
- The controversial ETS2, which could impact households, may now be delayed — a “quiet but important economic success,” according to Halicki.
Denmark Takes Over with a Baltic Focus
Denmark will now lead the Council of the EU under the motto: “A Strong Europe in a Changing World.” Its priorities include:
- Strengthening the EU’s defense capacity
- Building resilience to hybrid threats and disinformation
- Deepening cooperation with NATO
- Accelerating the growth of Europe’s defense industry
- Supporting Ukraine
“The Danish presidency will have to finalize several files initiated during the Polish term, including ETS reforms. New initiatives are expected as well, such as one focused on Baltic Sea security,” Halicki added.
