Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union has provided much-needed political and economic stability, according to Esteban González Pons, Vice-President of the European Parliament, who visited Warsaw for the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC). During the plenary session, participants highlighted a number of successful initiatives, with defense policy standing out as a top achievement. Denmark is set to take over the rotating presidency next and is expected to prioritize security as well as the search for new trade partners in light of evolving U.S. economic policy.
“I am grateful to the Polish government and to Poland. Its presidency has been very successful and productive. In these difficult times, Poland has proven to be an excellent leader of the EU. We are thankful and proud of the Polish presidency,” said Esteban González Pons in an interview with Newseria. “Poland’s leadership provided Europe with vital stability at a time of uncertainty, particularly amid the change in the U.S. presidency. I would not call it a trade war yet, but one with the United States is possible. What Poland’s presidency achieved above all else was delivering that stability to the EU.”
A Strong, Security-Oriented Presidency
“It was a very solid and impactful presidency under the motto ‘Security, Europe!’. The focus was on defense and energy security as well as competitiveness. Under Minister Adam Szłapka’s leadership, the presidency was highly effective—we reached agreements on multiple legislative acts, something that hadn’t happened in years. I consider this one of the most successful presidencies during my time in the European Parliament,” said Sven Simon, German MEP and Chair of the Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs.
He noted that Poland’s presidency also helped open the path for Ukraine’s future EU accession treaty and placed emphasis on consumer prices and competitiveness—issues that affect all EU citizens.
European leaders, he added, have committed to building a defense policy that will make Europe stronger and more sovereign. This led to the European Commission, inspired by Poland’s presidency, presenting a white paper on European defense readiness and the “ReArm Europe” plan. The goal: mobilizing up to €800 billion to address the military threat from Russia. Additionally, a defense loan package was approved—a breakthrough for EU defense financing. There are also plans to relax fiscal rules so that new defense expenditures are excluded from the excessive deficit procedure.
“Poland supported these actions from the start, recognizing them as a way to encourage public investment in this key area,” said Minister for European Affairs Adam Szłapka in the Polish Sejm.
COSAC Session and Key Themes
The discussion on Poland’s presidency was one part of the COSAC plenary. According to Sven Simon, the purpose of COSAC is to bring together national and European parliamentarians to discuss ongoing and upcoming EU policy changes. The meetings are always hosted by the country holding the rotating presidency.
Other topics discussed in Warsaw included:
- the 2024–2029 European Parliament legislative agenda,
- the status of work on the new Multiannual Financial Framework,
- simplification of EU law,
- combating disinformation, and
- strengthening EU cybersecurity.
“COSAC meetings are important because the European Parliament and national parliaments share many competences, and sometimes the boundaries are unclear. This is why coordination is so vital,” said Esteban González Pons. “It’s a good time to work together, especially on issues like security and solidarity. The situation in Eastern Europe remains deeply concerning. Countries in Southern Europe don’t always fully grasp how difficult it is to live so close to Russia. That’s why these discussions matter.”
Looking Ahead: Denmark Takes Over in July
In July, Denmark will take over the EU Council presidency from Poland. Esteban González Pons expects Copenhagen to maintain a strong focus on security and trade.
“We need to think about new trading partners and export markets for goods that the U.S. may no longer want to buy in the future,” he said.
Sven Simon believes Denmark will likely continue Poland’s agenda, but with a stronger emphasis on EU competitiveness—meaning reducing red tape and excessive regulation.
“There’s far too much regulation in the EU, and the next presidency should tackle this even more than the last two have,” noted Simon.
Last week, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and leaders of political groups visited Copenhagen to discuss preparations for Denmark’s presidency.
Source: Newseria | CEO.com.pl – Poland’s EU Presidency Brings Stability and Progress in Defense and Security
