Danish Presidency of EU Council

Denmark began its six-month presidency of the EU council on January 1, 2012. The Danish term commences at a critical time for the Euro zone and Denmark has pledged that unity is among its central goals. Another aim is to make green issues a priority, including a fresh look at renewable energies. The Danish Presidency will work to push forward negotiations on the next generation of programmes in education, research and innovation. It believes the interconnection between the three areas must be enhanced. In this regard, institutions of higher education play a vital role as suppliers of research, education of highly qualified labour force and transfer of new knowledge to society. Similarly, strengthening vocational education and training programmes must contribute to promoting a “knowledge-based society”. The Danish Presidency program is available on http://eu2012.dk/en.