The Chairpersons of the EU Affairs Committees of National Parliaments met in Copenhagen on 4 July in the framework of the events hosted by the Danish Parliament in their role as President of the Council of the European Union in the second semester of 2025.

During this conference, the Chairpersons discussed the priorities of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The session was addressed by Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs of Denmark. She went through the three main overarching priorities of the Danish Presidency including security and defence, competitiveness and the next EU multi-annual budget. During the debate, the Chairperson of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the Maltese Parliament, Zammit Lewis, referred to security and defence by stating that while Malta is a constitutionally neutral country, Malta is not shying away from actively working towards peace in the region and beyond. He remarked that this has been clearly shown during its recent role in the United Nations Security Council, the OSCE and now as Chair of the Council of Europe. Zammit Lewis also mentioned the dire situation in the Middle East and the instability in Libya, referring to them as of great concern even for the security and stability of Europe. On competitiveness Zammit Lewis emphasised that connectivity is a strategic asset that plays a key role in maintaining competitiveness, ensuring that peripheral regions, including Island Member States and the importance of energy independence. On the next EU budget, Zammit Lewis pointed out that flexibility is crucial and that the EU balances long-term planning with the ability to respond to crises. He opined that while simplifying processes is welcomed and should be encouraged to reduce bureaucracy, however,r this should not translate into a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

The second session of the conference debated Europe’s Security and Defence with reference to Ukraine. The session was addressed by Troels Lund Poulsen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Denmark Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chair of the Committee of Security and Defence of the European Parliament; and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine. Zammit Lewis in his intervention reiterated that although Malta is one of the smallest countries with neutrality enshrined in its Constitution, its recent foreign policy has clearly shown it played an important role in the European and international fora, including Malta’s role in presiding over the agreement signed last week in the Council of Europe on the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, including the Statute of the Special Tribunal. He emphasised that this shows Malta’s role in the process which reflects its broader commitment to Ukraine’s cause. He continued by saying that under the Maltese Presidency, the Council of Europe will focus on operationalising the tribunal and supporting Ukraine through coordinated multilateral initiatives, including establishing a Claims Commission and Compensation Fund.