On 1 January 2025, the new trio of Presidencies of the Council of the EU began their 18-month programme, with Poland taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025 (→ separate news item). Denmark and Cyprus will take over in the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026, respectively. The trio of presidencies begins the new institutional cycle against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the dramatic situation in the Middle East and political turbulences in Western countries.

The trio's programme focuses on the following three main themes:

• A Strong and Secure Europe: This theme refers to external actions, security and defence, migration and border protection, enlargement, and internal reforms;
• A Prosperous and Competitive Europe: This theme concerns the various components that make up competitiveness, twin transition, innovation, the environment, and social affairs;
• A Free and Democratic Europe: This theme contains references to EU values, such as rule of law and human rights.

The priorities of the trio to ensure a strong and secure Europe are as follows:

• Coherent and influential external action;
• Strategic action on security and defence;
• A comprehensive approach to migration and border management;
• A well-prepared enlargement;
• Internal reforms.

In the area of criminal justice, the trio will work to prevent and fight crime, both online and offline, and to strengthen efforts to detect and combat terrorism, violent extremism, and serious and organised crime and corruption.

Another focus will be on securing free and pluralistic media and protect freedom online. Political priorities in this regard will include the fight against disinformation, the protection of civil society, tackling foreign interference, and ensuring greater transparency. Countering hate speech, ensuring democratic dialogue on tech platforms, protecting minors from harmful content online, and preventing the abuse of such platforms for criminal purposes will be addressed as well.

The trio will also launch work on the Multiannual Financial Framework post-2027, which will have to reflect the priorities in the strategic agenda 2024-2029.