Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Denmark
Date: 2024-06-19
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Denmark, budget policy, economic policy, economic recovery, economic reform, employment policy, reduction of gas emissions, social policy, stability pact, sustainable agriculture

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.6.2024  COM(2024) 604 final  Recommendation for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Denmark  {SWD(2024) 600 final} - {SWD(2024) 604 final}  
 
Recommendation for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on the economic, social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Denmark 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 121(2) and 148(4) thereof, 

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1263 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  29  April  2024  on  the  effective  coordination  of  economic  policies  and  multilateral 
budgetary surveillance and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/971, and in particular 
Article 3(3) thereof, 

Having regard to the recommendation of the European Commission, 

Having regard to the resolutions of the European Parliament, 

Having regard to the conclusions of the European Council, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Employment Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Social Protection Committee, 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic Policy Committee, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

1 
2 

3 

Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council2,  which 
established  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility,  entered  into  force  on  19  February 
2021. The Recovery and Resilience Facility provides financial support to the Member 
States  for  the  implementation  of  reforms  and  investment,  entailing  a  fiscal  impulse 
financed by the EU. In line with the European Semester priorities, it helps achieve the 
economic  and  social  recovery  and  implement  sustainable  reforms  and  investment,  in 
particular  to  promote  the  green  and  digital  transitions  and  make  the  Member  States’ 
economies  more  resilient.  It  also  helps  strengthen  public  finances  and  boost  growth 
and job creation in the medium and long term, improve territorial cohesion within the 
EU and support the continued implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.  
The  REPowerEU  Regulation3,  adopted  on  27  February  2023,  aims  to  phase  out  the 
EU’s  dependency  on  Russian  fossil  fuel  imports.  This  would  help  achieve  energy 

the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility 

OJ L, 2024/1263, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1263/oj. 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  12  February  2021 
(OJ  L  57,  18.2.2021,  p.  17),  ELI: 
establishing 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/241/oj. 
Regulation  (EU)  2023/435  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27  February  2023 
amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans 
and  amending  Regulations  (EU)  No  1303/2013,  (EU)  2021/1060  and  (EU)  2021/1755,  and  Directive 
2003/87/EC (OJ L 63, 28.2.2023, p. 1), ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/435/oj. 

EN 

1 

  EN 

 
 
(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

security  and  diversify  the  EU’s  energy  supply,  while  increasing  the  uptake  of 
renewables,  energy  storage  capacities  and  energy  efficiency.  Denmark  added  a  new 
REPowerEU chapter to its national recovery and resilience plan in order to finance key 
reforms and investments that will help achieve the REPowerEU objectives. 

On  16  March  2023,  the  Commission  issued  a  Communication  on  the  ‘Long-term 
competitiveness of the EU: looking beyond 2030’4, in order to inform policy decisions 
and  create  the  framework  conditions  for  increasing  growth.  The  Communication 
frames competitiveness along nine mutually reinforcing drivers. Among these drivers, 
access to private capital, research and innovation, education and skills, and the single 
market  emerge  as  paramount  policy  priorities  for  reform  and  investment  to  address 
current productivity challenges as well as to build up the long-term competitiveness of 
the EU and its Member States.  On 14 February  2024, the Commission  followed this 
Communication  with  the  Annual  Single  Market  and  Competitiveness  Report5.  The 
report  details  the  competitive  strengths  and  challenges  of  Europe's  Single  Market, 
tracking yearly developments according to the nine competitiveness drivers identified. 

On 21 November 2023, the Commission adopted the 2024 Annual Sustainable Growth 
Survey6, marking the start of the 2024 cycle of the European Semester for economic 
policy  coordination.  The  European  Council  endorsed  the  priorities  of  the  survey 
around  the  four  dimensions  of  competitive  sustainability  on  22  March  2024.  On  21 
November 2023, on the basis of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011, the Commission also 
adopted  the  2024  Alert  Mechanism  Report,  in  which  it  did  not  identify  Denmark  as 
one of the Member States that may be affected or may be at risk of being affected by 
imbalances, and for which an in-depth review would be needed. The Commission also 
adopted a recommendation for a Council recommendation on the economic policy of 
the euro area, which the Council adopted on 12 April 2024, as well as the proposal for 
the 2024 Joint Employment Report analysing the implementation of the Employment 
Guidelines  and  the  principles  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights,  which  the 
Council adopted on 11 March 2024. 

On  30  April  2024,  the  EU’s  new  economic  governance  framework  came  into  force. 
The  framework  includes  the  new  Regulation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council  (EU)  2024/1263  on  the  effective  coordination  of  economic  policies  and 
multilateral  budgetary  surveillance  and  repealing  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1466/97.  It  also  includes  the  amended  Regulation  (EC)  No  1467/97  on  the 
implementation  of  the  excessive  deficit  procedure  and  the  amended  Directive 
2011/85/EU  on  the  budgetary  frameworks  of  Member  States7.  The  objectives  of  the 
new  framework  are  public  debt  sustainability  and  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth 
through gradual  fiscal consolidation  as  well as  reforms  and investments.  It  promotes 
national  ownership  and  has  a  greater  medium-term  focus,  combined  with  more 
effective and coherent enforcement. Each Member State should submit to the Council 
and  to  the  Commission  a  national  medium-term  fiscal-structural  plan.  National 
medium-term  fiscal-structural  plans  contain  the  fiscal,  reform  and  investment 

4 
5 
6 
7 

COM(2023) 168 final. 
COM(2024) 77 final. 
COM(2023) 901 final. 
Council  Regulation  (EU)  2024/1264  of  29  April  2024  amending  Regulation  (EC)  No  1467/97  on 
speeding  up  and  clarifying  the  implementation  of  the  excessive  deficit  procedure  (OJ  L,  2024/1264, 
30.4.2024,  ELI:  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1264/oj)  and  Council  Directive  (EU)  2024/1265  of 
29  April  2024  amending  Directive  2011/85/EU  on  requirements  for  budgetary  frameworks  of  the 
Member States (OJ L, 2024/1265, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1265/oj). 

EN 

2 

  EN 

 
commitments  of  a  Member  State,  covering  a  planning  horizon  of  4  years  or  5  years 
depending on the regular length of the national legislature. The net expenditure8  path 
in  the  national  medium-term  fiscal-structural  plans  should  comply  with  the 
requirements of Regulation (EU) No 2024/1263, including the requirements to put or 
keep  general  government  debt  on  a  plausibly  downward  path  by  the  end  of  the 
adjustment period at the latest, or for it to remain at prudent levels below 60% of GDP, 
and to bring and/or maintain the government deficit below the 3% of GDP reference 
value  over  the  medium  term.  Where  a  Member  State  commits  to  a  relevant  set  of 
reforms and investments in accordance with the criteria set out in Regulation (EU) No 
2024/1263, the adjustment period may be extended by 3 years at most. For the purpose 
of supporting the preparation of those plans, on [21 June] 2024, the Commission is set 
to  provide  Member  States  with  guidance  on  the  content  of  the  plans  and  the 
subsequent  annual  progress  reports  that  they  will  need  to  submit  and,  in  accordance 
with  Article  5  of  Regulation  (EU)  No  2024/1263,  will  transmit  to  them  technical 
guidance  on  the  fiscal  adjustments  (reference  trajectories  and  technical  information, 
where  applicable).  Member  States  should  submit  their  medium-term  fiscal-structural 
plans by 20 September 2024, unless the Member State and the Commission agree to 
extend the deadline by a reasonable period of time. Member States should ensure the 
involvement  of  their  national  parliaments,  and  the  consultation  of  independent  fiscal 
institutions, of social partners and other national stakeholders, as appropriate. 

In 2024, the European Semester for economic policy coordination continues to evolve 
in  line  with  the  implementation  of  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility.  The  full 
implementation  of  the  recovery  and  resilience  plans  remains  essential  for  delivering 
the policy priorities under the European Semester, as the plans help effectively address 
all  or  a  significant  subset  of  challenges  identified  in  the  relevant  country-specific 
recommendations  issued  in  recent  years.  The  2019,  2020,  2022  and  2023  country-
specific  recommendations  remain  equally  relevant  also  for  recovery  and  resilience 
plans  revised,  updated  or  amended  in  accordance  with  Articles  14,  18  and  21  of 
Regulation (EU) 2021/241.  

On 30 April 2021, Denmark submitted its national recovery and resilience plan to the 
Commission, in accordance with Article 18(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241. Pursuant 
to  Article  19  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/241,  the  Commission  assessed  the  relevance, 
effectiveness,  efficiency  and  coherence  of  the  recovery  and  resilience  plan,  in 
accordance with the assessment guidelines of Annex V to that Regulation. On 13 July 
2021,  the  Council  adopted  its  Decision  on  the  approval  of  the  assessment  of  the 
recovery and resilience plan for Denmark9, which was amended on 9 November 2023 
following  Article  18(2)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  to  update  of  the  maximum 
financial  contribution  for  non-repayable  financial  support,  as  well  as  to  include  the 
REPowerEU chapter10. The release of instalments is conditional on a decision by the 

Net expenditure as defined in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1263 of 29 April 2024 (OJ L 
2024/1263,  30.4.2024,  ELI:  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1263/oj).  Net  expenditure  means 
government  expenditure  net  of  (i)  interest  expenditure,  (ii)  discretionary  revenue  measures,  (iii) 
expenditure  on  programmes  of  the  Union  fully  matched  by  Union  funds  revenue,  (iv)  national 
expenditure  on  co-financing  of  programmes  funded  by  the  Union,  (v)  cyclical  elements  of 
unemployment benefit expenditure, and (vi) one-offs and other temporary measures. 
Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and 
resilience plan for Denmark (10154/2021). 
Council Implementing Decision of 9 November 2023 amending the Implementing Decision of 13 July 
2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Denmark (14473/2023). 

(6) 

(7) 

8 

9 

10 

EN 

3 

  EN 

 
(9) 

(8) 

the 

Commission,  taken  in  accordance  with  Article  24(5)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/241, 
that Denmark has satisfactorily fulfilled the relevant milestones and targets set out in 
the  Council  Implementing  Decision.  Satisfactory  fulfilment  presupposes  that  the 
achievement of preceding milestones and targets has not been reversed. 
The Commission published the 2024 country report for Denmark11on 19 June 2024. It 
assessed  Denmark’s  progress 
relevant  country-specific 
in  addressing 
recommendations  adopted by the Council  between 2019  and  2023 and  took stock of 
Denmark’s implementation of the recovery and resilience plan. Based on this analysis, 
the  country  report  identified  gaps  with  respect  to  those  challenges  that  are  not 
addressed  or  only  partially  addressed  by  the  recovery  and  resilience  plan,  as  well  as 
new and emerging  challenges.  It  also  assessed  Denmark’s progress  on implementing 
the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  and  on  achieving  the  EU  headline  targets  on 
employment, skills and poverty reduction, as well as progress in  achieving the UN’s 
Sustainable Development Goals.  
Based  on  data  validated  by  Eurostat12,  Denmark’s  general  government  surplus 
decreased from 3.3% of GDP in 2022 to 3.1% in 2023, while the general government 
debt fell from 29.8% of GDP at the end of 2022 to 29.3% at the end of 2023.  
(10)  On  12  July  2022,  the  Council  recommended13that  Denmark  take  action  to  ensure  in 
2023 that the growth of nationally financed primary current expenditure is in line with 
an  overall  neutral  policy  stance14,  taking  into  account  continued  temporary  and 
targeted support to households and firms most vulnerable to energy price hikes and to 
people fleeing  Ukraine.  Denmark  was  recommended to  stand  ready to  adjust current 
spending to the evolving situation. Denmark was also recommended to expand public 
investment  for  the  green  and  digital  transitions,  and  for  energy  security  taking  into 
account  the  REPowerEU  initiative,  including  by  making  use  of  the  Recovery  and 
Resilience  Facility  and  other  Union  funds.  In  2023,  according  to  the  Commission 
estimates, the fiscal stance15was expansionary, by 2.4% of GDP, in a context of high 
inflation.  The  growth  in  nationally  financed  primary  current  expenditure  (net  of 
discretionary revenue measures) in 2023 provided an expansionary contribution to the 
fiscal stance of 1.8% of GDP. The expansionary growth in nationally financed primary 
current  expenditure  (net  of  discretionary  revenue  measures)  was  driven  by  higher 
social  benefits  and  permanent  increases  in  public  sector  wages.  The  growth  of 
nationally  financed  primary  current  expenditure  in  2023  was  not  in  line  with  the 

11 
12 
13 

14 

15 

SWD(2024) 604 final. 
Eurostat-Euro Indicators, 22.4.2024. 
Council Recommendation of 12 July 2022 on the  2022 National Reform Programme of Denmark and 
delivering a Council opinion on the 2022 Convergence Programme of Denmark OJ C 334, 1.9.2022, p. 
27. 
Based on the Commission Spring 2024 Forecast, the medium-term potential output growth of Denmark 
in 2023, which is used to measure the fiscal stance, is estimated at  -1.6% in nominal terms (given the 
negative growth in the GDP deflator in 2023), based on the 10-year average real potential growth rate 
and the 2023 GDP deflator. 
The fiscal stance is defined as a measure of the annual change in the underlying budgetary position of 
the  general  government.  It  aims  to  assess  the  economic  impulse  stemming  from  fiscal  policies,  both 
those  that  are  nationally  financed  and  those  that  are  financed  by  the  EU  budget.  The  fiscal  stance  is 
measured as the difference between (i) the medium-term potential growth and (ii) the change in primary 
expenditure  net  of  discretionary  revenue  measures  (and  excluding  temporary  emergency  measures 
related to the COVID-19 crisis) and including expenditure financed by non-repayable support (grants) 
from  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  and  other  Union  funds.  A  negative  (positive)  sign  of  the 
indicator indicates an expansionary (contractionary) fiscal policy. 

EN 

4 

  EN 

 
Council  recommendation.  Expenditure  financed  by  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility 
grants  and  other  EU  funds  amounted  to  0.2%  of  GDP  in  2023.  Nationally  financed 
investment  amounted  to  3.2%  of  GDP  in  2023,  representing  an  increase  of  0.1 
percentage  points  as  compared  to  2022.  Denmark  financed  additional  investment 
through the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other EU funds.  Denmark financed 
public investment for the green and digital transitions, and for energy security, such as 
expanding district heating from renewable sources, undertaking energy renovations of 
public  buildings,  expanding  energy  connectivity  in  the  North  Sea  region,  producing 
hydrogen  on  the  basis  of  green  electricity  and  providing  fast  internet  connections  to 
households. 

(11)  The  Commission  Spring  2024  Forecast  projects  real  GDP  to  grow  by  2.6%  in  2024 
and 1.4% in 2025, and HICP inflation to stand at 2.0% in 2024 and 1.9% in 2025. 

(12)  The Commission Spring 2024 Forecast projects a government surplus of 2.4% of GDP 
in 2024, while the general government debt-to-GDP ratio is set to decrease to 26.5% 
by  the  end  of  2024.  The  decrease  of  the  surplus  in  2024  mainly  reflects  higher 
government  consumption,  both  remuneration  and  other  consumption.  Based  on  the 
Commission’s estimates, the fiscal stance is projected to be expansionary, by 0.3% of 
GDP, in 2024. 

(13)  Expenditure amounting to less than 0.1% of GDP is expected to be financed by non-
repayable  support  (“grants”)  from  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  in  2024,  the 
same  as  in  2023,  according  to  the  Commission  Spring  2024  Forecast.  Expenditure 
financed  by  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  grants  will  enable  high-quality 
investment and productivity-enhancing reforms without a direct impact on the general 
government balance and debt of Denmark. 

(14)  On  14  July  2023,  the  Council  recommended16  that  Denmark  maintain  a  sound  fiscal 
position in 2024. When executing their 2023 budgets and preparing their budgets for 
2024,  Member  States  were  invited  to  take  into  account  that  the  Commission  would 
propose to the Council the opening of deficit-based excessive deficit procedures based 
on  the  outturn  data  for  2023.  According  to  the  Commission  Spring  2024  Forecast, 
Denmark’s  structural  balance  is  projected  at  2.4%  of  GDP  in  2024,  from  3.6%  in 
2023,  thereby  above  the  country’s  medium-term  budgetary  objective  (MTO)  of  a 
structural balance of -0.5% of GDP. This is in line with what was recommended by the 
Council. 

(15)  Moreover,  the  Council  recommended  that  Denmark  take  action  to  wind  down  the 
emergency  energy  support  measures  in  force  as  soon  as  possible  in  2023  and  2024. 
The Council further specified that, should renewed energy price increases necessitate 
new or continued support measures, Denmark should ensure that these were targeted at 
protecting  vulnerable  households  and  firms,  fiscally  affordable,  and  preserve 
incentives for energy savings. According to the Commission Spring 2024 Forecast, the 
net  budgetary  cost17of  emergency  energy  support  measures  is  estimated  at  0.5%  of 
GDP in 2023 and projected at 0.1% in 2024 and 0.1% in 2025. The emergency energy 
support  measures  are  projected  to  be  wound  down  as  soon  as  possible  in  2023  and 
2024. This is in line with what was recommended by the Council. 

16 

17 

Council Recommendation of 14 July 2023 on the 2023 National Reform Programme of Denmark, OJ C 
312, 1.9.2023, p. 31. 
The figure represents the level of the annual budgetary cost of those measures, including revenue and 
expenditure and, where applicable, net of the revenue from taxes on windfall profits of energy suppliers. 

EN 

5 

  EN 

 
(16) 

In addition, the Council also recommended that Denmark preserve nationally financed 
public  investment  and  ensure  the  effective  absorption  of  Recovery  and  Resilience 
Facility  grants  and  other  EU  funds,  in  particular  to  foster  the  green  and  digital 
transitions.  According  to  the  Commission  Spring  2024  Forecast,  nationally  financed 
public investment is projected to remain stable at 3.2% of GDP in 2024 from 3.2% of 
GDP  in  2023.  This  is  in  line  with  what  was  recommended  by  the  Council.  In  turn, 
public  expenditure  financed  from  revenues  from  EU  funds,  including  Recovery  and 
Resilience Facility grants, is expected to remain stable at 0.2% of GDP in 2024. 

(17)  Based on policy measures known at the cut-off date of the forecast and on a no-policy-
change  assumption,  the  Commission  Spring  2024  Forecast  projects  a  government 
surplus of 1.4% of GDP in 2025. The decrease of the surplus in 2025 mainly reflects 
including  military  expenditure.  The  general 
higher  government  consumption, 
government debt-to-GDP ratio is set to decrease to 25.1% by the end of 2025.  

(18) 

In accordance with Article 19(3), point (b), and Annex V, criterion 2.2 of Regulation 
(EU) 2021/241, the recovery and resilience plan includes an extensive set of mutually 
reinforcing reforms and investments to be implemented by 2026. These are expected 
to  help  effectively  address  all  or  a  significant  subset  of  challenges  identified  in  the 
relevant  country-specific  recommendations.  Within  this  tight  timeframe,  proceeding 
swiftly  with  the  effective  implementation  of  the  plan,  including  the  REPowerEU 
chapter, is essential to boost Denmark’s long-term competitiveness through the green 
and digital transition, while ensuring social fairness. To deliver on the commitments of 
the plan by August 2026, it is essential for Denmark to continue the implementation of 
reforms and investments. The systematic involvement of local and regional authorities, 
social  partners,  civil  society  and  other  relevant  stakeholders  remains  essential  to 
ensure  broad  ownership  for  the  successful  implementation  of  the  recovery  and 
resilience plan.  

(19)  As  part  of  the  mid-term  review  of  the  cohesion  policy  funds,  in  accordance  with 
Article  18  of  Regulation  (EU)  2021/1060,  Denmark  is  required  to  review  each 
programme  by  March  2025,  taking  into  account,  among  other  things,  the  challenges 
identified in the 2024 country-specific recommendations, as well as its national energy 
and climate plan. This  review  forms the basis for the definitive allocation of the EU 
funding  included  in  each  programme.  Denmark  has  made  progress  in  implementing 
cohesion  policy  and the  European Pillar of Social  Rights,  but  challenges  remain  and 
disparities persist between the capital region and the rest of the country. It is important 
to accelerate the implementation of the cohesion policy programmes, and the priorities 
agreed in the programmes are still relevant. In particular, it is necessary to continue to 
support  innovation  contributing  to  the  further  greening  and  digitalisation  of  society, 
while continuing to address regional economic and social disparities, and factoring in 
demographic challenges. In addition, it remains key to promote vocational education, 
training and its attractiveness, as well as to upgrade the adult population’s basic skills, 
including  those  of  migrants.  Denmark  could  also  make  use  of  the  Strategic 
Technologies  for  Europe  Platform  initiative  to  boost  further  investments  in 
technologies supporting the twin transition, as well as related necessary investment to 
help tackle skills and labour shortages. Denmark could consider focusing on clean and 
resource-efficient  technologies  and  related  value  chains  particularly  in  the  energy 
sector,  and  on  digital  technologies  to  benefit  people  and  SMEs.  This  could 
complement the  ongoing  actions  to  help large  companies  develop  clean technologies 
and to raise the co-financing rate for SMEs. 

EN 

6 

  EN 

(20)  Beyond the economic and social challenges addressed by the recovery and resilience 
plan  and  other  EU  funds,  Denmark  faces  several  additional  challenges  related  to  the 
decarbonisation and sustainability of the economy.  

(21)  Denmark  has  committed  to  achieving  ambitious  decarbonisation  objectives.  The 
Danish agricultural sector is among the largest sources of the country’s greenhouse gas 
emissions covered by the Effort Sharing Regulation18. Moreover, intensive agriculture 
practices are causing excessive nutrient leaching and run-off from fields, with serious 
repercussions on soil health and on aquatic and marine ecosystems. Making the agri-
food sector more sustainable is therefore key to achieving climate objectives, as well 
as to restoring degraded biodiversity and ecosystems. In 2023, the Danish agriculture 
and  related  industries  recorded  net  exports  of  around  2%  of  GDP  and  agricultural 
activities  are  at  the  centre  of  employment  and  competitiveness  in  less  populated 
regions. Political discussions on introducing  a tax on greenhouse gas emissions from 
the sector are ongoing but, in line with the CAP Strategic Plan of Denmark19, further 
efforts are needed to accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture, while ensuring 
competitiveness  and  social  fairness.  This  could  be  achieved  by,  among  other  things, 
continuing to  invest in  green technologies,  further incentivising rewetting and taking 
carbon  rich  soils  out  of  production,  reducing  livestock  numbers,  facilitating  the 
transition to organic practices and organic food consumption, and expanding forested 
and protected areas. 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS that Denmark take action in 2024 and 2025 to:  

1. 

2. 

3. 

Submit the medium-term fiscal-structural plan in a timely manner.  

Continue with the swift and effective implementation of the recovery and resilience 
plan,  including  the  REPowerEU  chapter,  ensuring  completion  of  reforms  and 
investments  by  August  2026.  Accelerate  the  implementation  of  cohesion  policy 
programmes.  In  the  context  of  their  mid-term  review,  continue  focusing  on  the 
agreed  priorities,  while  considering  the  opportunities  provided  by  the  Strategic 
Technologies for Europe Platform initiative to improve competitiveness.   

Take  further  efforts  for  sustainable  agriculture  by  stepping  up  decarbonisation 
measures and action to reduce nutrient losses. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

18 

19 

EN 

Regulation (EU) 2023/857 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 April 2023 amending 
Regulation  (EU)  2018/842  on  binding  annual  greenhouse  gas  emission  reductions  by  Member  States 
from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement, and 
Regulation 
ELI: 
L 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/857/oj. 
C(2023)7994 final. 

2018/1999 

26.4.2023, 

1–14), 

(EU) 

111, 

(OJ 

p. 

7 

  EN