5. Division

The central tasks of the division concern the international economic cooperation as well as issues concerning the EU budget and the multiannual financial framework.
The division prepares the Danish position on questions regarding international economic policy and is responsible for Denmark’s participation in the international economic cooperation.  

The division thus prepares cases for The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), which is composed of the Economics and Finance Ministers of the Member States and is responsible for the economic policy cooperation in the EU. Denmark will hold the EU Presidency in the first half of 2012 and will organize and lead the work of the ECOFIN Council during the Presidency. Furthermore, the responsibilities of the centre include the European Council, EU’s Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), economic policy coordination as e.g. the Growth and Stability Pact and the European Monetary Union (EMU) including the euro and the fixed exchange rate policy ERM II, the OECD, the IMF, the G20 and the Nordic cooperation including the Nordic Council of Ministers, MR-finance.

In the period 2011-2013 the European countries will negotiate EU’s financial framework after 2013. The centre is responsible for coordinating the Danish position on this matter.

In working with the EU budget the centre prepares the Danish position in the negotiations on the annual budget. In this connection, the centre also works to secure that the budgetary means are managed in a sound manner in order to avoid fraud. Furthermore, cases regarding the EU’s administration policy and staff regulation are handled.  

On the national level the centre participates in the inter-ministerial coordination of EU-cases and discusses how issues with fiscal and structural economic consequences are to be handled. In addition to this the centre is responsible for the horizontal aspects of the European growth and employment strategy (the Europe2020-strategy) including the preparation of the annual National Reform Programme as part of this strategy.

Finally, the centre participates in the discussions regarding the international cooperation on climate, especially with respect to the economic consequences.

Head of Division Stig Henneberg
T 33 92 44 43
E sthen@fm.dk