Latest news with #MarieBjerre
Observer
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Minimum age for social media to be put on EU agenda
AARHUS, Denmark: A possible minimum age for the use of social media is to be discussed at a European level, Danish Minister for Europe Marie Bjerre announced. Denmark is currently holding the rotating European Union presidency and in charge of hosting discussions of EU ministers. It was visible how social media affects children and well-being, Bjerre told journalists in Aarhus. This was probably the only area where more regulation was needed, she said. In Germany, a representative survey by the opinion research institute YouGov recently revealed that more than 70 per cent of respondents would like to see a minimum age for access to social media such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. According to the survey, 57 per cent said they were in favour of a minimum age of 16 for using social media, while 16 per cent were even of a minimum age of 18. The issue however is controversial among German politicians. While German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, from the left-leaning SPD, is in favour of an age limit, conservative CSU leader Markus Söder argued against it. He recently called the idea 'total rubbish' and 'out of touch with reality' in an interview with public service broadcaster ARD. A ban would make social media platforms even more interesting for young people and children. Those in favour of age limits point to the addictive potential of social media. There are also calls for reliable age verification systems for content that is not suitable for children and young people. The European Commission is already working on a verification app for this purpose. It should make it easier for online platforms to restrict access for children and young people. Meanwhile, Denmark promised on Thursday to push for Ukraine to join the EU, as the Nordic country welcomed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the start of its six-month EU presidency. Ukraine launched its bid to become an EU member in the aftermath of Russia's 2022 war, but it has stalled because of opposition from Hungary. "We must strengthen Ukraine. And we must weaken Russia," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement, promising to mix increased military support to Kyiv with sanctions on Moscow. Frederiksen has stressed the importance of European security, which she links to a strict migration policy, and the country has promised to push the agenda and champion Ukraine during its EU presidency. The Aarhus meeting comes as the United States announced it would stop supplying some weapons to Ukraine, after President Donald Trump effectively nixed the country's attempts to join the Nato military alliance. - dpa/AFP
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Can EU invoke nuclear legal option against Hungary for blocking Ukraine membership? Denmark at it
Denmark is pushing the EU to consider triggering Article 7—its so-called 'nuclear option' against Hungary for violating EU principles and blocking Ukraine's membership bid. As frustrations mount, the bloc faces a critical decision on whether to escalate action or risk further internal paralysis. read more Denmark is urging the European Union to consider deploying its most powerful legal weapon Article 7, often dubbed the 'nuclear option' against Hungary for its persistent breaches of core EU principles and its obstruction of Ukraine's accession to the bloc. 'We are still seeing violations of fundamental values,' Politico reported Denmark's European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre as saying during a press briefing in Aarhus, where the European Commission is holding meetings as Denmark assumes the rotating presidency of the EU Council. 'That is why we will continue the Article 7 procedure and the hearing on Hungary.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Article 7 of the EU Treaty allows member states to sanction another member found to be breaching fundamental EU values. In its most extreme form, it could lead to the suspension of the offending country's voting rights within the EU. Though this step has never been fully implemented, it remains a looming threat and one that Denmark now wants to bring closer to reality. Bjerre also suggested that the EU should consider restricting access to funding for members that defy the bloc's laws. Hungary has been repeatedly criticised by Brussels for eroding judicial independence, curbing press freedom, and weakening democratic institutions. Ukraine's EU bid caught in crossfire Denmark's frustrations are heightened by Hungary's continuing veto of Ukraine's EU membership process. With Kyiv's candidacy in limbo, Copenhagen is calling for all possible political and legal avenues to be explored in order to break the deadlock. 'We are willing to look at all political and practical solutions for us to move forward,' Bjerre stated, making it clear that Hungary's blockade is unacceptable. If EU members choose to intensify the Article 7 process, Hungary could be stripped of its voting powers in key policy areas—including decisions on enlargement—thereby neutralising its veto over Ukraine's membership. However, any move to escalate requires solid backing from major powers like France and Germany, which have so far remained cautious. Moldova as a potential workaround? With Budapest showing no signs of relenting, speculation is growing that the EU might opt to advance Moldova's membership talks separately by initiating the first negotiation cluster, effectively decoupling Moldova's candidacy from Ukraine's. But Denmark is not in favour of such a split. 'It is still our goal to open cluster one together with Moldova and Ukraine,' Bjerre affirmed, stressing Denmark's commitment to a united enlargement strategy. As the EU grapples with internal resistance and geopolitical urgency, the question now is whether the bloc is finally ready to wield its most extreme disciplinary tool or whether Hungary will remain a roadblock unchecked. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Al Etihad
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Possible minimum age for social media to be put on EU agenda
3 July 2025 17:43 AARHUS (DPA) A possible minimum age for the use of social media is to be discussed at a European level, Danish Minister for Europe Marie Bjerre is currently holding the rotating European Union presidency and in charge of hosting discussions of EU ministers. It was visible how social media affects children and well-being, Bjerre told journalists in Aarhus. This was probably the only area where more regulation was needed, she Germany, a representative survey by the opinion research institute YouGov recently revealed that more than 70% of respondents would like to see a minimum age for access to social media such as Facebook, Instagram, or to the survey, 57% said they were in favour of a minimum age of 16 for using social media, while 16% were even of a minimum age of in favour of age limits point to the addictive potential of social are also calls for reliable age verification systems for content that is not suitable for children and young people. The European Commission is already working on a verification app for this purpose. It should make it easier for online platforms to restrict access for children and young people.
Euractiv
03-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Denmark to exert ‘maximum pressure' on Hungary over vetoes
COPENHAGEN – Denmark has pledged to exert "maximum pressure" on Hungary in an attempt to resurrect Ukraine's stalled bid for EU membership, but Viktor Orbán remains unlikely to budge off his veto. "We will put maximum pressure on Hungary in order to lift their reservations," said Denmark's European Affairs Minister, Marie Bjerre, at the launch of her country's six-month EU presidency. "And we are willing to do all we can, political and practical, in order to move forward with Ukraine and also Moldova and the countries in the Western Balkans," she told reporters. Denmark is among a pro-enlargement group of EU countries that aims to make informal progress as far as possible while formal decisions are blocked, with a view to rapid progress if the Hungarian veto then falls. Yet such ambition faces a formidable obstacle in Budapest. Emboldened by the negative outcome of a self-styled referendum on Ukraine's EU accession, Hungary has shown no sign of lifting its veto on Kyiv's membership bid. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, with an eye on next year's parliamentary elections, is unlikely to soften his stance – meaning Ukraine and Moldova would not get the unanimous EU backing needed to complete negotiations by year's end, as is their goal. Bjerre insisted Copenhagen was "working to find solutions" around Hungary – which will include an additional hearing under the Article 7 procedure that, if passed, would strip Hungary of its EU voting rights over "serious" breaches of EU principles. That process is also unlikely to yield results, however, as it requires the support of the other 26 member states. Denmark has also backed a more robust eighteenth package of EU sanctions against Russia – which are blocked by Hungary and Slovakia over concerns around phasing out Russian energy imports. Budapest offered a minor climbdown at last week's EU summit, backing a rollover of the EU's exiting Russia sanctions, as is required every six months. Failure to extend the sanctions would likely have seen the return of billions in frozen Russian assets to Moscow. (om)
Toronto Star
03-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Denmark launches its EU presidency facing war in Ukraine and Trump tariff chaos
AARHUS, Denmark (AP) — Denmark launched its presidency of the European Union on Thursday with a call for Europe to unite to take on war in Ukraine and chaos caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's global tariff hike which are likely to mark the Nordic country's six-month term at the helm of the world's biggest trading bloc. 'We have war on European soil. We face trade wars, and new tariffs, and we have our closest ally, in the United States, turning increasingly inward,' said Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre. 'Europe can no longer be in the shadow of the United States. We need now to stand on our own two feet.'
