Advanced search

Copenhague >



News

  • European Film Weeks in Helsinki Statement 01.04.2016

    The European Commission’s Representation in Finland and the European Parliament’s Information Office in Finland, together with the embassies and cultural institutes of the EU countries and the EU candidate countries invite you to the European Film Weeks from April 8th to April 20th at the Eurooppasali in Helsinki! Enjoy a diversity of European productions, one of which from our very country: Mos Stellarium (Luxembourg - 2015). 

  • Economic Mission to Finland Statement 01.03.16

    The Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in close cooperation with the Ministry of the Economy, the Luxembourg Embassy to Finland and the agencies « Luxembourg for Business » and « Luxembourg for Finance » will be organising a multisectoral trade mission to  Finland  from the 9th to the 12th of May 2016.

  • The Francophonie in 14 movies Statement 15.02.16

    Throughout May, the Institut Français in Copenhagen invites you to come by their Institute or the Cinemateket to enjoy their selection of movies. The Luxembourgish co-production entitled "Puppy Love" (2014) will be presented during the festivities.

  • EU Heads of mission meeting with Uffe Elbæk, chair and founder of the Alternative party Press Release 15.12.2015

    On 14 December, Ambassador Philipps had invited his colleagues Ambassadors of EU member States and candidate countries to an exchange of views with a representative of a new Danish political party, founded in 2013 and which from scratch had conquered nine seats in the Folketing elections of June 2015. It was deemed opportune and interesting to have a discussion with the founder of the Alternativet, a smaller party in the political landscape of Denmark, whose immediate success is amply reflected by the fact that at 4.8 % of the suffrage it precedes the radical-liberal party (4.6 %), the socialist party (4.2 %) and the conservative party (3.4 %).

  • Briefing for EU Heads of mission by Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (8 December 2015) Press Release 09.12.2015

    On 8 December, EU Heads of mission had their biannual meeting with Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen at his office in Christiansborg. The exchange of views with the Head of government initially focussed on the negative result of the 3 December referendum on a selective Danish participation in the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs domain.

  • EU Heads of mission meeting with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (Stockholm, 8 December 2015) Press Release 09.12.2015

    By a coincidence of calendar, the regular biannual meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in Stockholm was scheduled in parallel to the EU meeting with Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen in Copenhagen. As Ambassador Philipps was not able to attend and chair both meetings on that same day, his colleague, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sweden, representing the incoming EU chairmanship, graciously accepted to take over to preside over the briefing and ensuing discussions with the Swedish Head of Government. Major issues were the effects of the migration crisis and Sweden’s immigration policy, including the recent marked strain on society and resources, the problem of “foreign fighters”, the implementation of EU decisions on redistribution of migrants, the follow-up to the La Valletta Summit and the Summit between the EU and Turkey. Prime Minister Löfven also gave an overview of the economic situation of Sweden. He finally addressed a number of crisis and conflicts, with a focus on the situation in Ukraine and the war in Syria. Participants appreciated a frank and direct exchange. At the closure of the meeting Ambassador Coppoolse handed over a gift of the Presidency, as a token of appreciation.

  • The Digital Single Market - What's in it for us? Press Release 04.12.2015

    Participate in workshops and debates on corporate conditions in a digital world including European Commisioner Margrethe Vestager and Danish business representatives, research institutions and trade unions on Tuesday December 8th 2015, during the Conference on the future digital economy.
    Witness the Danish European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, DI's CEO. Karsten Dybvad, Siemens CEO. Director in Denmark Jukka Pertola and Google's President of Strategic Relationships in Europe Carlo D'Asaro Biondo present their suggestions on what a digital economy will mean for Denmark and the rest of Europe.
    Participate in one or more workshops and contributions to the debate about what the future will bring - and how you as a company to compete in an increasingly global and digital world.

  • Economic Mission to Copenhagen Statement 02.12.2015

    From the 24th to the 26th of November 2015, the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg organized a multi-sectoral economic mission to Denmark, in collaboration with our Embassy in Copenhagen. The goal of this mission was to strengthen bilateral economic ties between both countries in the fields of logistics, maritime business, eco-technologies and ICT.

  • EU Heads of mission working lunch with President Niinistö (Helsinki, 17 November 2015) Press Release 18.11.2015

    On the invitation of the Luxembourg EU presidency, President Sauli Niinistö attended a working lunch, which the EU group of Ambassadors had been looking forward to on the basis of a well-established tradition that foresees biannual exchanges of views with the Finnish Head of State.

  • Seminar on business, energy and climate – before and after Paris (Stockhom, 11 November 2015) Press Release 12.11.2015

    In partnership with the European Commission delegation, the Swedish Confederation of Entreprise and the World Energy Council, the Luxembourg EU presidency had organised a seminar on the expected outcome of the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) and the remaining hard issues to tackle. The seminar was about the state of play of negotiations two weeks before the COP21 as well as expectations from different actors, including governments, business and the energy sector in the run-up to Paris and with regard to the follow-up to a new climate agreement. Against the background of the EU’s ambitious negotiating position for the COP21, Luxembourg’s Environment Minister Carole Dieschbourg representing the EU Chairmanship and her Swedish counterpart Åsa Romson briefed participants on the ongoing preparations and the major challenges ahead. Private business and representatives of the energy sector on their part presented their views and demands. The well-attended seminar offered a framework for in-depth substantial exchanges of views.  Participants were united in their wish to see the Paris Conference become a game-changer in climate policy at global level.   

  • EU Heads of mission working breakfast with State Secretary Lehtomäki (Helsinki, 3 November 2015) Press Release 04.11.2015

    Paula Lehtomäki, State Secretary at Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s Office, was the guest of honour at the EU HoMs working breakfast. The State Secretary had been sitting in for the head of government who was retained by important negotiations within the government coalition. Ms Lehtomäki focussed largely on domestic issues and, referring to the government coalition programme, gave the participants an exhaustive briefing on the Prime Minister’s priorities in regard to the reforms that he deemed necessary to boost Finland’s competitiveness, catalyse economic growth, fight unemployment, affecting in particular the younger generations, and implement a “new contract” with the Finnish people. During the ensuing discussions, the main issues were the reform of the health sector, the pension reform and the reform of the municipal level.

  • Briefing on European affairs to the European Movement in Helsinki (2 November 2015) Press Release 03.11.2015

    Further to an invitation by the European Movement of Helsinki, Ambassador Philipps made a presentation of Luxembourg’s EU presidency priorities, in the framework of the institutional changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty. Faced with an expert and motivated audience composed partly by former European functionaries who had been working in the European Institutions in either Luxembourg or Brussels, the Ambassador was led to go into a fair amount of detail. Major challenges to the European integration project were discussed in a pleasantly contradictory manner just as a well as the main domains and projects which are aimed at bringing the EU forward, including in regard to growth, the fight against unemployment, the establishment of an energy union, the creation of a digital single market and the implementation of an ambitious climate agreement that was hoped for in the framework of the upcoming COP21 conference.  

  • Guest lecture on EU affairs at Aalborg University (29 October 2015) Press Release 30.10.2015

    In response to an invitation by the political sciences Department of Aalborg University, Ambassador Philipps gave a guest lecture for master students in European Studies. Against the background of the EU presidency programme and priorities, he addressed the major challenges that the EU Institutions as such and the member States were facing while also highlighting the main areas of work that would allow the EU to reboot after the long-lasting sequels of the financial and economic crisis of 2008. In an interactive and dynamic exchange with the students, the focus turned to the multiple advantages of European cooperation and moved away from the more simplistic commonplaces that tend to equate the EU with being the source of all kinds of problems. Towards the end of the presentation, however, migration and the perspectives for an ambitious climate agreement at the Paris Climate Conference were the two issues that were debated in a more passionate but also more antagonistic manner.

  • EU Heads of mission meeting with Foreign Minister Margot Wallström (Stockholm, 16 October 2015) Press Release 17.10.2015

    On 16 October the Luxembourg EU chairmanship had convened a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Sweden, Margot Wallström. Participants heard the Minister speak on the migration crisis, including with regard to the specifics of the Swedish approach, the situation in Syria, the developments in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia in the wake of the “Arab Spring”, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Ukrainian crisis as well as the tense relationship between the Russian Federation and the European Union and its member States. Minister Wallstöm also addressed the major UN conferences scheduled during the second semester of 2015 (Addis-Ababa on the financing of development, New York on the sustainable development goals (SDG) and Paris/COP21 on climate change). The chief of the Swedish diplomacy furthermore emphasised the importance of the fifteenth anniversary of UNSC resolution 1325 on gender equality and women’s rights and underlined that gender equality was a cornerstone of the Swedish government’s foreign policy. Heads of Mission seized the opportunity to engage in a frank and thorough discussion with a most committed and convincing member of government.      

  • Presentation of Luxembourg’s presidency programme at the Riksdag (Stockholm, 16 October 2015) Press Release 17.10.2015

    On 16 october, following up on an invitation by the Chairman of the European Affairs Committee of the Swedish Riksdag, Ambassador Philipps made a presentation of the priorities and main fields of action of the current Luxembourg EU chairmanship, in the framework of an ordinary meeting of the Committee. The emphasis was on the functioning of EU presidencies under the substantial modifications stemming from the Lisbon Treaty, but the Honourable members also wished to discuss the migration crisis, eventual EU enlargment, the economic and monetary union (EMU) and tax issues in a Europe-wide context, including the issue of tax optimisation by corporate business. Finally, the EU affairs Committee was eager to address the EU’s plans for an energy union and the development of the digital single market.   

  • EU Heads of mission working lunch with Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen (9.10.2015) Press Release 10.10.2015

    Upon invitation by the Luxembourg chairmanship, EU Ambassadors and their colleagues from candidate countries had an in-depth exchange of views on European and international affairs with Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen. Discussions initially focussed on the migration crisis, including ways and means for the EU and the member States to address that major challenge, in the light of EU Council debates and decisions, notably.

  • EU Heads of mission lunch with Danish Finance Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen (2.10.2015) Press Release 03.10.2015

    On 2 October, EU ambassadors and their colleagues from candidate countries had the opportunity to discuss domestic and European financial issues with the Danish Finance Minister. The moment was well chosen in the sense that the government had just presented its draft budget for 2016 to parliament. Mr Hjort Frederiksen provided participants with the rationale underlying the coming year’s financial law, including with regard to priority shifts in comparison to the preceding government’s policies, shedding light on cuts and reallocation of funds. Discussions also focused on the effects of the migration crisis on the Danish economy and its welfare system. Finally the Minister presented governmental plans to reduce its development cooperation budget and to reschedule some elements of its climate policy.  

  • Presentation of the Presidency priorities at Aarhus University (1 October 2015) Press Release 02.10.2015

    Following up on an invitation by the European Movement of the city of Aarhus, ambassador Philipps made a presentation of the Presidency priorities in front of an audience composed of both members of the European Movement and students in European studies. The focus was on the major issues on the EU agenda, with a particular emphasis on the preparations for the Paris Climate Conference (COP21). The discussion also touched upon the exemptions granted to Denmark in connection with the approval of the Treaty of Maastricht (1993) and the upcoming referendum on a partial participation in Justice and Home Affairs, scheduled for 3 December 2015.  

  • Luxembourg Film Nights in Helsinki (23-25 September 2015) Press Release 26.09.2015

    The Luxembourg Film Nights, initiated and set up in cooperation with Europe House and the European Commission delegation were a good opportunity to present a less known sector of the Luxembourg economic and cultural life. The choice of films had been effectuated in concertation with Paul Thiltges Distribution/Filmland. The ambitious and diversified programme is available under the following link .

    The embassy team was proud to have succeeded in having a four-day cultural focus on Luxembourg in the Finnish capital, the more so because the embassy is a non-resident diplomatic entity that is headquartered in Copenhagen.

  • Seminar on private equity (Stockholm, 24 September 2015) Press Release 25.09.2015

    On 24 September ambassador Philipps and economic attachée Véronique Clement attended a seminar organised by SWEBELUX and which was focussing on private equity against the background of a growing interest of the Swedish financial sector for solutions offered in Luxembourg. The ambassador gave an introductory speech with regard to the development of the financial centre of Luxembourg over the last 2-3 years before experts examined and discussed the various strands of issues concerning private equity as well as the potential for cooperation between Luxembourg and Sweden in that field.

  • Jazz concert by Gast Waltzing & Largo at Koko Jazz Klub in Helsinki (22 september 2015) Press Release 23.09.2015

    In the wake of an excellent performance in Copenhagen, Largo moved on to Helsinki the following day, again in the framework of the cultural dimension of Luxembourg’s EU chairmanship. At Koko Jazz Klub they performed an equally exciting and varied set of numbers ranging from the most energetic groove with a screaming trumpet and guitar to the most tender and loving slow tracks full of powerful emotion. Never dull, always good for taking the audience by surprise. A fantastic blend of four accomplished musicians who love what they are doing.

  • Seminar on multiculturalism and multiliguism (Europe House, Helsinki, 22 September 2015) Press Release 23.09.2015

    In the third week of September, the embassy team managed to organise a strong Luxembourgish presence in the Finnish capital, not only by way of a jazz concert, but also through a seminar on multiculturalism and multilinguism which took the situation in Luxembourg as a case in point. The seminar, co-organised by the EKSO-Cultural Association Europe,  looked at the multicultural reality of our country through the eyes of Dr Elke Murdoch, from the University of Luxembourg, heard ambassador Philipps make a presentation of the Luxembourg language, historically, culturally, politically and in regard to the use “Lëtzebuergesch” in everyday life and finally benefitted from a European view on multilinguism presented by Mr Karl-Johan Lönnrath, former Director General of the Linguistic Services of the European Commission.    

  • Jazz concert by Gast Waltzing & Largo at Jazzhus in Copenhagen (21 September 2015) Press Release 22.09.2015

    In the framework of Luxembourg’s EU Presidency, Ambassador Philipps had invited to a jazz concert featuring one of Luxembourg most prominent and prolific jazz bands.

    Largo performs an electric and powerful collection of groove driven pieces infused with elements of various music influences masterfully woven into a gripping contemporary sound. The group mixes many styles into their work and alternates between dynamic beats and slow bluesy impros of great sensitivity. Mainly composed by Gast Waltzing and David Laborier, the numbers often incorporate a DJ, sometimes a rapper or as in their most recent release, a Brass Band from New Orleans to add texture and new sounds.  They have toured in Europe, Russia, China Vietnam and Japan. They've recorded with Warner Bros London, and have released 4 albums.  Their live performances are full of energy and great original music.

  • Eu Heads of mission meeting with Labour Ministers from Sweden, Luxembourg and the Netherlands Press Release 12.09.2015

    In the margins of a ministerial conference on fair working conditions held in Stockholm on 10/11 September 2015, the Luxembourg Presidency had invited to a briefing for Heads of mission of the EU member States, in the premises of the Embassy of the Netherlands. Ambassadors heard presentations by Ylva Johansson, the Swedish Minister for Labour, Nicolas Schmit, the Luxembourg Minister for Labour and Employment and Lodewijk Asscher, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Employment of the Netherlands and had the opportunity for a straightforward and substantial discussion on labour market issues in a EU-wide context, including on workers’ safety and, above all, the fight against social dumping and the legislative and regulatory frameworks which either existed or needed to be updated or even created in order to ensure fair working conditions for all in all EU member States.

  • Jazz duo Sascha Ley - Laurent Payfert in concert in Copenhagen Press Release 09.07.2015

    On 8 July 2015 the jazz duo Ley-Payfert (voice / double bass) gave a concert at Christianskirke in the old town quarter of Christianshavn. That musical event was both a celebration markîng the beginning of Luxembourg’s EU chairmanship in Denmark and a concert in the framework of the renowned yearly Copenhagen jazz festival . The talented duo was able to convince the audience by force of a remarkable artistic complicity and enthralled the listeners by presenting an original mix, poetic as well as playful, realising a beautiful synthesis between various elements of jazz music and influences stemming from world music. A enchanting  tapestry of sounds... 

  • Launch Reception for the Luxembourgish presidency of the Council of the European Union Statement 07.07.2015

    To celebrate the start of the Luxembourgish presidency of the Council of the European Union , H.E. Ambassador Mr Gérard Philipps hosted a reception on July 7th at the Europe House in Copenhagen.

  • EU Heads of mission working lunch with Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini Press Release 03.07.2015

    A first working lunch for EU Heads of mission in Helsinki was organised by the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU Council on 2 July 2015. The guest of honour was Mr Timo Soini, Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Sipilä’s new government that had come out of the April 2015 parliamentary elections in Finland. The event was an excellent occasion for Minister Soini and the ambassadors of the EU member States to have a franc and dynamic exchange of views on the domestic situation of Finland, on the one hand, and the major European and international issues and challenges, on the other hand. Minister Soini stands in the first row (5th from left), between Mr Henk Swarttouw,  ambassador of the Netherlands, and Mr Gérard Philipps, ambassador of Luxembourg.

  • The passage of the baton between Latvia and Luxembourg (1st July 2015) Press Release 02.07.2015

    In the Nordic context, the first formal handover of the EU Presidency from Latvia to Luxembourg took place in Sweden. Ambassador Philipps took part in the yearly summer camp of the Swedish political class, at Ålmedalen, on the island of Gotland. Against the background of innumerable meetings and happenings involving thousands of visitors, the Latvian and Luxembourg representatives had accepted to lead a public discussion, in the tent of the European Commission, about their respective programmes and priorities. Whereas Ambassador Gints Jegermanis was looking back on a full and active semester at the helm of the EU and was highlighting results and achievements of his country, Gérard Philipps was delivering a prospective account on his government’s priorities in EU matters, including major issues and projects. The discussion between the two diplomats was managed by Katharina Areskoug, the Head of the European Commission delegation in Stockholm and was followed by a frank and open discussion with the audience.       

Register to receive our news by e-mail

Back to top