Poul has had a long career in Danish diplomatic service, including as Permanent Representative to the EU for 9 years and bilateral ambassador to Italy and to Belgium.
He was Chief negotiator for the Council during the final phase of the enlargement negotiations in 2002. In addition he worked 18 years in the European Institutions serving as Head of Cabinet for the Secretary General of the Council (1980-1995) and and for Commissioner Fischer Boel (2006-2009). He was Special Advisor to the High Representative on Foreign and Security Policy and was instrumental in setting up the European External Action Service, which is the EU’s diplomatic corps.
He is Chairman of the Board of the renowned Brussels think-tank the European Policy Centre, as well as President of the Board of the Danish think-tank EUROPA. He is a frequent public speaker on European Affairs and often consulted as an expert by both governments and corporates.
Poul holds a Master of Economics from Copenhagen University and Diploma of Higher European Studies from College of Europe, Bruges.
Last week, 22-28 March, showed progress in rebuilding the transatlantic relationship after four years of troubled relations under the previous administration. US President Joe Biden joined the EU’s top leaders during their virtual EU Council Summit. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with the top NATO and EU officials,…
On 18 February, the European Commission presented its trade policy review, its position on the World Trade Organization (WTO) reform and its strategy on strengthening rules-based multilateralism. The new trade policy presents the Commission’s vision on EU trade policy for the rest of its mandate: it aims…
EU leaders met again in Brussels on 15-16 October 2020 to discuss Brexit, the EU’s climate targets, the long-term budget for the bloc and the ongoing pandemic. The meeting was meant to be a decisive moment for the Brexit talks, but the timeline shifted to early November, amid continued brinksmanship…
On 1 and 2 October, EU heads of state met in Brussels for an extraordinary summit. The meeting focused on foreign policy; in particular, the crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean (Turkey) as well as the situation in Belarus and relations with China. Leaders also discussed the COVID-19 situation, and had…
The EU-UK Brexit negotiations remain stuck on disagreements over provisions on the ‘level playing field’, fisheries and state aid, despite UK claims of progress in talks. Most EU leaders expect the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to give in on these crucial points to avoid a domestic crisis and the…
EU and Chinese leaders met on 14 September for a virtual summit, bringing no tangible results in the negotiations of the much-awaited EU-China Investment Agreement but intensified discussions on climate change and human rights. The summit between the Chinese President Xi Jinping and the EU’s leadership team, composed of the…
Below please find key take-outs from our September 10th panel with the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Matt Frei, Channel 4 Europe Editor; Amber Rudd, former Home Secretary; Poul Skytte Christoffersen, former Danish Ambassador to the EU, former Head of…
EU leaders took a landmark political decision at a summit in July, when they decided to create a loan-financed COVID-19 Recovery Plan and a framework for the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027, the so-called “Multiannual Financial Framework” (MFF). The EU will now start the complicated process of transforming political decisions…
The European Council meeting that almost broke the all-time record for its length (held by Nice 2000), resulted in a compromise that allowed all factions to claim victory in the end. While a detailed reading of the Council conclusions may lead to second thoughts on all sides, the summit will…
In the first face-to-face EU summit since the pandemic hit Europe, on 17-18 July, leaders will face several challenges to effectively respond to economic downturn that has been created by COVID-19. It could be a decisive moment in European history with an ambitious recovery and economic stimulus on the top…
EU and Chinese leaders met on 22 June for a virtual summit, characterised by EU efforts to put more pressure on its Asian rival. The EU took an assertive foreign policy stance by condemning cyber-attacks on EU hospitals and a Covid-19 disinformation campaign that the EU attributed to China. The…
EU heads of state maintained a positive atmosphere when they met on 19 June, despite not advancing meaningfully towards agreeing on a European Recovery plan after the COVID-19 pandemic. Broad agreement exists on the overall architecture of the recovery plan, but crucial elements still need to be settled, such as…
EU Heads of State will meet on 19 June to discuss the EU post-Coronavirus recovery plan. The meeting is not expected to yield final conclusions on the recovery plan, but hopefully leaders will agree on its main elements. Many important elements need more technical preparation before a decision is…
The European Commission is moving forward quickly with its Recovery Plan. The overall financial framework including EUR 500 bn in grants and EUR 250 bn in loans, and most of the underlying legal texts are already on the table. The plan also proposes a slightly amended version of the 2021-27…
On 27 May, the European Commission put forward its proposal for a stimulus plan, ‘New Generation EU’, financially helping member states recover following the Covid-19 pandemic. The plan is in line with our analysis in previous notes: Support package: The new measures amount to EUR 750…
The EU’s response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis is producing a series of effects on national and EU finances, and the legislative process, ultimately posing risks to the EU’s internal market. First, major differences in the concrete economic impact of Covid-19 on the different member states have…
Europe’s reliance on international supply chains has proven contentious as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ripple through the economy. EU policymakers are now calling for production to be ‘reshored’, restriction of foreign investment and a tougher trade defence policy. The industrial policy pivot toward supporting ‘European champions’, screening foreign…
Europe is becoming assertive as a global standard-setter. To a large extent it sets the global agenda on consumer protection, financial services, and data. The EU is successfully exporting regulation as a template to be copied by other jurisdictions. The fact that the standards are related to values shared by…
