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Danish PM plans referendum on EU opt-outs | Danish PM plans referendum on EU opt-outs |
(34 minutes later) | |
Denmark intends to hold a referendum on whether to keep its opt-outs from the European Union’s justice and home affairs rules, the prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, has said. | |
In a speech at the annual opening of parliament, Thorning-Schmidt said Denmark may have to leave the European cross-border crime agency Europol as soon as next autumn due to exemptions that were making it increasingly difficult to remain within the European policing agency. | In a speech at the annual opening of parliament, Thorning-Schmidt said Denmark may have to leave the European cross-border crime agency Europol as soon as next autumn due to exemptions that were making it increasingly difficult to remain within the European policing agency. |
The referendum would allow Danes to opt in to EU legislation on a case-by-case basis, she said. “Then we can choose ourselves which parts of EU cooperation within justice affairs we should be part of, and which ones we shouldn’t be part of.” | The referendum would allow Danes to opt in to EU legislation on a case-by-case basis, she said. “Then we can choose ourselves which parts of EU cooperation within justice affairs we should be part of, and which ones we shouldn’t be part of.” |
Denmark rejected the EU Maastricht treaty in 1992 but adopted the document in a second referendum in 1993 after obtaining exemptions on the euro, joint defence, judiciary cooperation and European citizenship. | Denmark rejected the EU Maastricht treaty in 1992 but adopted the document in a second referendum in 1993 after obtaining exemptions on the euro, joint defence, judiciary cooperation and European citizenship. |
Thorning-Schmidt said a new referendum would be held after the next election, which has to be held in September next year at the latest. | Thorning-Schmidt said a new referendum would be held after the next election, which has to be held in September next year at the latest. |
Denmark’s centre-left coalition currently looks set to be voted out of office amid discontent over austerity measures and a sluggish recovery, but the plans for a referendum were also welcomed by the opposition. | Denmark’s centre-left coalition currently looks set to be voted out of office amid discontent over austerity measures and a sluggish recovery, but the plans for a referendum were also welcomed by the opposition. |
“It is something we have been calling for for a long time,” a spokesman for the right-of-centre Venstre party told the Danish daily Berlingske. | “It is something we have been calling for for a long time,” a spokesman for the right-of-centre Venstre party told the Danish daily Berlingske. |
He said leaving Europol would “have serious consequences for the Danish police’s ability to combat transnational crime”. | He said leaving Europol would “have serious consequences for the Danish police’s ability to combat transnational crime”. |
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