Brussels, 04/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The new Social Democrat prime minister of Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, announcing her policy programme on Monday, said that the government would drop the previous administration's plans to put permanent customs posts at the country's borders, stating that Denmark would now “tackle cross-border crime effectively within the framework of Schengen cooperation”. The move was hailed by the European Commission and by Germany on Tuesday 4 October.
In May of this year, the Conservative government of Lars Loekke Rasmussen, under pressure from the far-right Danish People's Party, whose votes it needed if it were to carry through its policies, announced the three-phase re-installation of permanent customs posts on the borders with Sweden and Germany (a greater number of Customs offices and the construction of physical infrastructure) leading to heated exchanges with the Commission and with Germany.
On 13 May, Commission President José Manuel Barroso sent a letter to the then Danish prime minister warning that the proposed customs controls could infringe the principles of the freedom of movement of persons and of goods. The Commission and Denmark thereafter continued their exchange of letters. In July, the Commission sent a team of experts to assess the situation on the ground, leading to its expressing great doubt as to the legality of the Danish measures.
“In cooperation with our neighbours, Denmark will implement effective customs control based on mobile, flexible and intelligence-based efforts in keeping with the common rules in effect in the EU”, Thorning-Schmidt said. She added that “May's plans for the construction of new permanent customs posts at Denmark's borders will not go ahead”.
The Commission has been waiting over the last few days to hear the position of the new government, elected in the general election of 15 September, and it was “with satisfaction” that it welcomed the decision, said Michele Cercone, spokesman for Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, on Tuesday 4 October. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also hailed the announcement as “a decision for the freedom of European citizens”.
The new prime minister also said on Monday that her government would hold a referendum on Denmark's opting in to EU justice and home affairs policy areas, such as, for example, tackling organised crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Such a referendum would “represent a significant development”, Malmström's spokesman said, as it would “allow Denmark to play a direct part in important EU decision-making”. (SP/transl.rt)