Copenhagen, 13/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the Danish government published a White Paper of more than 300 pages (which it had decided to draft after the "no" to the Euro during the referendum on 28 September 2000) entitled "Denmark and Europe - Enlargement, globalisation and popular support", in which it analyses the challenges of the EU in the future and the Danish contribution to the answer given to these challenges. Around thirty pages of this White Paper are dedicated to the consequences of the Danish opt-outs concerning the Maastricht Treaty (single currency, defence, third pillar), and asserts that, since this concerns policies in full development, the cost of these derogations should "increase in the future", by reducing the influence of Denmark on the general development of the Union.
Furthermore, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Niel Helveg Petersen, who had resigned after the rejection of the Euro by the Danes, suggested, as did other members of his party (the Liberal Party), that Denmark hold a referendum to decide whether to renounce or not to these opt-outs in four or five years.