Danish News in Brief: Danes want Brits to remain in EU

Elsewhere, it’s been a dark end to the year in terms of weather, for B&O and the Danish mink industry

Dec 21, 2018

According to a new Epinion survey for the national broadcaster DR, a majority of Danes would prefer the British to ditch the Brexit plan and just remain in the EU.

The survey showed that almost 60 percent of Danes saw the Brits stay in the EU fold, while just 16 percent wanted Brexit to go ahead. 22 percent were uncertain and 3 percent didn’t answer.

“Denmark has always had close ties to Britain in the EU and the British have been an important alliance partner, including in regards to establishing the inner market. The UK is a liberal trade power and we want them in as a point of balance in the EU,” Bjarke Møller, the head of think-tank Europa, told DR Nyheder.

“Moreover, with Britain in the EU is bigger. Aside from being an economic force, it is an atomic power and a country that sits at the head table in G7 meetings.”

The Beatles and Barnaby
According to the national statistics keepers Danmarks Statistik, the UK is Denmark’s third biggest export market in terms of goods and services.

But aside from the economic repercussions of a prospective Brexit, there is another reason why the Danes might be sad to see the Brits leave the EU. That aspect is of a cultural importance.

“We often travel to the UK and we hear a lot of British music. Additionally, the Brits helped liberate Denmark during WWII, so even though it will have economic ramifications, it is especially the emotional element that weighs heavy.”

“I don’t think the Danes would be as sad as if, for instance, it was Malta or Greece leaving the EU.”

Dark end to the year
After basking in the rays of a landmark year in terms of sunshine, Denmark will have to endure a more morose end to 2018. Today is the ninth day in a row without any sunshine nationwide, a trend that is expected to continue to the end of the year. According to TV2 News, the populace will have to wait until December 26 to get a decent peek at sunshine. In 2015, Denmark went through a period of seven days without sunshine and the country hasn’t been as bereft of sun for at least a decade.

Denmark launches regional program in Iraq and Syria
The government has revealed that it has launched at new regional peace and stabilisation program for war-torn Syria and Iraq. The program, which will last from 2019 to 2021, aims to reduce regional insecurity, terrorism, migration and alleviate the long-standing refugee crisis in the area. The move will be an element of a broad Danish effort in the region that encompasses military and humanitarian contributions. The program will include supporting mine clearing, improving infrastructure and supporting security reforms.

Danish mink industry struggling
Denmark’s billion kroner mink industry has struggled mightily in 2018 and the number of mink pelts are expected to be reduced by about 30 percent next year. Danish mink breeders produced almost 18 million pelts this year, but the price of pelts has consistently dwindled since 2013 from 600 kroner per pelt to about 250 kroner. Compare that to the average cost of producing one pelt, which is at about 300 kroner. The mink pelt prices reportedly remain low because of massive stockpiles of unsold pelts in China.

Bang & Olufsen takes hard hit
The Danish electronics company Bang & Olufsen (B&O) will end 2018 on a bitter note after taking a massive market value hit on Thursday evening. The B&O share price fell by 34.3 percent yesterday, which was the biggest share price drop in company history and the firm’s market value was sliced by about two billion kroner. The market hit comes after B&O revealed that sales had not gone as well as planned in recent months.

Millions for foods of the future
The government has set aside 130 million kroner for 29 projects focusing on the production of sustainable food products. Among the projects chosen to receive funds are: fighting dementia using organic milk, better tasting non-alcoholic beer, packaging that reduces food waste and converting grass into farm feed. Meanwhile, an additional 88 million kroner has been earmarked for 43 projects that focus on sustainability and the green transition.

Denmark to get its third Lalandia
Denmark will get its third big Lalandia holiday park in the near future, this time in Søndervig on the west coast of Jutland. According to CEO of Lalandia, Jan Harrit, the new park will be a billion-kroner investment and the drawing plans have yet to be finalised, but it will include a massive indoor play area, restaurants, cafes and 500 summer houses. Some 300 jobs are also in the mix. The current Lalandia parks are situated in Rødby in Lolland and Billund in Jutland.

FCK making transfer moves already
Despite only just entering the Superliga winter break, current league leaders FC Copenhagen are wasting no time on the transfer market. Earlier this week, the Lions unveiled that they had signed the Uruguayan right back Guillermo Varela from Penarol – Varela played a handful of games for Manchester United a few years ago and started in two of Uruguay’s matches at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Yesterday, FCK also revealed that they had sold midfielder Jan Gregus to MLS side Minnesota United. The Slovakian played 107 matches for FCK since joining in 2016.