At the beginning of 1999, theGallup Polling Institute conducted a survey of 1,645 employees for the Danish Federation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen i Danmark, LO), examining attitudes to the euro single currency. The survey indicates that there is general approval of Denmark's full participation in EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Although Denmark is an EU Member State, it registered its decision not to participate in the third stage of EMU (the single currency) in a declaration agreed at the 1992 Edinburgh European Council meeting, and is consequently not involved in the "euro-zone". The government has made a commitment to the population to hold a referendum on full EMU participation, before possible participation becomes an issue.
According to a survey conducted for the LO trade union confederation in early 1999, 58% of Danish employees would vote in favour of the euro single currency, mainly because of economic advantages and influence on joint European politics. Fear of ceding sovereignty is the main reason why 33% of employees would vote against.
At the beginning of 1999, theGallup Polling Institute conducted a survey of 1,645 employees for the Danish Federation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen i Danmark, LO), examining attitudes to the euro single currency. The survey indicates that there is general approval of Denmark's full participation in EU Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Although Denmark is an EU Member State, it registered its decision not to participate in the third stage of EMU (the single currency) in a declaration agreed at the 1992 Edinburgh European Council meeting, and is consequently not involved in the "euro-zone". The government has made a commitment to the population to hold a referendum on full EMU participation, before possible participation becomes an issue.
According to the Gallup survey, in the event of a referendum on full EMU participation in the near future, some six out of 10 employees (58%) would vote in favour, while 7% of the respondents have not yet decided how they would vote and 33% would vote against. Among the negative voters, 32% cite the ceding of sovereignty as the main reason to vote "no", while 27% cite the loss of the Danish nationality and a wish to maintain the Danish krone as reasons to vote against. Amongst the potential voters in favour of EMU, 25% cite a wish to maintain influence on joint European politics and the economic advantages of participation as the primary reasons to vote "yes". However, arguments that Denmark cannot stand on its own and a general support for the EU are also important reasons given for voting "yes".
One interesting result of the survey is that many people would appear to have made up their mind on EMU: only 7% have not yet determined how to vote, a proportion which, as it appears now, would not affect the outcome of a possible referendum.
The result of the survey coincided with a statement by Ib Wistisen, the secretary of LO. He believes that sooner or later Denmark will join the EMU cooperation completely, not least because it is already covered by the many demands of the European Monetary System (exchange rate cooperation) and, furthermore, because it is not typically Danish to stay out of the decision-making process.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1999), Employees would vote in favour of the euro, article.
