“The number of Danish companies investing in Romania is increasing”

By H.E. Michael Sternberg, Ambassador of Denmark
The celebration of the Danish Constitution Day is this year combined with two other significant events. First of all we celebrate the 95 years of diplomatic relations between Romanian and Denmark, and secondly the first half of this year has seen Denmark as the presidency of the European Union.
The bilateral relations between Denmark and Romania have never been stronger and especially trade and investments between our two countries are blooming, witnessed by an ever increasing number of Danish companies investing in Romania.
We are now approaching the end of the Danish EU presidency and I find this a good occasion to look back on the challenges and achievements of the presidency during the past six months.
The member states are facing some of the biggest difficulties in the history of the European Union and hard and sweeping decisions have been and still needs to be taken in the future. The events over the last months have – in my opinion – shown that the Member States of the EU are willing to – and capable of – acting together and in solidarity with one another.
Within the last six months alone, Member States have signed a fiscal compact that ensures significant improvements in their fiscal policy and discipline; they have secured a major loan package for Greece; they have strengthened the Eurozone’s firewall which has helped calm the financial markets; and on top of this, key structural reforms are under way at the national level in many Member States to help underpin the steps that have been taken at the European level.
These are all examples of the EU and its Member States’ willingness to take necessary, far-reaching decisions.
But still more needs to be done. This is one of the reasons why the European Council recently met in informal session with the sole focus on how to strengthen our efforts to restore growth and to create new jobs.
And let me assure you: The Danish Presidency remains fully committed to boosting growth and promoting jobs in Europe.
Of course, we take on this task in a broad-based effort spanning across many different policy areas. Europe needs to become more productive and more competitive. From the outset, the Danish Presidency has been pushing negotiations on 12 initiatives that aim to modernize the Single Market and improve the business climate in Europe.
These proposals will provide real benefits to businesses and consumers through easing administrative burdens and lowering prices. And in relation to the EU’s cohesion policy – which is of course of special relevance for Romania – we want to ensure that the EU achieves a bigger impact in the Member States for the billions of euro spent each year.
Important steps have thus been taken during the Danish Presidency to expedite these initiatives; steps that will help us tackle the crisis and prepare our European economy for the times ahead.
Looking at the remaining month of the Danish Presidency, we have a multitude of important items on our agenda, many of which are aimed at growth and jobs.
We are working hard on all fronts, but let me just briefly mention the on-going efforts to strengthen the European Banks; initiatives aimed at strengthening economic and budgetary surveillance of euro countries in financial difficulties; the difficult negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, the energy Efficiency Directive and the EU Patent.
These are some of the areas in which we will continue to work on for the remainder of the Danish Presidency and where we believe that we can make a real difference.
Because this is what the Danish Presidency is all about. We are dedicated to building a healthy and green economy as the foundation for creating growth and new jobs in Europe.