Denmark within the European Union If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches and poor mens cottages princes palaces The Merchant of Venice The European Union is an organization dedicated to the idea of European integration. It ultimate goal is to form a United States of Europe. Given the history of violence and mistrust among European countries it is not difficult to understand why many member nations are reluctant to relinquish national sovereignty on many levels. Each member nation tries to assert its own agenda into the overall picture of the EU and each nation has its own history of relations within the organization. The financial assistance Denmark received from the Marshall Plan helped ease the countrys currency difficulties and provided vital funds for the import of raw materials and machinery necessary for industrialization (Neal, 124). Membership of the OEEC (now OECD) involved Denmark in the internationalisation of the economy through the dismantling of trade and currency restrictions. Denmark did not participate in the creation of the EEC through the Treaty of Rome, at this point Denmark was in the middle of changing many of its internal structures such as welfare, healthcare, and education. The country did take part, however, in negations concerning the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) which was set up in 1960. When Britain applied for membership into the EEC in 1961, Denmark immediately followed suit but dropped its application after Britain was rejected. Negotiations for a Nordic Economic Union (NORDEK) were underway when in 1969 Denmark was invited to apply for membership in the EC. The Danish government held an intense binding referendum in 1972 in which the majority voted to join the EC, and Denmark's membership took effect January 1, 1973 (Rerup1, 6).The relationship with the EC, now the EU, has been a bone of contention ever since 1972. Despite a solid majority ...
