Denemarken verwerpt concept Europa van meerdere snelheden (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Denmark has become the latest country to reject the idea of a core set of member states going ahead at a faster pace than the rest of the EU.

"A multi-speed Europe would go against the whole idea behind enlargement", Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said during a working visit to Dutch colleague Jan Peter Balkenende on Tuesday (20 January).

Speaking in The Knights' Hall in The Hague, Mr Fogh rejected the idea that Europe should have a two, or more, speed Europe.

"Reinforced co-operation, with the risk of creating new divisions, should not become a general tool for developing the EU. Solidarity and unity have always been the mainstays of European integration", the Danish Liberal Prime Minister said.

His comments come after France and Germany have repeatedly threatened to forge ahead together if no agreement on the EU Constitution is reached.

On the other hand, Ireland, which currently holds the EU Presidency, has spoken out strongly against the idea.

Stability Pact

Mr Fogh also supported the Commission in its decision to bring the Council before the Court of Justice for breaking the euro Growth and Stability Pact. The decision underlined "that the EU is based on the rule of law".

In the end, however, a solution should be found that "respects Member States' primary responsibility for economic policy", he said.

The Danish Prime Minister devoted a large part of his speech to launching a new vision of a "European Research, Development and Education Area", including a European Fund for Basic Research, a European Innovation Award and European Colleges to be established in the US, Russia, Asia and the Arab world.