THE Danish Ambassador to the UK has told how his homeland is ever more resolved to remain in the EU after watching how its once single biggest export market has wrestled with withdrawal.
Denmark’s ties with Britain, and the Humber in particular remain strong, and Lars Thuesen was visiting the huge port operations of DFDS at Immingham to ensure such links continue to prosper, with confidence underlined.
Looking out from the bridge of a docked vessel towards the £14 million operations base of world-leading offshore wind farm developer Orsted – now the nation’s single biggest UK investor – he reflected on how Denmark had followed the UK into the European Communities back in 1972.
Then, 22 per cent of all Danish exports were to Britain. Now they are 6 to 7 per cent, and far more diversified.
Mr Thuesen said: “We have huge business investments in the UK, it is the fourth largest trading partner in the world. We joined the Common Market in 1972 because of the UK, at that time it was by far the biggest market, it is the place where we have the biggest business investments, more than Germany and Sweden. We have a lot at stake in the UK, in investment terms.
“In London I talk with the government, all the different secretaries of state, and we have a Brexit network through which we try to provide support. This is part of my role, finding out exactly what is going on, what the challenges are for Danish businesses, and try and resolve them.”
He came to the role with a strong background in EU affairs, trade and investment, with Britain a year in to the negotiations, in September 2017.
Prior to taking residence in London he was managing director of The Trade Council, the governmental export and investment organisation under The Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Of what he has seen, he said: “It has been somewhat troublesome. We wanted you to stay but we have had to respect the decision. I am sure in the long term we will find another way of working together, it is not the end of the world. The difficult part has been the uncertainty, the unpredictability. Clarity will come with a trade agreement for the UK and EU, and I see no reason why it won’t.
“It is going to be more complicated and more bureaucratic, but that’s a consequence of leaving the Customs Union and the Single Market. There is nothing we can do about it. We want to have a close, deep and comprehensive relationship with the UK as possible, with the links between the two countries. Greenland and Faroes are part of Denmark too, and the UK is a very big market for shrimp and whitefish.
“It is still going to be a market of 65 to 70 million people, it is an interesting trading partner both ways. There are close to 1,000 UK companies in Denmark, and 600 Danish in the UK, the link is still going to be there, a lot of people will still be there. We hear companies are holding back from investing, but interest is still there.”
He follows his Norwegian counterpart , Wegger Chr. Strømmen and Icelandic representatives in endorsing continued links, come what may.
Of the mood across the North Sea, Mr Thuesen said: “There is so much support for remaining in the EU because of Brexit. The feeling is if it is so difficult for a big power like the UK, how would it be for us. We understand support is at 80 per cent when asked, that is a significant increase over the past three years. There is real interest, everyone knows who John Bercow is!”
Hosted by DFDS, a company that had won a major ferry contract as part of the initial no-deal preparations, Mr Thuesen was full of praise for the handling.
“DFDS is a huge operator in the UK, it is extremely well prepared, it has been growing.” Turning his attention up river, he added: “ Orsted is the biggest operator in offshore wind farms in the UK, in what is now a very competitive sector. There are nearly no subsidies left in Denmark with policy only going to drive costs down, and that is happening here too.”
DFDS Seaways managing director Andrew Byrne presented the Danish ambassador with a model of Ark Germania, the vessel that serves the Immingham to Esbjerg route, making the crossing three times a week.
“It is really important for us as a Danish company to host the ambassador. We are a really large employer, and, as we have explained to him, we still have a strategy of growth, we have new ships coming in the new year, and we are employing additional people, bringing in additional plant and expanding the terminal. It is a long term commitment we have made in the UK and we are going to push on and grow.
“For us, it was really important to demonstrate this, and allow the ambassador to understand the size and scale of what happens here. Whether it is flowers, coffee or a steel tube, it has more than likely come through here.”
