European Union member-in-good-standing Denmark is looking at reconsidering its opt-out from the single currency. New Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen says he wants it to start using the euro officially, though a date has not yet been set for a referendum.

In Brussels for talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Rasmussen said: “I want Denmark to become a full member of the EU. As you know, we have this fixed exchange rate in Denmark. So for all practical reasons, we already have the euro in Denmark. We just have decided to call it Danish kroner. Therefore, it would be in the Danish interest to join the eurozone.” Although more than half of Danes rejected membership in the eurozone in a referendum in 2000, they do meet the criteria. The 1992 Maastricht Treaty originally required that all EU members join the euro. Two countries negotiated exceptions: Denmark and the UK.More about: Denmark

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