Denmark’s foreign minister eyes EU ties with CPTPP
Nikkei Asia | 30 April 2025
Denmark’s foreign minister eyes EU ties with CPTPP
by SHOGO KODAMA
TOKYO — The European Union would be open to entering into a collaborative relationship with the CPTPP trade bloc, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told Nikkei in a recent interview while visiting Tokyo.
Denmark will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU starting in July.
"It would be a priority for the Danish presidency" to "push for as many free trade agreements as possible," Rasmussen said in the interview. He cited ongoing negotiations with ASEAN, with Gulf states in the Middle East, and with India.
Asked whether the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership would be included, Rasmussen said yes.
The CPTPP, whose formation was led by Japan, now includes 12 countries. The U.K., which left the EU several years ago, joined the CPTPP in 2024.
Bringing CPTPP nations and EU states on board with an agreement between the two blocs will be a complex undertaking. But European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed a positive attitude toward cooperation with CPTPP members.
"We realized that everything is up in the air these days, so we have to diversify our trade relations," Rasmussen said in the interview. "We should diversify our economy to make a more resilient economy."
The EU has an economic partnership agreement with Japan that took effect in 2019.
"I am very pleased that we have an agreement with Japan, and I think more could be done in order to enhance economic cooperation and transactions between Japan and Europe," Rasmussen said.
In the U.S., the Trump administration has paused most country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs for 90 days through early July. Rasmussen said the EU has "not given up" on reaching a deal with the U.S.
"It is no one’s interest if we end up in a trade war," he said.
Rassmussen expressed a level of understanding toward White House demands for NATO members to spend more on defense.
"Now we must realize that we are living in a new era where we have to invest more," he said. "We need to have more deterrence. We cannot rely on the American taxpayers paying [for] our security umbrella."
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for NATO members to increase their defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product from the current guideline of at least 2%.
"We should start the discussion about what the military target is, what kind of capabilities we are looking for," Rasmussen said. Denmark’s defense spending is expected to exceed 3% of its GDP in 2025, up from the 1% range in 2021.
Rasmussen dismissed Trump’s stated goal of the U.S. taking possession of Greenland, a Danish territory. The idea that it is necessary for the U.S. to buy or annex Greenland "is of course totally out of the question," Rasmussen said.
He called on the U.S. to collaborate closer on security to counter Russian and Chinese efforts to assert influence in the Arctic region.
Rasmussen praised Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who took office only weeks ago. Nielsen advocates for Greenland’s eventual independence once its economy develops.
"He has a very realistic approach to this," Rasmussen said. "I think it is also a clever strategy in order to avoid this American idea of expansion."
Currently, roughly half of Greenland’s government revenue comes from block grants extended by Denmark.
"The best way to secure Greenland as Greenland is to work closely within the framework of the Kingdom of Denmark," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen served as Denmark’s prime minister during Trump’s first term as U.S. president. Now Europe is facing "several crises," Rasmussen said — a reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for example.
"We are more challenged now, compared to Trump’s first term," Rasmussen said. "But the good thing about the crisis is that it also creates room for reflections and opportunities," he said.
