Danes vote in referendum on EU ties

Denmark is voting in a referendum on whether to have closer ties with the European Union or continue a decades-old opt-out from justice affairs that would end ties with Europol.

The vote comes as the European law-enforcement agency is preparing to increase its role in fighting terrorism.

Last week, the 28-member bloc changed the role of the European police agency, including banning opt-outs from EU justice policies for full members.

Danes are voting in Thursday’s poll on whether to annul the 23-year-old waiver or find themselves on the sidelines of the agency with no say in decision-making.

The pro-EU centre-right government argues that ending the opt-out would give Danes more say within the bloc, while opponents claim the opposite would happen – Danes will lose even more sovereignty to Brussels.