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25 German Y.B. Int'l L. 273 (1982)
Greenland's European Community (EC)-Referendum, Background and Consequences

handle is hein.journals/gyil25 and id is 273 raw text is: Greenland's European Community (EC)-Referendum, Background and Consequences Hans R. Krimer I. Greenland as a part of the European Communities 1. On February 23, 1982 the population of Greenland was asked their opinion on Greenland's membership in the European Community,. Approxi- mately 52 per cent (p. c.) of the voters were in favour of leaving, a good 46 p. c. wanted to stay in the EC2. This happened more than nine years after the date (January 1st, 1973) on which Denmark had become a member state of the EC - the northern part of the country (i. e. Greenland) as well as the southern one (i. e. Jutland and the Danish islands) - as a result of another referendum of October 2, 1972. At that time, the voters in the whole of Den- mark had been asked whether they wanted to join the Community; 63,5 p. c. of them wanted to do so. Naturally, the different constituencies produced different results. Big majorities in some constituencies in Jutland contrasted with small ones elsewhere, and even minorities in other places, such as Copen- hagen and Greenland. 2. It may be useful to recall that it was not only the majority of Danish voters in Greenland who had to join the Community against their will. Such a phenomenon is, moreover, quite normal in this kind of referendum. Even the fact that the Greenlandic majority against joining was rather large - about 71 p. c.3 - cannot be regarded as a legitimate reason to ask for a revision of the 1972 decision. One peculiarity, however, appears to be really significant, i. e. the differences in such areas as population, economic development, natural conditions, as well as the very considerable geographical distance between the northern and southern parts of the Kingdom. At least, these facts are used as a basis for Greenlandic complaints that the island had been forced into the European Community by a majority of Danes. I This familiar term is used to designate the three European Communities (EC), the most important of which is in the case of Greenland, the European Economic Community (EEC). 2 12615 wanted to leave, 11 180 wanted to stay in the Community, see in: 'Berlingske Tidende of February 25, 1982. 3 3 990 Greenlanders wanted to join the Community, 9 658 voted against joining, see in: Neue Ziircher Zeitung of February 26, 1982. 18 GYIL 25

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