COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 28, 1992 (UPI) - Denmark Wednesday published its long- awaited proposals for special treatment under the stalled Maastricht Treaty. A June 2 Danish referendum rejection of the pact plunged the European Community into disarray.
The proposals, brokered by the opposition Social Democratic party but supported by an overwhelming majority of Denmark's Parliament, were put for formal discussion to the all-powerful parliamentary EC Committee.
A formal decision to approach Denmark's EC partners with the proposal was expected Oct. 30 after a full parliamentary debate.
''I can certainly recommend the proposal for a referendum on this basis. There are also good chances that the other EC countries will accept it,'' said Danish Conservative Prime Minister Poul Schluter.
Schluter has repeatedly said that he will not countenance a new Danish referendum unless changes are made to the Maastricht Treaty, either in the form of a full-fledged re-negotiation or as a legally binding addendum to the treaty document.
''It would be a mockery of democracy to simply put the same thing to the Danish electorate to give them a second chance,'' Schluter has said.
Danes voted by 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent in their first referendum to reject the Maastricht Treaty, committing it to limbo under EC Treaty of Rome rules that require all 12 members of the Community to agree on changes to the EC's founding constitution.
Wednesday's Danish proposal, dubbed the ''National Compromise,'' calls for binding opt-outs from Maastricht goals and plans for a common currency, central bank, defense, judiciary, police and citizenship.
Apart from these binding Danish opt-outs from the Treaty proper, the 3,000-word document also calls for more openness in community affairs as well as the introduction of the concept of subsidiarity -- that EC organs can only make decisions on issues if local and regional authorities or parliaments are unable to do so.
In particular, the paper calls for national parliaments to be more closely involved in EC decision-making and demands a strengthening of the European Parliament's ability to ''carry out an effective inspection and control of the administration of EC institutions.''
''It must be stressed that Denmark, and only Denmark, will decide on its social standards and welfare distribution policy,'' the document said.
In return for agreement to its demands, to be provided in a legally binding document with the same legal standing as the Maastricht Treaty, the proposals say that Denmark ''will not prevent the other 11 members from going ahead'' on any elements of the Maastricht Treaty.
Schluter has previously said that if Denmark's proposals are sanctioned by the other 11 EC members, a new Danish referendum will be called in 1993 to give the Danish electorate a chance to ratify the amended treaty.
After its presentation Wednesday to the Market Committee, final parliamentary agreement on Denmark's new Maastricht plan will be announced on Friday. The only party to reject the proposals is the right-wing Progress Party, which wants Maastricht to be reopened and fully renegotiated -- a demand Denmark's EC partners have flatly rejected.
In November, Danish Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen will travel to all EC capitals to canvas support for the Danish proposals prior to discussions at a Dec. 11 EC summit in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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