(June 13, 2006) The California Chamber of Commerce hosted His Excellency Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark, at an international trade dinner yesterday to discuss how research and businesses interact to play a valuable role in promoting bilateral trade between California and Denmark.

Prime Minister Rasmussen’s appearance in Sacramento followed a meeting with President Bush at Camp David. The Prime Minister’s visit follows the President and First Lady's visit to Denmark last summer and is the sixth meeting between the two leaders in five years.

The more than 120 guests who greeted Prime Minister Rasmussen included a delegation of officials from Denmark, representatives of California’s state government and business people from California and Denmark, among them representatives from a variety of industries such as energy, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

“The relationship between Denmark and the United States has never been better," said Prime Minister Rasmussen. “Our bilateral, economic and trade relations are as strong as ever. Our trade is booming. Our mutual investments are historically high.”

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen discusses Danish trade and business relations with California and the United States at an International Trade Dinner this week at the California Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Andrew Larsen

Prime Minister Rasmussen complimented California’s universities as having some of the most innovative minds on the planet, praised the partnership that local universities have with California businesses and recommended that the European Union develop a similar model.

“I think this element of the American model is a cornerstone in what has made California become the world’s sixth largest economy,” Rasmussen said. “Europe can learn a lot from this. Denmark has decided to put much more emphasis on research and development. We have realized that we have to prepare our economy for the globalized markets. It has been a top priority for Denmark to allocate more E.U. resources to science and innovation.”

Last week, His Royal Highness, Denmark’s Prince Joachim opened the new Innovation Center Denmark in the Silicon Valley. It is the sixth Innovation Center Denmark location in the United States and the second in California.

“The center and its location is not a random choice," Rasmussen said. “Not only is it due to the size of the Californian economy and innovative nature of Silicon Valley, but just as much, because the Danish and Californian economies are such a perfect match.”

The goal of the newly opened center is to bridge a gap between the two economies and strengthen business development. The center hopes to boost creative thinking, innovative skills and research and development between Denmark and California. Prime Minister Rasmussen said that this second location in California would encourage matchmaking capital and business and commercial opportunities for both economies.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by His Excellency Friis Arne Petersen, Danish Ambassador to the United States, and a top-level business delegation. He visited U.C. Berkeley and Danish bio-tech company Novozymes and opened a new Vestas Wind Farm along the Sacramento River.

Prime Minister Rasmussen’s Career

Mr. Fogh Rasmussen became Prime Minister of Denmark in November 2001 following a long career in Danish politics. In 1978, at the age of 25, he became the youngest member of the Danish Parliament. The Prime Minister also has held posts as Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Taxation and has been the National Chairman for his Party since 1992.

Prime Minister Rasmussen holds a master’s degree in economics and previously was a consultant for the Danish Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. 

Staff Contact: Susanne Stirling