The Socialist People’s Party (SPP) has heightened its call for a full-scale review of the state’s North Sea oil agreement with A.P. Moller-Maersk (APM) after a damning new report by the so-called ’wise men’ of the Economic Council which claims the oil giant earns far too much on teh deal
SPP’s policy spokesman, Jesper Petersen, accused the former Lib/Con coalition of signing a ‘ridiculous’ contract that has squandered much of Denmark’s natural resources.
“In reality we’re paying an exorbitant price just to allow companies to drill for oil in the North Sea,” he said. “The previous government as hoodwinked and now Denmark gets very little value in return for our scarce natural resources. If the wise men’s report dealt with an oil contract in an African country I’d be tempted to say that the government in question was either useless or in the pocket of the oil companies.”
Although top civil servant from four ministries have been commissioned to work out how the state can earn more revenue from North Sea oil, A.P. Møller-Mærsk has repeatedly warned it will refuse any attempt to re-negotiate the lucrative 2003 contract. The Liberals and Conservatives have also said the government is legally obliged to abide by the terms agreed nine years ago.