STOCKHOLM, Sept. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Denmark's political influence in the European Union will diminish in coming years as Danes show a lack of interest in working for the institution, employees retire and new member nations join the ranks, Ritzau news bureau reported on Thursday.

    Denmark's EU ambassador, Claus Grube, warned that Denmark's ability to exercise influence would be weakened unless new forces arrived.

    Denmark is already underrepresented in the European Commission,the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, Grube told daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

    Of nearly 39,000 EU employees, only about 680 hold a Danish passport. Grube cautioned that the situation could worsen when retirement age is reached by the large group of Danish EU employees who were hired in the 1970s after Denmark's admission tothe EU.

    EU expansion with 10 new member nations has further diluted Danish influence, he added.

    Even though Danes employed in Brussels work for the EU and not Denmark, Grube emphasized that it was important for all countries to be represented.

    "It is important to have people employed in institutions, because they know the country's values and culture and help to influence EU co-operation," said Grube. "If the European Commission is about to draw up an environmental regulation, it's agood thing if somebody knows how Denmark traditionally has handledenvironmental policy."

    A call to arms has thus been sent out from the EU personnel office, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Danish EU ambassador, encouraging young Danish academics to seek jobs in theEU. Enditem