When political leaders, business executives and regional stakeholders gathered at Engestofte Manor on Lolland for Udviklingskonferencen 2025, one message stood out clearly: the Fehmarn Belt fixed link is no longer a distant vision – it is a defining European project already shaping life and business in Northern Europe.

A Historic Opportunity
Minister for Rural Districts Morten Dahlin opened the conference by highlighting the transformative potential of the Fehmarn connection – not only for Denmark and Germany, but for the entire Baltic region.

“The tunnel will bring people, markets and opportunities closer together,” he said. “It’s a concrete and positive change that can redefine where people live, work and invest.”

According to Dahlin, the project will shorten travel time between Copenhagen and Hamburg by up to two hours and turn Lolland-Falster into a strategic hub along one of Europe’s main transport corridors. The minister also underscored that the tunnel element factory in Rødbyhavn will remain after construction ends — to serve future infrastructure and offshore projects, sustaining jobs and innovation in the area.

A Region in Motion
Conference host SHF Bank emphasized that now is the time to act.

“Fehmarn is not just a tunnel under the sea – it’s a new economic artery for Northern Europe,” said the bank’s representative. “Those who prepare early will be the ones who gain access to new markets first.”

Business Lolland-Falster’s Mads Stærk pointed to visible progress since 2015: record-low unemployment, new companies establishing in the region, and a significant rise in tourism.

“Fehmarn is already changing the landscape,” he said. “But to truly capture the benefits, we must invest in people, skills and partnerships.”

Two short films presented Lolland’s future vision — transforming the area around the tunnel element factory into a green industrial hub and developing Lolland’s south coast into a model of sustainable tourism capable of generating up to 5,800 new jobs by 2050.

A Cross-Border Mindset
Trine Egetved Andersen from Region Sjælland described the Fehmarn Belt as a catalyst for a new Nordic-German growth region, built on three pillars:
Transport, Talent, and Tyskland (Germany).

“Without language, without relationships and curiosity, even the best infrastructure only takes us halfway,” she said.
The region’s new survey shows that over 10% of citizens in Region Sjælland could imagine working or studying in Germany – a promising foundation for a truly integrated cross-border labour market.

Private Sector Commitment
In the concluding debate, Jes Radsson from DI – Confederation of Danish Industry, presented Femern Direct – a proposal for closer coordination between authorities and businesses to help foreign workers integrate efficiently and support the emerging Fehmarn labour market of more than 900,000 people across the corridor.

“We must act now to build the systems that make cross-border work simple and attractive,” he said.

Company leaders, including Linda Krøyer from North Filtration, echoed that call:

“One third of our workforce is international. The Fehmarn link is not only about infrastructure – it’s about people. Local action is where it starts.”

A Shared European Identity
Across speeches and panels, the tone was clear: the Fehmarn Belt project embodies more than engineering. It is a symbol of European cooperation, shared prosperity and resilience in a time where cross-border unity matters more than ever.

“This is not only a tunnel between Denmark and Germany,” said one participant.
“It’s a bridge between economies, cultures and values – a cornerstone of the European idea.”