Do you have money waiting in Denmark’s billions pot?

Last Week in Denmark (31.08-07.09) Episode 30 Year 5

TOP 3 News

🏥 New limit for non-EU nurses – fair workforce planning or barrier to opportunity?

💸 State hunts owners of 1.2 billion DKK – surprise payday or lost chance to claim?

🚌 Cheaper bus tickets in Aarhus – real climate solution or just a cyclist’s discount?

Illustration made by Diana Bălașa

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Remember to check out our New Reporting in International Community HQ. These are original articles in English by our own Last Week in Denmark reporters.

Editor HQ

Inside Last Week in Denmark Universe

We often get asked why we use the word “international” instead of “foreigner.” The reason is simple: “Foreigner” keeps you on the outside, someone who will never fully belong. “International” reflects who you really are, a person who connects worlds – who brings experience and perspectives that enrich this country.

Internationals are, in many ways, super people. Starting a life in a new country is not easy. You leave behind what is familiar and step into a place with a new language, new rules, and sometimes confusing traditions. Yet you adapt. You work, study, raise families, and build communities. You live in two or three cultures at once, navigating challenges that many never have to face. That is not weakness; that is strength.

But strength also brings responsibility. Belonging doesn’t just happen; it is created. Every time you join an association, volunteer at a school, open a business, take an interest in what’s happening, or simply show up for your neighbors, you are shaping what it means to live here. Every action builds a Denmark that is more open, more connected, and more ready for the future.

So here’s the call: stop thinking of yourself as a guest. You are already part of the story. Claim it, shape it, live it. Because Denmark is not just for Danes. Denmark is the home of the people of Denmark. And that means you.

Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!

P.S. - We want to express our gratitude to the people who signed up for the “Welcome September” events as volunteers in the LWID booths at international fairs in Aalborg (9/13), Copenhagen (9/19-20); Herning (9/20); Aarhus (9/27) and Odense (9/27). You will be contacted in the next few days.

P.P.S. - Save the date! The second edition of Guardian of Europe will be held in Copenhagen on September 20 at 17:00 at 3F Copenhagen (Peter Ipsens Allé 25). Sign up here.

Image of the week

🌈 North Denmark enjoyed a show in the sky with a rare pink double rainbow, while impressive wave-like cloud formations rolled in for several days straight. Nature put on its own late-summer performance, and locals caught the moment on camera.

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🐦Rather than attempting to streamline the revenue bureaucracy, The Danish Agency for Digital Government will attempt to contact 90,000 people and 40,000 companies who have money waiting in state accounts. Denmark: the land of efficiency!(Ryan)

Danish Politics HQ

Law proposals

📵 Schools vs. smartphones. After signaling readiness to ban smartphones in schools and after-school programs, Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye has proposed a watered-down law requiring institutions to set their own anti-smartphone policies. The move follows warnings that screen use harms children’s well-being. Supporters say leaving decisions to school boards strikes the right balance, while opposition parties call the plan weak and ineffective, arguing that only a nationwide ban would curb record-high screen time in classrooms.

👉Read more: Ali Lewis finds out how one school banned phones and transformed learning and wellbeing.

Political scene

🇫🇷 France opens doors in Greenland. During his visit, President Macron pledged solidarity and announced a French consulate in Nuuk, now confirmed to open early next year. Greenland’s leaders welcomed the support amid growing geopolitical pressure and have embraced plans to expand cooperation on economy, research, and climate. At the same time, EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said Brussels will double its funding to Greenland to 530 million euros from 2028, signaling Europe’s stronger engagement in the Arctic.

🌍 Denmark rethinks recognition of Palestine. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen says it will no longer be up to Israel to decide if the country recognizes Palestine as a state, calling the old policy a “de facto veto.” Denmark is not ready to recognize Palestine yet, but says the moment is getting closer. The shift comes as more nations, including France and Belgium, plan to announce recognition at the UN General Assembly later this month.

⚡ Ørsted sues Trump administration. The energy giant has taken US authorities to court after Donald Trump abruptly halted its nearly finished offshore wind farm, Revolution Wind, meant to power 350,000 homes. US officials claim the project threatens national security, citing risks like drone attacks, but Ørsted argues the president has no legal basis to stop it. The lawsuit breaks with weeks of quiet diplomacy and could further strain international ties as Trump ramps up his fight against green energy.

🙏 The right-wing parties want Store Bededag (Big Prayer Day) back. Four opposition parties, Konservative (Conservatives), DD (Nationalist Populists), Liberal Alliance (Libertarian Conservative), and DF (Nationalist Conservative), promise to restore the public holiday if they win power after the next election. They argue the government scrapped it on false grounds, while Venstre (Liberals), now in power, insists the cut was necessary to secure more workers and fund defense. Polls show most people want the holiday back, but its future depends on post-election deals.

💡What are the new Health Councils? As part of Denmark’s health reform, 17 local “sundhedsråd” (Health Councils) will be set up from 2027 to bring healthcare decisions closer to people. Each council will include elected representatives from the region and nearby municipalities, working together to strengthen local health services and shift more treatment out of hospitals and into communities. The councils will plan, coordinate, and invest in healthcare across their area.

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Danish Economics HQ

Our money

🚌 Cheaper bus tickets spark debate in Aarhus. The mayor wants to copy Odense’s 15 DKK ticket scheme, which boosted passenger numbers by 15% without costing the city extra. Critics argue it will more likely tempt cyclists and walkers onto buses than it will lure drivers, since price matters less to car owners than convenience. Experts say to truly shift commuters, public transportation routes need to better connect outer suburbs to the city.

💸 State hunts owners of 1.2 billion DKK. Around 92,500 people and companies will soon get letters from the Digitalisation Agency about unclaimed money sitting in the state’s “waiting account,” mostly unpaid tax refunds and VAT. The account is being closed under new NemKonto rules, so anyone owed money must act to claim it. If no claim is made within three years, the funds will go to the state treasury.

🛒 Hunting discounts pays off – sort of. Two P4 radio hosts bought the same groceries, but one chased offers across three shops while the other stuck to one supermarket. The bargain hunter saved 149 DKK but spent 40 extra minutes, equal to a “wage” of just over 200 DKK an hour. Experts say real savings come from meal planning and cutting back on luxury items, while listeners suggest tricks like checking kiloprices and freezing meals.

🥗 Free school meals vs. cheaper sweets. As the government plans to scrap coffee and candy taxes worth 2.6 billion DKK, school leaders and health experts argue the money would be better spent on permanent free, healthy lunches. Teachers say some kids arrive hungry and staff already share their own food. A national scheme is estimated at 5.6 billion DKK a year, while ministers want to await results from the current pilot and say tax cuts ease grocery costs.

State of the markets

🛰️ Ukrainian arms maker to build in Denmark. Fire Point, the company behind the long-range Flamingo missile, was approved to set up near Skrydstrup and start producing solid rocket fuel from December 1. Copenhagen frames it as faster support for Ukraine and tech transfer, while Moscow warns it edges Denmark closer to the war.

💣 Ammunition factory faces major rebuild. Plans to restart weapons production in Elling have hit delays as most of the old plant must be torn down and rebuilt to meet safety standards. Production is now expected in 2027, not 2025, and new safety zones could see nearby homes expropriated. Officials defend the site as strategically valuable, but locals face uncertainty until details on the expanded zones are finalized this autumn.

💶 First EU green bond by a state. Denmark has become the first in the world to issue government bonds fully aligned with the EU Green Bond Standard. The money raised will be earmarked for projects like renewable energy and land use reforms. Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen says the move sets a high bar for green finance and helps channel investment toward sustainable projects, giving local companies better access to capital for their green transition.

💡What is a government bond? A government bond is like an IOU the state sells to investors. When you buy one, you lend money to the government, and in return you get your money back plus interest after a set period. For the state, it’s a way to raise funds for big projects without raising taxes right away. For investors, it’s usually a safe place to modestly grow money, since governments are less likely to default than companies.

Daily Life in Denmark HQ

❄️ Greenland ice melt could flip Europe’s climate. A new study warns there’s up to a 70% chance that the Atlantic circulation (AMOC), which keeps Northern Europe’s winters mild, could collapse if emissions stay high. Even with moderate CO₂ cuts, the risk remains one in three. A collapse would mean much colder winters in Denmark, possibly down to –35°C in Copenhagen, though the most severe effects would unfold after 2200.

🌱 Green energy boom meets local pushback. Wind and solar are the cheapest energy sources and crucial for the climate transition, but many municipalities face strong opposition from locals living near projects. In Ringkøbing-Skjern, the municipality with Denmark’s largest green power production, new projects are being scaled down while parties demand more local benefits before approving expansions.

👉 Read more: Could Denmark return to nuclear power?

🥤 Electrolyte hype runs ahead of science. Sales of electrolyte tablets have exploded in Denmark, with chains like Matas reporting a fourfold increase, but experts say most people don’t need them. Unless you’re running a triathlon, sweating buckets, or battling cholera, a normal diet covers your needs. For regular workouts or hangovers, water, salt, or even a banana works just as well. Doctors warn it’s mostly marketing and convenience driving the craze, not actual health needs.

🧪 30,000 students test the soil health. Over the next weeks, pupils from 500 schools in 96 municipalities will dig, count earthworms, and send samples to universities to build the first nationwide map of soil quality. Early results are due in December, with a full picture expected in spring 2026. Teachers say this hands-on science keeps kids engaged while giving researchers data they could not collect alone.

🔬 Ten researchers in Denmark win top EU grants. The European Research Council has awarded its prestigious Starting Grants to ten young researchers based at universities here, each receiving about 11 million DKK to pursue groundbreaking projects over the next five years. The winners span fields from theology to quantum physics, including a project on extending electric car battery life at Aalborg University and new legal frameworks for maternal rights at Copenhagen University.

💔 Free couples therapy for parents. Varde Municipality now offers up to five free and anonymous therapy sessions for couples with children at home. The goal is to ease relationship crises before they lead to divorce. Officials hope around 25 couples will use the program this year, saying stronger partnerships mean happier kids. Therapists highlight poor communication as the main challenge but see real potential for change.

👉 Read more: Chloe Skye Weiser on navigating separation and divorce as an international here.

💡What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that help your body balance fluids, keep muscles moving and nerves firing. You normally get enough from food and water, but when you sweat a lot, are sick, or run extreme distances, you lose more than usual.

International Community HQ

🏥 New limit for non-EU nurses. The government plans to cap the number of nurses from outside the EU after applications surged from 1,200 in 2022 to nearly 5,000 last year, far outpacing demand. Health Minister Sophie Løhde says many arrive with families only to leave disappointed when jobs are scarce. The quota, expected to start at zero from October, will adjust to future needs. Those already in the country may work as social and healthcare helpers instead.

New reporting

📚 Over the next few months, we’re giving space to the internationals seeking your vote in November’s local and regional elections. First up, Alina Racila talks to Ali Lewis about her journey from Moldova to Jutland, where she’s running as both a local and regional candidate for the Social Democrats. ✍️ Ali Lewis 👉 Read the full story

Read more: Mark Søderberg’s guide to the Danish political parties

Read more: Kalpita Bhosale on why you should care about local and regional elections

🙋 Are you an international standing for election? Or do you know someone who is? We want to hear from you! Get in touch at reporter@lwid.dk

Also this week:

🌺 Gosia Kozlowska discovers the charm of kolonihaver, Denmark’s pocket-sized garden villages.

🪖 Kalpita Bhosale explores how Denmark is updating its crisis-preparedness strategies for the 21st century.

🎨 Paulina Stachnik dives into the controversy surrounding Denmark’s Store Havfrue – the Big Mermaid.

Community Noticeboard

🧳 The Essentials to Starting Life in Denmark – Online

New in Denmark? This online talk, hosted by experts from International Citizen Service East (ICS East), part of International House Copenhagen, and The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI), walks you through the key steps of settling in, from entry permits to everyday essentials. 📅 Friday, September 19 – 12:00–12:50 – Free (registration required) – [Sign up here] 📍 Online

🗑️ Trash Hunt – Kolding

Join Food Reformers’ 4th Trash Hunt for coffee, fun, and a community clean-up with prizes for the best collectors. Everyone is welcome! 📅 Sunday, September 14 – 10:00–12:30 – Free – [Read more here] 📍 Riberdyb 10, Kolding

🎲 International Board Game Night – Esbjerg

Meet fellow board game lovers for a night of laughter, strategy, and new friendships at the International House. 📅 Friday, September 12 – 18:00–22:00 – Free (registration required) – [Sign up here] 📍 Esbjerg International House, Torvegade 23, 6700 Esbjerg

💼 Online Job Search Seminar – Online

Learn the basics of job hunting in Denmark at this free seminar in English, hosted by International House North Denmark. 📅 Wednesday, September 16 – 14:00–16:00 – Free (registration required by September 15) – [Sign up here] 📍 Online

🏃 Social Run 2025 – Vejle

Explore Vejle while walking or running for 45 minutes, then relax with new friends over a free drink and hot dog. 📅 Saturday, September 13 – 10:30–13:00 – Free (registration required by September 11) – [Sign up here] 📍 Søndertorv, 7100 Vejle

➕ Hosting something relevant to internationals in Denmark? Send it to us at noticeboard@lwid.dk

Denmark in Global Headlines

🌴 “Why Denmark is the ultimate destination for a cozy getaway” – Conde Nast Traveller

🇫🇷 “Greenland is not for sale: French foreign minister visits arctic territory in show of solidarity” – France24

📉 “Novo Nordisk woes prompt Denmark to slash 2025 growth forecast” – Reuters

🌍 “Why Denmark’s plan to speedrun the EU’s new climate target is in trouble” – Politico

🛡️ “Ukraine to open weapons factory in Denmark” – Politico