Last Week in Denmark (29.01-04.02) Episode 3 Year 4
Elderly care; Pension; English-language study places
Editor HQ
State of Denmark
Welcome to February in our wind-plagued lands! In the last episode of the “Nordic Waste” drama, the focal point was “who should pay for it?” Randers Municipality’s legal investigation says that the municipality cannot be held responsible for the disaster, putting the entire responsibility on Nordic Waste. At the same time, the company points the finger at the municipality, questioning the sudden appearance of the “missing environmental reports.” Joining the fray, the national government announced an investigation into Randers Municipality and their role in the landslide. So far, 50 million DKK out of the 205 million DKK allocated have been spent on measures to stop the landslide. However, 2 billion DKK more will be needed, and the way it looks now, Randers Municipality might end up paying for it.
At the DR and TV2 television studios, another drama is unfolding: bad working conditions for the child actors in tv productions and Christmas calendars (julekalendere). The government has established a working group to propose improvements to the situation by the end of 2024. Children under 13-years-old are not allowed to work in Denmark, but an exception has been made for the entertainment industry. However, they are not covered by the collective agreement and cannot join a trade union (the Actors Union is negotiating with the Producers Association to change the situation).
In-between stopping landslides and child actors asking for better conditions, the desert winds of the Sahara visited us at the beginning of the week, providing colorful skies and blood rains. With this beautiful image in mind, I wish you a great week ahead! Hopefully, the strong winds from Norway will not make their way towards us. And remember, flu season is in full swing, if you’re wondering why you haven’t seen some of your colleagues for a while now.
Word of the Week
Borgerforslag = Citizen proposal. You can use the word when you refer to a proposal made by a citizen to a public body. Usually, the proposal needs to be backed by a minimum number of signatures. For example, if you want your proposal to be debated in Parliament, you need 50,000 signatures, while if you want it in the regional council, you need 1,000.
Quiz
Danish Politics HQ
Weekly political overview
Since the parliamentary elections in November 2022, two political parties have grown the most in the opinion polls: Liberal Alliance (Libertarians) with 6.7% and SF (Socialists) with 4.8%, making them the second and third biggest parties in Denmark (after the Social Democrats, which, despite having the worst decay in support, still stand as number one).
There’s another tool in the democracy toolbox for citizens interested in regional politics, (which is mainly about healthcare). You can now submit legislative proposals (borgerforslag) in the Capital Region (Region Hovedstaden) by collecting 1,000 signatures. Once submitted, the regional council has to debate and vote on them.
The 1,100 new English-language study places for 2024 have now been allocated. Copenhagen Business School and the universities of Aalborg, Aarhus, South Denmark, and Copenhagen get 180 places each, while ITU and DTU get 82 and 93, respectively.
From July 1, 2024, non-Europeans facing deportation can stay by enrolling in education tied to industries with labor shortages (healthcare, IT, carpentry, etc.). The scheme is called “uddannelsestilknytningsordning.” The law applies retroactively to those who lost residency permits during such education since 2020.
Focus
Reform of elderly care: Holistic care. Less supervision and control. Free choice for the elderly. These are the keywords from the long-awaited elderly care reform. The general idea is to share the responsibility with the private sector and provide the elderly with a choice between public and private services. Today, they can already make this choice for cleaning, laundry, and personal care services, with 41% opting for private companies in 2022. Moving forward, the elderly will be able to choose the services they prefer to spend their allowance on, such as reducing cleaning services and personal care in favor of more conversations while looking at old photos and drinking coffee.
Holistic care: the elderly must be able to receive different types of care, depending on their needs.
Less supervision and control: the 98 yearly inspections will be merged into one inspection per year.
Local nursing homes: the municipalities will be allowed to establish private nursing homes, free of government regulation. Here, the elderly will be able to purchase extra services.
Less regulation in elderly care: simplified annual quality reports, supervision, and dignity policies.
An additional annual investment of one billion DKK will raise the quality of elderly care in Denmark by 2027.
Liberal Alliance is the most popular political party among 14-16 year olds in Denmark: The 2024 school election result is out, and Liberal Alliance Youth has been crowned the big winner with 30.15% of the votes. Check out the results in your municipality here.
Who followed Liberal Alliance? Young Social Democrats (15.99%); Young Liberals (9.81%); Young Social Liberals (8.72%); Young Conservatives (8.03%); Socialist Youth Front (6.97%); Young Socialists (5.6%); DF Youth (5.18%); Young Moderates (4.69%); DD Youth (3.06%) and Young Greens (1.8%).
The results are not surprising considering how popular Alex Vanopslagh (leader of Liberal Alliance), aka the TikTok King, is.
In Denmark, young people start engaging in politics around 14-15 years old. Usually, they start in the youth political parties. Each political party has a youth correspondent that acts like their political school.
The school election (skolevalg) takes place every two years. 71,000 students from 8th, 9th and 10th grades participate in voting. The youth parties have three weeks to campaign in the schools (participate in debates, spread flyers, talk to the voters, etc.). The schools prepare special lessons on politics and democracy during this time.
Danish Economics HQ
2.9% unemployment rate in Denmark: 87,000 people are outside of the job market (1,000 more than the previous month). According to the labor minister, 43,000 of them are young people who are neither in a job nor in education. The slight increase is not a concern, as there is simply a mismatch between what companies need and what the labor market has to offer. There is still a labor crisis in Denmark as companies continue their struggle to attract qualified workers from abroad.
Two big companies in Denmark have merged to create a giant: Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have merged their destinies under a new name, Novonesis. This giant company employs 10,000 people and has an annual revenue of 27 billion DKK. They produce enzymes, microorganisms, and other ingredients that are used in the production of food, washing powder, and animal feed, among other things.
102.6 billion DKK profit in 2023 for Novo Nordisk: Europe’s most valuable company has just reported the highest profit in its century-old history. Since 2019, sales have increased by 773%, mainly due to the diabetes/weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. One of the architects of this success is the current CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen. He was born in Viborg to a farming family, was educated at Aarhus Business School, and has worked at Novo Nordisk since 1991, becoming CEO in 2017.
Entrepreneur’s corner
Free courses for entrepreneurs:. While there are occasional English courses for entrepreneurs on basic topics like starting a business and bookkeeping, those able to understand some level of Danish can benefit from Iværksætterdanmark’s online and in-person courses.
Join the “Beyond Beta” accelerator: If you are a new start-up (barely at first customers or still developing a minimum viable product), you should join this accelerator. Why? Knowledge camps, mentoring, internationalization opportunities, and access to funding. Deadline! 26th February.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
Insights into the Danish way of life
From skinny dipping to cartoons like John Dillermand and years of sexual education in film, Denmark has a long history of relating to the body and sexuality in a very natural way. This week, that’s no exception. Uge Sex, a term chosen for its resemblance to “week 6” (uge seks), is a sexual education initiative created by Sex og Samfund, a private clinic for sex and health advocacy. Every February since 2008, it has offered schools the chance to join a teaching campaign that addresses common youth questions and concerns. The themes range from family, feelings, the body and boundaries (class 0-3) to puberty, friendship and rights (0-4), as well as consent, sexual health and gender (7-10).
Schools that add Uge Sex to their curriculum get free online and in-person courses and activities. Last year, 21,600 teachers took part.There’s a new theme each year, and in 2024, it is Screen Body (Skærmkrop). The topic delves into discussions on the consumption of online content, its impact on children’s perceptions of their bodies, and its relation to self-esteem.
This is not the only event for children this week, as Fastelavn is right around the corner. The Danish carnival is taking place next Sunday, February 11, seven weeks before Easter. You can expect to see kids in costumes walking door-to-door (especially in residential areas), and collecting candy or money (similar to the American “trick-or-treat” tradition)– so put some coins aside! Before the 1800s, the holiday also included a game called “cat in a barrel”. Although Fastelavn has been around for millennia, some Danes worry that the globalization of Halloween is starting to erase the tradition. With an increasing wave of merchandise and media for the fall celebration, they are concerned that Danish culture might be “Americanizing” itself at the cost of Fastelavn.
Explainer
State pension in Denmark: If you are born after 1967, the retirement age is 69 years old.
If you are an EU, EEA or UK citizen and have lived in Denmark for at least one year, you qualify for state pension.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you need to live in Denmark for 10 years, including five years before the retirement age.
If you are a refugee, you qualify.
Cross-border workers working in Denmark, but residing outside the country, also have the right to a state pension.
The basic state pension is 6,928 DKK (before taxes) per month. To qualify for the full amount, you need to have resided in Denmark for a minimum of 40 years since you were 15 (starting in 2025, this will be reduced to 36 years). If you have lived here less than 40 years, you receive a percentage proportional to your time in Denmark.
As a state pensionist, you qualify for several supplements. Some are impacted by the time spent in Denmark, while others are not: (a) The pension supplement (which is based on whether you are single or married) of 4,102-8,016 DKK per month, is impacted both by the time spent in Denmark and by your other income (private pensions, side work, dividends, etc.). (b) You can get a yearly old-age check (Ældrecheck) of 19,900 DKK if you have less than 99,200 DKK in wealth and no other income (this is also impacted by your time spent in Denmark). (d) Health, heating and housing allowances are not impacted by your time spent in Denmark.
The state pension is just one income source available to the elderly. You can also get a labor market pension as part of your work contract and/or a private pension that you sign up for.
Weekly overview
Many have used some form of artificial intelligence (AI) for research or content creation, and a notable player in the AI field is ChatGPT. While many educational institutions might prohibit this technology to be used by staff and especially its students, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has decided to integrate AI in its teaching and potentially in exams too. Starting this year, DTU said AI will prepare students for the digitalized world and its increasing use of digital tools. The University has also issued a guideline for both its staff and students, emphasizing trust and responsibility, stating that the tools should be used ethically.
Copenhagen may be home to almost 700,000 people, but its Metro systems were used by 120 million passengers last year. Copenhagen Metro not only set a new annual passenger record, but in March, the M3 and M4 lines alone saw 5 million passengers. In November, the Metro carried 11 million passengers. This summer, the M4 to Sydhavn line will open and includes 5 new stations: Copenhagen South, Mozarts Plads, Sluseholmen, Enghave Brygge and Havneholmen.
Shopping on Temu? Be aware that many products sold on the Chinese webshop do not meet EU safety standards, an NGO warns. Temu, the most downloaded app in Denmark, sells items directly from Chinese manufacturers and is especially popular among young Danes and families. Consumer Council, the NGO, told TV2 that consumers lack the same rights and protections when shopping outside the EU and urged consumers to be aware of their purchases.
Electric vehicle (EV) users will soon be able to travel around Denmark without worrying about a charging point, following an 88% increase in charging points since 2022. As of 2023, the transport ministry said there are 17,400 charging points in Denmark, with the highest increase in Langeland, followed by Høje-Taastrup, Ikast-Brande, Rebild, and Glostrup.
Those allergic to pollen will struggle with itchy eyes and runny noses now that pollen season has started in Denmark. Though the season started off later than usual, Astma-Allergi Danmark said this season will be longer and more intense, due to climate change and an increase in wild grass growing in the cities. The association also recommends the public to download Dagens Pollental, a free app that provides pollen forecasts and relevant updates.
European Union HQ
Europe This Week
Germany is testing a shorter working week. Starting in February, 45 companies have introduced a four-day workweek that will last for half a year. As the country struggles with a labor shortage, this test aims to prove that shorter working hours increase worker productivity and reduce stress. This has been tested in many other countries, and early results seem to favor a shorter workweek. Read more about the model and its limitations here.
Farmer protests spread across Europe. Farmer protests continue as demonstrators escalate their efforts. Farmers argue that they receive inadequate compensation, grapple with burdensome taxes and environmental regulations while facing unjust competition from foreign markets. The demonstrations happening throughout Europe come before the European Parliament elections in June. The far right, which sees farmers as a growing support base, is expected to make advances in these elections.
Finland is voting. Finns will head for the polling stations for a second round of presidential elections on February 11. The candidates in the second round are Alexander Stubb, representing the National Coalition Party, and Pekka Haavisto, representing a constituency association. Stubb received 27.2% and Haavisto 25.8% of votes cast in the first round.
Right to repair. The Parliament and Council have come to a political agreement on enhancing the "right to repair" for consumers. The agreed-upon rules provide clarity on manufacturers' obligations and promote consumer efforts to prolong a product's lifespan through repair. This proposal aims to give consumers better rights for easier and more attractive repairs beyond the legal guarantee period. Manufacturers would be obligated to repair various household products like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and smartphones. More products can be added to the list later. Once the directive is adopted by both Council and Parliament, and published in the EU Official Journal, member states will have 24 months to adopt it into national law.
Rights
European pension: As an EU resident, you can get a uniform European pension product. Supervised by national authorities and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), the pension is designed to provide an old-age income alongside the state pension and national supplementary pillars. The pension, called the PEPP, is voluntary and portable across the EU.
Opportunities
Free trip to Zagreb (Croatia): Training course on methods and tools necessary for development of digital competencies of young people. When? March 19-22. Deadline? February 6.
Free trip to Rabka-Zdrój (Poland): Training course on how to use volunteering as a tool of youth work. When? March 8.14. Deadline? February 7.
Free trip to Antwerp (Belgium): Training course on practical knowledge, methods and tools to engage the people you work with. When? March 15-22 Deadline? February 9.
Announcement Board
Copenhagen, February 8, 17:00-19:00: Buying Real Estate in Denmark – Take the first steps towards buying a new home in Denmark. Sign up here.
Odense, February 8, 19:00: International LinkedIn Meetup – A networking event focused on sharing knowledge and experiences. Find details here.
Aarhus, February 8, 17:00-19:00: Meet Your Club – Do you want to join a club but don’t know what you’re looking for? You can meet clubs and associations in the region by registering here.
Keep an eye on the Holstebro celebrations. They plan to celebrate their 750th anniversary via 750 events in 2024.
Copenhagen, February 22, 17:00 - 22:00: Come and meet our founder, Narcis George Matache, at the Crossing Borders event, Food for Thought.
Remember Dining Week, your chance to try out fancy food at lower prices.
International media about Denmark HQ
From Iceland To Denmark: Discover 7 Sustainable Nordic Escapes In 2024 (Forbes)
Painting by Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to go up for auction (CNN)
Denmark’s King Frederik X visits Poland in his first trip abroad as monarch (AP News)
Last Week in Denmark’s Universe
Read long-form articles on our website: How to learn Danish; Danish Business Culture; How to invest in Denmark; Guides for non-Europeans - I and II; How to negotiate your salary; Giving birth in Denmark - I and II; Pension in Denmark - I and II; Translator in Denmark and many other untold stories from the community.
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Check out our cool merchandise (top quality): Moving forward; Searching for home; Vasil; Irina; Kifaax; Monika
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Is the article about pension eligibility correct. I'm astounded and pleasantly surprised if it's true - that I start (I'm a UK citizen) to be eligible for Danish state pension after simply living in the country for a year. Isn't working here a requirement?