Taxes; Death; Adoptions

Last Week in Denmark (27.10-03.11) Episode 37 Year 4

Editor HQ 

State of Denmark 

It’s officially Christmas season in Denmark! On Friday, November 1, the Christmas beer was launched in bars around the country with a lot of festivities. Gradually, we are going to see more and more Christmas lights and decorations on the streets, stores, and homes. Invitations to Christmas parties (Julefrokost) have already started to trickle in, as the battle for the few weekends left until Christmas Day started. 

While getting in the festive mood, the discussions around the dinner table have been more serious than ever. Three main stories caught the attention of the people this week. First, the whole debacle with adoptions from abroad. Second, the apology from Sweden for the acts of their youth in Denmark, and last, the discussion of when you should have “the talk” about death. 

The majority of the parliamentary parties want to reopen the possibility of adopting from abroad. This week, Denmark’s only international adoption agency (DIA) was closed, and the task was taken over by the state. Denmark went from 600 international adoptions per year (a couple decades ago) to zero this year. So what happened? It seems that in multiple cases, the biological parents of the children never gave their consent for the adoption. An investigation is on the way, and hundreds of adoptees are waiting for more information on their own adoption. The story is far from over, and most likely there will be no international adoptions until that is clarified and better systems are put in place. 

Moving on to the problem with the young guns for hire from Sweden. The number of violent cases in the last year has increased significantly, and for most, it was young people from Sweden. The Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson visited Denmark this week and said, “Sweden has a responsibility. A big responsibility. And we will take responsibility”. There will be closer cooperation between the police and the intelligence services in Denmark and Sweden. Similar visits have been held in Norway and Finland, as they have the same problem. 

And lastly, the talk about death. Several municipalities across the country are focusing on helping more of us talk to each other about our last wishes. Since 2017, the project “Ready for the Conversation” has been implemented in more than 15 municipalities to provide tools for this special talk. How to prepare? Talk to relatives about your last wishes (hospital/home; funeral; social media); talk to your doctor if you want to be revived; create a treatment will; and establish a future power of attorney. 

Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!

LWID Universe 

Linkedin: Thank you, Pratik Hariharan, for the five months at the helm of the LinkedIn team. Under your leadership, our presence on LinkedIn has increased significantly (703 new followers; 22% engagement rate), new writers have been fostered (10 original articles from six different writers), and our visibility has been taken to the next level (like having a presence at TechBBQ). Now it is time for him to grow his own media projects, like the RentCulture newsletter. P.S - Pratik will continue to write for us. 

We are looking for a new LinkedIn team lead :) Send a mail to hr@lwid.dk or reach out to the LinkedIn page if you are interested. Remember, we are a sandbox where you can truly show your skill level. 

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Danish Politics HQ

Weekly political overview 

The end of fake phone calls and SMS: The Ministry of Digitalization has promised to create in the coming weeks the legislative framework that will allow telecom companies to screen phone calls and SMS to stop spoofing. Finland has already taken this step, and they are able to prevent 200,000 fake calls every day. Spoofing is when fraudsters are using technology that allows them to mask their real numbers as Danish numbers with the purpose of getting your credit card information or other valuable data. 

When will we stop using gas as a source of heating for individual homes? Multiple political parties are asking the government to give an end date for the usage of gas boilers. As district heating is being rolled out around the country, there are still people that say “no” to it, preferring to use the gas boilers or other sources of heating. This has raised concerns, as the political agenda is to phase out gas usage and people should prepare slowly to replace their gas boilers. A clear end date should hasten the process. 

Mette Frederiksen is lobbying the other Nordic Council members to give full membership status to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Full membership status means that they will have equal rights and be treated as “independent countries” in the Nordic Council. This is a major step in allowing Greenland and the Faroe Islands to pursue a more independent foreign policy. 

Proposals from political parties

• SF (Socialists) want to introduce the program “free meals at school”. They proposed a gradual rollout from 2025 with the ambition to cover the entire country until 2030. Radikale Venstre (Social Liberals) and Moderaterne (Social Liberals) support the idea. Socialdemokratiet (Social Democrats) are against the idea. 

• Members of the European Parliament from Moderaterne (Social Liberals), Konservative (Conservatives), and SF (Socialists) want to change the rules on CO2 quotas so that private airplanes are not exempt. In the next few years, the “free quotas” used by some airlines will be phased out, and tickets will gradually get more expensive. 

Snapshots from the political stage 

• The “blue” opposition parties (Liberal Alliance, Konservative, Danmarksdemokraterne) are calling on Venstre (Liberals) to join them and campaign for a purely “blue” right-wing government in 2026. The leader of Venstre is hesitant as they have been able to implement a lot of liberal policies as part of the center government with Socialdemokratiet and Moderaterne. 

• DF (Nationalists Conservative) are not welcome in the new “blue” block that Inger Støjberg (Danmarksdemokraterne) is building with Alex Vanopslagh (Liberal Alliance) and Mona Juul (Konservative). The reason is simple - one nationalist party (Danmarksdemokraterne) is enough in the alliance. 

Focus

Are football hooligans a problem in Denmark? After the unreal level of violence shown by the supporters of FCK and Brøndby at a recent match, the Ministry of Justice wants to deal with the culture of violence among hooligans. The first step is to introduce face recognition cameras at the stadiums so that they can enforce entry bans on violent supporters. Further on, the Minister wants to also give public access to the hooligan register. His team is now looking into the legal possibilities. 

• The hooligan register is a list of people who got in trouble with the police in connection to sports events. The register was established in 2008, and it can only be accessed by the police. If the access is made public, it can affect the hooligans standing in society, workplace, family, etc. 

Has the fentanyl epidemic spread to Denmark? The drugs that can turn people into zombies, the opioids, are becoming a problem in Denmark. Opioids are a group of drugs that can relieve pain on the central nervous system (fentanyl, heroin, methadone, oxycodone, morphine, and tramadol). To monitor the situation, the government will analyze the waste water from the six largest cities (Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense, Esbjerg, and Næstved). With the data obtained, they want to map the distribution of the different opioids. 

• The Ministry of Justice is also preparing tougher punishments for opioid dealers (such as replacing fines with prison time) and more control of social media and “kiosks” (small corner stores) to identify them. Opioids are considered more dangerous than cocaine. 

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Danish Economics HQ

Weekly economics overview 

The European Union will start an investigation on the TEMU platform. 92 million people in Europe are buying regularly from the TEMU app. The Chinese platform allows third parties to list items for sale, which means they have almost no control over the quality of the products. In this way, dangerous products are making their way to Europeans and becoming a threat to public health. 

A guide to shared family expenses. According to a study, families that argue about finances are 70% more likely to get a divorce. Read this guide to learn how to organize your shared economy in a smart way. 

The Ministry of Taxation will allow municipalities to write off debts for homeowners in special cases. After the case with Gitta Ravn, where she had to pay property tax for the entire neighborhood instead of just her house due to an error from the IT system, the Ministry will allow municipalities to write off absurd situations like this one. 

What can you find in closed Facebook groups? You can buy disabledw parking cards; you can offer your driving license to take over a traffic offense from another driver; you can offer your car as a mule for driving drugs, etc. Not for long, as the police is intensifying the efforts to monitor closed Facebook groups to identify illegal activities. 

Focus

The municipal taxes for 2025: Each municipality (kommune) can set up its own municipal income tax and property tax. In fact, most of your income tax goes to the municipality coffers. That’s why your level of taxation is influenced by the municipality where you live. 

• Eight municipalities have decided to increase the municipal income tax - Vejen (+0.47%); Fanø (+0.33%); Esbjerg (+0.3%); Helsingør (+0.3%); Lemvig (+0.24%); Randers (+0.2%); Rudersdal (+0.16%); and Greve (+0.07%). 

• Three municipalities decided to lower the municipal income tax - Copenhagen (-0.1%), Gentofte (-0.1%), and Frederikssund (-0.1%). 

• Two municipalities decided to lower the commercial property taxes - Fredericia and Høje-Taastrup. 

Who is fighting to get the last farmland? The number of farmers in Denmark is dwindling. Few farms are still being run by the same family, as presented in the newest documentary from DR, “Farmer Blood”. 

• Until 2010, only farmers could buy farmland. After regulations changed to allow anyone to own farmland, a race started between investors, foundations, and pension funds to buy the land. 

• Solar park investors are willing to pay twice the market value for the farmland. Some are willing to give 500,000 DKK per hectare. 

• The state is also buying farmland to transform it into forests and wetlands. In the next few years, the state wants to transform 400,000 hectares into forests. 

• Cities and road infrastructure are also expanding at the expense of farmland. 

• The fact is we need more space in Denmark to achieve all the goals with reforestation, green energy, and other projects. Every square meter will count in the future, so the value will go up, at least twice. 

Entrepreneurship Corner

Call to action: Help Aalborg Institute for Development organize more English business courses for entrepreneurs. They are in the process of lobbying for more courses, and to have a strong argument, they need data to back up. Complete this survey. It takes 30 seconds. 

Tip of the week! If you want to start a limited liability company (ApS), consider starting a holding company first. You can use the capital from the holding to start the ApS. Why is it good to have a holding structure? (a) It makes it easier to sell the company - a simple operation of changing ownership tax-free; (b) You can move money from the ApS after paying profit tax to protect them in case the ApS is going bankrupt; c) You don’t have to take the money out as dividends to invest in other companies, shares, bonds, or properties. 

Daily Life in Denmark HQ

Insights into the Danish way of life

Merry Christmas, dear readers! As the bells rang on 1st November at 00.00, the Christmas season was officially opened in Denmark. If you paid attention, you might have noticed staff hanging lights over street crossings and even at the iconic Hotel L’Anglaterre on the last day of October. As Halloween exits the stage, the holiday flare is ready to take the spotlight.

The 1st of November this year landed perfectly to open the month with J-Day, one of the country’s biggest holiday celebrations. It is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday of the month, a concrete rite of passage into the winter season. The celebration was originally created 34 years ago, in 1990, when the Danish brewery Tuborg first introduced its Christmas beer, “Tuborg Julebryg”, which literally translated to Christmas brew.

On J-Day, Tuborg employees around the country get dressed as “beer elves”, also known as nissedreng, distributing Jylebrug in bars, cafés and pubs around Denmark. What makes this beverage distinct from other beers is its darker color and its maltier flavor, brewed with hints of caramel, and, obviously, licorice. 

As the clock hits 20.59, the Tuborg trucks arrive to the sound of holiday music, and the first glasses are poured. It’s a hard-to-miss type of show, with snowflake confetti, Christmas hats and other decorations. 

Although J-Day was originally founded as a commercial event, it has quickly become rooted in Danish culture, offering an excuse to feel jolly about the incoming Christmas carols and cold days. Around Scandinavia, other traditional seasonal drinks of this sort exist. In Sweden, it is Julmust, a sweet, dark, carbonated drink that resembles root beer but has no alcohol (and it often outsells Coca-Cola!). In Norway, it is Julebrus, a sweet and fruity soda - you can find a different edition of it for each region of the country.

Weekly overview

You can hand over illegal weapons to the police, punishment-free. During the month of November, you can anonymously hand over illegal weapons to the police at designated police stations. Check the regional police website to see where you can do it. The last time it was possible was in 2017. Grenades and explosives should not be transported to the police station; call 114 instead to arrange special transport. 

200,000 trees planted by the coffin factory Tommerup Heilskov. A tree for every coffin delivered. With this mantra, the company planted 200,000 trees in the last decade. The initiative inspired other coffin factories in Sweden and Norway to follow suit. 

There are only two places left in Denmark where you can see elephants. After Aalborg Zoo euthanised its last two elephants, only Copenhagen Zoo and Knuthenborg Safaripark remain with elephants. 

Aurora Borealis hunting groups became viral. The Facebook group “Nordlysvarsel i Danmark” (Northern Lights Warning) has 283,000 members, and is growing at an average of three to eight thousand new members every week. In fact, it became so popular to hunt aurora borealis in the darkness that you can literally trip over people in the popular hunting spots in the middle of the night. 

What to do when the travel agency doesn’t live up to the promises made? You can complain to the Pakkerejse-Ankenævnet (Package Travel Appeal Board). Lately, the number of cases open at the Appeal Board has exploded, and they are warning travelers to look carefully at the documents before signing with the travel agency. 

• First, you must complain to the travel agency immediately as you encounter the problem. Not after the travel is over. You need to give them the chance to react and fix the issue. 

• Read closely the hotel description and online reviews. Check closely the order confirmation to ensure extras are included. Complain directly to the travel agency. Document the problems with pictures and videos. Focus on the biggest problem. 

Homeowners have the right to lock up stray pets. Pet owners have a duty to keep their animals on their own property. If the animals roam on someone else's property and are a significant nuisance, the owner can be fined. If you catch an animal, you must report it to the police so that the owner can be found. 

International Community in Denmark HQ

The fifth episode from the column “Found in Translation” written by Ali Lewis is out. The title is “Bad Parenting. Danish Style”. Read an excerpt here.

“It doesn’t take much to make me feel like a bad parent. This morning on my way to yoga I cycled (see how I’m trying to position myself as virtuous here?) past a house beautifully and painstakingly decorated for Halloween. The Danish, I’ve discovered, are particularly good at this kind of seasonal celebration, accessorised with a level of enthusiastic crafting, baking and co-ordinated entertainment that I am frankly very poor at.”

The third episode from the column “How to live like a local” written by Stephanie Mannings is also out. The title is “Café Sorgenfri”. Read an excerpt here. 

“Café Sorgenfri is an institution for those in the know. The name Sorgenfri means ‘without sorrows’ and that could not be more appropriate here. It began life as one of Copenhagen’s oldest pubs, with its first license granted in 1882.”

Announcement Board

Online, November 4, 17:30 - 18:30: New in Denmark? nabo is hosting two free online events next week, to take you on a tour of its 30+ guides for settling in. Participants will get two weeks free entry to nabo (including all the guides), and four free guides to keep. Sign up here. The second event is on November 6, 10:30 - 11:30. Sign up here. 

Aarhus, November 6, 16:30 - 18:30: Join a network meeting between Danes and Internationals while listening to a debate about Denmark's future place in the UN Security Council and EU presidency, as well as how this will affect the cooperation between the two organisations. Where? Kulturhus bunkeren (Olof Palmes Allé 11, 8200). Sign up by sending an email to kurtnielsen.kn@gmail.com 

Kolding, November 7, 10:00 - 15:00: Explore Zambia’s fast-growing market for sustainable development at the ZamNordic Conference. As global focus turns to Africa, this event is a chance to connect with industry leaders, learn about impactful solutions, and discover investment opportunities that support Zambia’s sustainable growth. Get inspired through insightful presentations, professional networking, and innovative ideas. Sign up here. 

Copenhagen, November 12, 17:00-19:30: Are you familiar with the (un)written rules at your workplace? Do you know your rights and obligations as an employee in Denmark? Have you wondered how to handle conflicts within your team? This workshop will provide you with an understanding of Danish workplace culture.

International media about Denmark HQ

Denmark: "The Pursuit of Happiness" (60 Minutes Show, CBS News)

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