Advertisement

Today in Denmark For Members

Today in Denmark: A round-up of the news on Friday

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
Today in Denmark: A round-up of the news on Friday
Kastellet i København, hvor Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste holder til, mandag den 21. september 2020.

Find out what's going on in Denmark today with The Local's short roundup of the news in less than five minutes.

Advertisement

Covid-19 no longer a “critical threat to society”

Today sees Covid-19 officially reclassified by Danish authorities. The coronavirus has since the beginning of the pandemic had the status of “critical threat to society”, or samfundskritisk sygdom, giving the government legal powers to impose bans on people gathering, demands for Covid-19 passes, and demands for face masks.

Covid-19 was first rated a samfundskritisk sygdom on March 10th last year, meaning it is being downgraded after exactly one and a half years.

The coronavirus will continue to be rated an alment farlig sygdom, “dangerous to public health”, and a “smitsom sygdom”, an infectious disease, both of which give the government and health authorities additional powers to test people and collect and share health data. 

Final Covid-19 restrictions lifted 

Few Covid-19 restrictions are still in place, with the majority of those left after the summer lifted at the beginning of this month.

People visiting nightclubs will no longer need to show a valid coronapas (or a negative test result, proof of vaccination or proof of immunity due to prior infection). This requirement was lifted for restaurants, bars and gyms on September 1st, and nightclubs now join that list.

That leaves travel rules as the only Covid-19 restrictions now in effect in Denmark. Tests for the virus are also still widely available.

Advertisement

Business organisation critical of English-language education closures 

As many as 4,000 places on 87 different English-language study programmes are to close from next year.

The closures are the result of a widely-backed political deal, passed in June, aimed at reducing Denmark’s spending of its state student grant, SU, on foreign students who can claim it through EU nationality.

The Confederation of Danish Industry, DI, has spoken out against the decision in an interview with newspaper Jyllands-Posten published today, arguing it will cost Denmark money in the long term by making it more difficult for businesses to fulfil hiring needs.

We’ll have more detail in an article later today.

READ ALSO: Why does Denmark have so many job vacancies?

Business minister to speak to press on proposed reforms

Business minister Simon Kollerup will today brief press on the proposed welfare forms first presented by the government on Tuesday this week.

Most of the discussion of the proposal has so far revolved around the changes to unemployment insurance. Kollerup’s briefing is expected to focus on five initiatives aimed at businesses.

READ ALSO: What do Denmark’s proposed welfare reforms mean for foreign residents?

Travel rules could be updated 

Any changes to the Danish foreign ministry’s current Covid-19 travel guidelines are normally announced on Friday afternoon. This can include updates to the colour designation of countries or regions on Denmark’s traffic light system, which determines the restrictions for entry from abroad (if any apply).

We’ll report changes on our website should any be announced.

READ ALSO: Denmark changes United States to orange in updated Covid-19 travel guidelines

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also