Advertisement

KEY POINTS: What changes about life in Denmark in April 2022?

Author thumbnail
KEY POINTS: What changes about life in Denmark in April 2022?
The summerhouse is a popular destination for Danes during the Easter holidays. File photo: John Randeris/Ritzau Scanpix

A new data logging law, restriction-free travel and the return of summer tyres are among things that change in Denmark next month.

Advertisement

Covid-19 travel rules now completely gone 

The last of Denmark’s Covid-19 related restrictions on travel were revoked in late March, meaning that April will be the first month in which you can enter Denmark as a tourist, visitor or returning resident without any need for a Covid test or documentation of vaccination status.

This applies regardless of where in the world you are arriving from.

There are also no domestic Covid restrictions in Denmark, with these having been largely ended in February.

Authorities can reinstate travel restrictions at short notice in response to the emergence of new variants of concern.

READ ALSO: Denmark scraps last remaining Covid-19 travel restrictions

Advertisement

New data logging law in force

A new law giving authorities greater reach in logging data from private individuals will be effective as of March 30th, under a law passed in parliament by the government and conservative parties on March 3rd.

The new logging rules “give the option of general and undifferentiated logging of data if there is a serious threat to national security which is genuine and actual or predicted,” the Ministry of Justice said in a statement as it confirmed the new rules were effective on March 30th.

According to the ministry, an assessment based on intelligence service reports has found that these conditions are currently met.

As a result, the law means that telecommunications companies are obliged to log “general and undifferentiated” data from users, rather than to conduct targeted logging of persons suspected of serious crime. They are also required to register customers with authorities, including users of prepaid services.

End of tax deductions for home improvements

A tax deduction for home improvements, the “håndværkerfradrag”, will be scrapped from April 1st under the terms of the 2022 budget. Other tax deductions that can be applied for home services, including cleaning and childcare, are retained.

This article outlines the change in more detail.

READ ALSO: Årsopgørelse: What you need to know as Denmark releases annual tax return

Remember to switch to summer tyres

Alternating between winter and summer tyres is not a legal requirement in Denmark, but is broadly recommended, including by FDM, the Danish membership organisation for motorists.

Neighbouring SwedenNorway and Germany – where many Danish residents head on skiing and other holidays during the colder months – all have rules requiring winter tyres, meanwhile, meaning the practice is common in Denmark, not least for those who may need to take their cars over the border.

Advertisement

Most people switch back to summer tyres at Easter, which this year falls on April 17th, with the ‘Easter holidays’ being the week leading up to this (plus Easter Monday on the 18th.)

More about the practice of using winter and summer tyres in Denmark can be found in this article.

Public holidays

Speaking of Easter, April sees the first of a gamut of public holidays which people in Denmark can enjoy during the spring.

The Easter break brings three public holidays which fall on weekdays: Maundy Thursday (April 14th), Good Friday (April 15th) and Easter Monday (April 18th).

There are also two weekdays off in May and one in June.

READ ALSO: What public holidays does Denmark have in 2022?

Deadline for businesses to repay coronavirus relief loans

Businesses have until April 1st to repay money loaned from the state during the coronavirus crisis.

Around 61,000 loans to companies paid out during the pandemic, totalling just under 22.5 billion kroner, will be due on that date, according to numbers released by the tax ministry in September.

An instalment option allows companies to place their loans with tax authorities and pay them in instalments up to April 1st, 2024.

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