Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Friday
Cargo bike maker removes products from sale, health service to extend fertility treatment, trade union wants to reform au pair scheme and more news from Denmark on Friday.
Sale of popular cargo bike suspended in Denmark
The cargo bicycle maker Babboe, whose distinctive wooden box designs have proved popular among families and other cargo bike users in recent years, have stopped selling their products in Denmark with immediate effect, the company said in a statement on its website.
That comes after Babboe was informed that Dutch food and product safety authority NVWA has been in contact with the company regarding insufficient safety permits for its bikes.
All Danish Babboe owners have been asked by the company to keep their cargo bikes parked until the situation has been cleared up and the correct documentation is in place, the company said.
NVWA said in a press statement that it had ordered Babboe to stop sales of its cargo bikes and recall all of the bicycles, which have a “serious safety risk”.
The Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) has been made aware of the situation by Babboe’s distributor in Denmark, according to news wire Ritzau.
Vocabulary: at tilbagekalde – to recall
Three extra fertility treatments made available on state health service
Regional health authorities across Denmark will, by October at the latest, be able to offer up to six fertility treatments with in vitro fertilisation to singles and couples who hope to conceive.
That means an additional three treatments will be offered on the public health service, compared to what is available today.
The decision was confirmed by the Ministry of Health in a statement after an agreement was sealed between the government and health authorities. Funding for the treatments was set aside in this year’s budget.
“If you have a burning desire to have children, the worst sorrow is being unable to get pregnant. We have unfortunately seen that fertility problems and reduced fertility are among the most common illnesses today,” Health Minister Sophie Løhde said in the statement.
Vocabulary: reagensglasbehandling – in vitro fertility treatment
Trade union not in favour of scrapping au pair scheme
The trade union FOA, which represents au pairs, says it is not in favour of Denmark following Norway’s example and scrapping its au pair scheme.
However, much work can be done to improve the Danish au pair scheme, head of section with FOA Pia Heidi Nielsen told Ritzau.
READ ALSO: What is Denmark’s au pair scheme and who can apply?
The Norwegian government on Wednesday decided to scrap the country’s au pair scheme with immediate effect, arguing that it had moved from a cultural exchange arrangement to one of cheap labour.
Left-wing Danish parties SF and Red Green Alliance have meanwhile proposed changes to the existing scheme in Denmark.
“We should not go the same way [as Norway] in Denmark. On the contrary, we should look at the scheme we have and improve it with an eye for protection [of au pairs] and pay,” Nielsen said.
Vocabulary: en ordning – a scheme
Danish private sector wages in ‘real’ increase
People who work in Denmark’s private sector are largely experiencing a ‘real’ increase in their wages, according to a new analysis by an interest organisation for employers.
A review from the Confederation of Danish Employers (DA), which represents 11 different private sector employers’ organisations, has found an annual wage increase of 4.9 percent compared with 12 months ago.
During that time, inflation in Denmark has dropped to around 1 percent.
This means that the ‘real’ wage increase – the increase in purchasing power after interest is taken into account – is positive.
The analysis from DA comes ahead of a new round of talks over renewed bargaining agreements this spring.
READ ALSO: Danish trade union members vote yes to new bargaining agreement
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Sale of popular cargo bike suspended in Denmark
The cargo bicycle maker Babboe, whose distinctive wooden box designs have proved popular among families and other cargo bike users in recent years, have stopped selling their products in Denmark with immediate effect, the company said in a statement on its website.
That comes after Babboe was informed that Dutch food and product safety authority NVWA has been in contact with the company regarding insufficient safety permits for its bikes.
All Danish Babboe owners have been asked by the company to keep their cargo bikes parked until the situation has been cleared up and the correct documentation is in place, the company said.
NVWA said in a press statement that it had ordered Babboe to stop sales of its cargo bikes and recall all of the bicycles, which have a “serious safety risk”.
The Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) has been made aware of the situation by Babboe’s distributor in Denmark, according to news wire Ritzau.
Vocabulary: at tilbagekalde – to recall
Three extra fertility treatments made available on state health service
Regional health authorities across Denmark will, by October at the latest, be able to offer up to six fertility treatments with in vitro fertilisation to singles and couples who hope to conceive.
That means an additional three treatments will be offered on the public health service, compared to what is available today.
The decision was confirmed by the Ministry of Health in a statement after an agreement was sealed between the government and health authorities. Funding for the treatments was set aside in this year’s budget.
“If you have a burning desire to have children, the worst sorrow is being unable to get pregnant. We have unfortunately seen that fertility problems and reduced fertility are among the most common illnesses today,” Health Minister Sophie Løhde said in the statement.
Vocabulary: reagensglasbehandling – in vitro fertility treatment
Trade union not in favour of scrapping au pair scheme
The trade union FOA, which represents au pairs, says it is not in favour of Denmark following Norway’s example and scrapping its au pair scheme.
However, much work can be done to improve the Danish au pair scheme, head of section with FOA Pia Heidi Nielsen told Ritzau.
READ ALSO: What is Denmark’s au pair scheme and who can apply?
The Norwegian government on Wednesday decided to scrap the country’s au pair scheme with immediate effect, arguing that it had moved from a cultural exchange arrangement to one of cheap labour.
Left-wing Danish parties SF and Red Green Alliance have meanwhile proposed changes to the existing scheme in Denmark.
“We should not go the same way [as Norway] in Denmark. On the contrary, we should look at the scheme we have and improve it with an eye for protection [of au pairs] and pay,” Nielsen said.
Vocabulary: en ordning – a scheme
Danish private sector wages in ‘real’ increase
People who work in Denmark’s private sector are largely experiencing a ‘real’ increase in their wages, according to a new analysis by an interest organisation for employers.
A review from the Confederation of Danish Employers (DA), which represents 11 different private sector employers’ organisations, has found an annual wage increase of 4.9 percent compared with 12 months ago.
During that time, inflation in Denmark has dropped to around 1 percent.
This means that the ‘real’ wage increase – the increase in purchasing power after interest is taken into account – is positive.
The analysis from DA comes ahead of a new round of talks over renewed bargaining agreements this spring.
READ ALSO: Danish trade union members vote yes to new bargaining agreement
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