Denmark losing out on African boom
Denmark has been unable to capitalise on an African economy that is growing at a rate of five percent a year and which has seven countries among the ten fastest growing economies in the world. Danish export figures to Africa have not followed the growth rates and the percentage of Denmark’s total exports that go to Africa is far below the EU average. French, Dutch, Finnish and Swedish export figures are up to three times higher, prompting the trade and Investment minister, Pia Olsen Dyhr (Socialistisk Folkeparti), to call for action. – Politiken
Skat lose complaints cases
Tax authority Skat lose 78 percent of estate evaluation complaint cases in the national tax tribunal, Landsskatteretten, according to new figures that Jyllands-Posten newspaper uncovered. In response, the tax minister, Holger K Nielsen (SF), is thinking about letting local government decide the cases and therefore limit the amount of cases that reach Landsskatteretten. Accura law firm said that of 1,232 such cases it has dealt with since 2008, only eight have ended in Skat’s favour. – Jyllands-Posten
State handing out record loans
Danish companies are gaining taking out a record number of loans from state funds, such as the Eksport Kredit Fonden (EKF) and Vækstfonden. More stringent loan policies by banks have sent businesses into the arms of EKF and Vækstfonden, which both have reported record-breaking payment figures. EKF issues bonds and securities totalling 16.4 billion kroner last year alone and has now passed the 75 billion kroner mark for total commitment. – Børsen
Danish consortium developing CO2 measurer
The national meteorological institute, Danmarks Nationale Metrologiinstitut (DFM), is in charge of a Danish consortium that has received a 2.2 million kroner contract from the European Space Agency. The money is supposed to go towards the development of a laser system that will measure CO2 and can beused in future space missions. The laser system is expected to be able to measure the amounts and specifications of greenhouse gases such as CO2 with a margin of error of less than one percent. – Ingeniøren
