Morning Briefing – Tuesday, August 27

The Copenhagen Post’s round-up of the day’s top stories

Budget initiatives expected to secure growth
A day after downgrading its 2013 economic growth forecast, the government will announce today that it expects growth in 2014 to reach 1.6 percent. The announcement will be made in connection with the presentation of the government’s proposed budget for next year. The budget is reported to contain a three billion kroner increase in public investments, which the government says will help add an additional 15,000 new private sector jobs next year. – DR Nyheder 

A full update on the 2014 budget will be available on cphpost.dk later today. 

Second builder collapses
Less than a month after analysts predicted the economy had seen the last of the big bankruptcies due to the current recession, the nation’s largest building firm, Pihl & Søn, has announced it will cease operations. As many as 1,000 employees could lose their jobs. The firm had been responsible for some of the country’s most recognisable structures, and was leading renovation of Copenhagen’s Nørreport Station. The company’s board said a rapid expansion abroad that saw it enter into low-profit, high risk contracts, proved fatal. Banedanmark, the national railway infrastructure firm, said it expected construction at Nørreport Station to be completed as planned. Other projects Phil was involved in could experience significant delays and additional costs. – Berlingske Business

SEE ALSO: Cyclists to get a break as Nørreport renovation enters new phase

State lawyer’s prices come under scrutiny
The law firm that provides legal services to the state is coming under criticism again for the amount it charges for its services. The latest round of accusations comes after the firm, Paul Schmith, lost a case heard by both the High Court and the Supreme Court, yet charged the state three times as much as the plaintiff’s lawyers. In return for being granted the sole right to provide legal assistance to the state, the firm, known as the Kammeradvokat, is required to offer a one-third discount. The Kammeradvokat defended its fee in the case in question, arguing that its precedent-setting nature had required significant preparation. – Politiken 

Cracked bank’s investors to sue over lack of information
A group of investors in the collapsed Amagerbanken is seeking 898 million kroner in compensation from the state after it has been revealed that financial services authority Finanstilsynet had been alerted to the bank’s problems just months before going bankrupt. The investors claim Finanstilsynet had been informed in writing by Finansiel Stablitiet, a state company responsible for liquidating ailing banks, that Amagerbanken would need to increase the amount of its write downs, yet Finanstilsynet did not inform them of the concern. The investors argue that had they been aware of the problem, they could have taken steps to limit their loss. – Erhverv & Økonomi

SEE ALSO: Former management of Amagerbanken reported to fraud squad




  • Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Analysis shows that many students from Bangladesh are enrolled in Danish universities

    Earlier this year, the Danish government changed the law on access for people from third world countries to the Danish labor market. Yet, there may still be a shortcut that goes through universities

  • Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Danish Flower company accused of labor abuse in Türkiye

    Queen Company, a Denmark-origin flower producer with pristine sustainability credentials, is under fire for alleged labor rights violations at its Turkish operation, located in Dikili, İzmir. Workers in the large greenhouse facility have been calling decent work conditions for weeks. The Copenhagen Post gathered testimonies from the workers to better understand the situation

  • Advice for expats: Navigating Life as an International in Denmark

    Advice for expats: Navigating Life as an International in Denmark

    Beginning this month, Expat Counselling will be contributing a monthly article to The Copenhagen Post, offering guidance, tools, and reflections on the emotional and social aspects of international life in Denmark. The first column is about Strategies for emotional resilience

  • New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

    New agreement criticized for not attracting enough internationals

    Several mayors and business leaders across Denmark are not satisfied with the agreement that the government, the trade union movement and employers made last week. More internationals are needed than the agreement provides for

  • Let’s not fear the global – let’s use it wisely

    Let’s not fear the global – let’s use it wisely

    Copenhagen’s international community is not just a demographic trend – it’s a lifeline. Our hospitals, kindergartens, construction sites, laboratories and restaurants rely on talent from all over the world. In fact, more than 40% of all job growth in the city over the past decade has come from international employees.

  • The Danish Connection: Roskilde gossip, a DNA scandal & why young Danes are having less sex

    The Danish Connection: Roskilde gossip, a DNA scandal & why young Danes are having less sex

    With half of the population of Copenhagen at Roskilde this week, Eva away in Aalborg and the weather being a bit of a joke , Melissa and Rachel bring you a chatty episode to cheer you up looking into three of the top stories in Denmark this week.

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.


  • “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality

  • Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.

  • New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system