Resistance to freedom of info act goes global
Sun or rain? DMI releases its summer prognosis
6
10
17 - 23 May 2013 | Vol 16 Issue 20
Astronauts and douche points at Eurovision
G1215
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk SCANPIX / HENNING BAGGER
NEWS
Knowledge is power Would consumers and businesses alter their energy consumption if they knew how it would affect their wallets?
4
After PM’s visit to Afghanistan, debate escalates over whether to recognise the Taleban’s control
6
NEWS
Gay icon or paedophile? Controversy arises over honouring Axel Axgil, who was one half of the world’s first gay civil union
5 InOut
There will be less froth, but still plenty of body on display at next weekend’s Beer Festival
15
Unemployed who use up their ‘dagpenge’ will be able to claim a less generous benefit with fewer strings attached, but foreigners will have to foot part of the bill
P
Price: 25 DKK
nordic food & cocktails in the meatpacking district ...
coctails & club happy hour & dj’s 10 pm fridays & saturdays ...
www.karrierebar.com
savings before accepting the benefit. Significantly, however, the proposal does not change the rules for either how much work is needed to qualify for dagpenge, or how long it can be claimed once unemployed. As part of the government’s plan, entitled ‘A new and better phase-in of dagpenge reform’, a special education support will be extended until the end of the year for those who have used up their dagpenge. As of 1 January 2014, a temporary ‘job market support’ will be introduced that will give scaled-back financial support to those who have used up their dagpenge: those without children will receive 60 percent of the maximum dagpenge level, while those with children will receive 80 percent.
Those who run out of their dagpenge benefits in the first half of 2014 will be entitled to the ‘job market support’ for up to 15 months, but the combined period in which an individual can receive dagpenge, the education support or the job market support cannot exceed four years. Before the reform took effect in January, the government introduced an emergency jobs package that was intended to find jobs for the long-term unemployed who risk losing their benefits. The initiative has been roundly condemned as a failure, and Tuesday’s announcement by Thorning-Schmidt is seen as an olive branch following a week
013 IR 2 FA
CO
ILDRENN’ ’S CH
9 771398 100009
RIME Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Socialdemokraterne) has caved in to pressure to help the thousands of Danes who stand to lose their unemployment insurance benefits, dagpenge. The dagpenge reform that was passed under the former government halved the length of time the benefit can be claimed to two years, and now
tens of thousands are expected to lose the benefit this year as a result. The PM is offering those who lose their dagpenge the option of accepting a benefit more equivalent to the less generous unemployment benefit, kontanthjælp. “Our latest estimate is that as many as 30,000 unemployed risk losing their dagpenge this year,” Thorning-Schmidt said at a press conference announcing the new dagpenge solution on Tuesday. “That creates uncertainty for thousands of families, which is unacceptable to the government.” Unlike those already on kontanthjælp, people transferring from dagpenge won’t be obliged to take an education, nor will they have to live off their spouse’s income or their own personal
NHA EN PO G
Two large-scale plans on how Copenhagen can build a healthy business environment
JUSTIN CREMER & PETER STANNERS
PE
Duelling growth plans
Thorning-Schmidt offers olive branch to unemployed
TH E
BUSINESS
ST
G3
THE
Dagpenge continues on page 4
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Resistance to freedom of info act goes global
Sun or rain? DMI releases its summer prognosis
6
10
17 - 23 May 2013 | Vol 16 Issue 20
Astronauts and douche points at Eurovision
G1215
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk SCANPIX / HENNING BAGGER
NEWS
Knowledge is power Would consumers and businesses alter their energy consumption if they knew how it would affect their wallets?
4
After PM’s visit to Afghanistan, debate escalates over whether to recognise the Taleban’s control
6
NEWS
Gay icon or paedophile? Controversy arises over honouring Axel Axgil, who was one half of the world’s first gay civil union
5 InOut
There will be less froth, but still plenty of body on display at next weekend’s Beer Festival
Two large-scale plans on how Copenhagen can build a healthy business environment
15
Thorning-Schmidt offers olive branch to unemployed JUSTIN CREMER & PETER STANNERS Unemployed who use up their ‘dagpenge’ will be able to claim a less generous benefit with fewer strings attached, but foreigners will have to foot part of the bill
P
9 771398 100009
Price: 25 DKK
RIME Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Socialdemokraterne) has caved in to pressure to help the thousands of Danes who stand to lose their unemployment insurance benefits, dagpenge. The dagpenge reform that was passed under the former government halved the length of time the benefit can be claimed to two years, and now
tens of thousands are expected to lose the benefit this year as a result. The PM is offering those who lose their dagpenge the option of accepting a benefit more equivalent to the less generous unemployment benefit, kontanthjælp. “Our latest estimate is that as many as 30,000 unemployed risk losing their dagpenge this year,” Thorning-Schmidt said at a press conference announcing the new dagpenge solution on Tuesday. “That creates uncertainty for thousands of families, which is unacceptable to the government.” Unlike those already on kontanthjælp, people transferring from dagpenge won’t be obliged to take an education, nor will they have to live off their spouse’s income or their own personal
PE
ILDRENN’ ’S CH ...
www.karrierebar.com
TH E
...
coctails & club happy hour & dj’s 10 pm fridays & saturdays
Those who run out of their dagpenge benefits in the first half of 2014 will be entitled to the ‘job market support’ for up to 15 months, but the combined period in which an individual can receive dagpenge, the education support or the job market support cannot exceed four years. Before the reform took effect in January, the government introduced an emergency jobs package that was intended to find jobs for the long-term unemployed who risk losing their benefits. The initiative has been roundly condemned as a failure, and Tuesday’s announcement by Thorning-Schmidt is seen as an olive branch following a week
013 IR 2 FA
nordic food & cocktails in the meatpacking district
savings before accepting the benefit. Significantly, however, the proposal does not change the rules for either how much work is needed to qualify for dagpenge, or how long it can be claimed once unemployed. As part of the government’s plan, entitled ‘A new and better phase-in of dagpenge reform’, a special education support will be extended until the end of the year for those who have used up their dagpenge. As of 1 January 2014, a temporary ‘job market support’ will be introduced that will give scaled-back financial support to those who have used up their dagpenge: those without children will receive 60 percent of the maximum dagpenge level, while those with children will receive 80 percent.
NHA EN PO G
Duelling growth plans
ST
G3
BUSINESS
O THE C
Dagpenge continues on page 4
JOIN US IN JUNE AT VALBYPARKEN FOR
PICN BRIN IC AR G YOUR EA AR OW RAN N PICN GED BY EX INC BA PAT SKET IN DE NMAR
THE CHILDREN’S FAIR 2013
K
The place where Expats, Danes & their families come together. Meet over 50 local clubs and organizations, and enjoy a day of fun, play and connection in co-operation with Expats in Denmark and CPH post
SUNDAY, 9 JUNE FROM 14:00 - 17:00 Sign up at The Copenhagen Post website!
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Denmark’s only English-language newspaper
12 - 18 April 2013 | Vol 16 Issue 15
Denmark’s only English-language newspaper | cphpost.dk
Published on May 17, 2013
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