Representatives from Danish regions, municipalities, local trade and industry, knowledge institutions and the labour market are working together to enhance growth and stimulate business development, bringing them ahead of the game in achieving the goals.set out by the Europe 2020 strategy.

 

These representatives come together through six regional growth fora, one for each Danish region and one for the Island of Bornholm, so as to focus the actions and financial resources of all the actors involved.

 

The Danish national government and the regional growth fora meet annually to negotiate political partnership agreements for regional business development activities, creating a true synergy between regional and national initiatives. These activities, which are already closely linked to the fields covered in the Europe 2020 strategy, include innovation, new technologies, companies and human resources, tourism and development in peripheral areas.

 

This well-established partnership between the different levels of Danish government, notably supported by the associations of Local Government Denmark and of Danish Regions, has paved the way towards the better involvement of local and regional authorities in reaching EU objectives, such as those set out within the Europe 2020 strategy.

 

Local Government Denmark's success story: Danish campaign to combat work-related stress.

 

Local and regional authorities in Denmark and CEMR

CEMR has two member associations in Denmark: Local Government Denmark (LGDK) and Danish Regions.

LGDK and Danish Regions work together in promoting Danish local and regional views on common issues at the European level, such as on the post-2013 EU budget, the revision of public procurement rules, and the working time directive.

 

Presided over by Jan Trojborg, Mayor of the City of Horsens, LGDK was created as a result of the local government reform in 1970, during which the pre-existing 1 336 municipalities were reduced to 275. Since 2005, all municipalities in Denmark are a member of LGDK.

 

LGDK aims principally at safeguarding the common interests of municipalities vis-à-vis the Danish Parliament, the national government, the central administration, the EU, and professional and industrial bodies.

 

Created in 2006, Danish Regions is presided over by Bent Hansen, Regional Council President of the Central Region of Denmark, and acts as spokesperson on behalf of Denmark's five regions at the national, European and international level. It also aims at protecting their interests in the fields of health care, hospitals, special education, regional development, environment and finances.

 

Local and regional government in Denmark

Denmark is a unitary state composed of 98 municipalities (kommuner) and five regions (regioner).

 

More information on local and regional authorities in Denmark

 

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