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EACEA National Policies Platform
Denmark

Denmark

1. Youth Policy Governance

1.7 Funding youth policy

Last update: 28 November 2023
On this page
  1. How Youth policy is funded
  2. What is funded?
  3. Financial accountability
  4. Use of EU Funds

How Youth policy is funded

In Denmark, there is no specific budget for youth policy.

 

The Finance Act (finansloven) determines the National Budget and allocates grants to the ministries, municipalities, and regions. Youth policy initiatives by ministries, municipalities, and regions are covered by these grants.

 

The budget agreement typically establishes the tasks, level of service, political priorities, etc. for the coming year, and is usually passed by Parliament in December.

 

The Finance Act of 2022 can be found here.

 

An additional three acts allocate funds to associations, organisations, and voluntary social work that are youth related:

 

The activities targeted in these acts often involve young people, e.g. youth clubs, leisure activities, sports clubs, political youth organisations, and other interest organisations.

For a detailed description of associational life in Denmark, see sections 2.1 and 2.2.

 

What is funded

A broad range of welfare services are funded by public funds.

 

  • Day-care institutions
  • Primary and lower secondary education (folkeskole), upper secondary education, special education, higher education and science
  • Employment measures for young people
  • Health services
  • Youth schools (see chapter 10 on youth work)
  • Municipal leisure activities
  • Measures for young people with special needs
  • Measures for young people with physical or mental disability
  • Measures for socially vulnerable young people

The Act on Profits from the National Lottery and Football Pools (Udlodningsloven,  LOV nr 1532 af 19/12/2017), the Act on Social Services (lov om social service,  LBK nr 170 af 24/01/2022) and the Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education (Folkeoplysningsloven, LBK nr 1115 af 31/08/2018) specifically fund initiatives such as:

 

  • Youth organisations
  • Youth political parties
  • Non-formal general education programmes (folkeoplysning)
  • Camps, festivals, and youth conferences
  • Youth training programmes
  • Inclusion programmes
  • Leisure activities
  • Cultural activities

 

Financial accountability

The National Audit Office of Denmark (Rigsrevisionenaudits public spending on behalf of the Danish parliament and seeks to strengthen the accountability of public administration to the benefit of the citizens.

The National Audit Office of Denmark audits the government accounts and financial statements of publicly funded enterprises and verifies the legality and effective use of public funds. They conduct the audits in compliance with the Danish standards for public sector auditing.

 

The National Audit Office is independent in its planning and choice of audit approach and methodology. They perform the audits on behalf of the six members of the public accounts committee, who subsequently comment on the reports and submit them to the Danish Parliament (Folketinget). The annual financial audit is mainly performed as a financial audit, but often includes elements of a compliance audit and sometimes also a performance audit.

 

The National Audit Office of Denmark publishes approximately 25 reports every year. The Public Accounts Committee selects the subject matter in one third of the reports, the National Audit Office of Denmark decides the rest. Audits are planned on the basis of assessments of materiality and risk. Some studies concern only one department, whereas others address the same issue across several departments.

 

Ensuring that action is taken on the points raised or recommendations made in the audit reports is crucial for the effectiveness of the work. The Danish audit model includes a follow-up procedure that ensures effective follow-up.

 

Monitoring of state pools and public funding

Associations and organisations may be entitled to funding from the profits of The National Lottery and Football, the Act on Social, and the Act on Non-Formal General Adult Education. Associations and organisations may receive either project funding or operating aid.

Each individual grant scheme has a mandatory set of regulations that the recipient of the fund must comply with. Project funding is based on a project description with information on target groups and objectives.

Operating aid is typically based on the number of organisation members.

If the benefactor does not return a financial and goal achievement account by the report deadline, or if an organisation reports misleading information, the partial or full grant may be withdrawn.

Accounting reports usually require verification by an auditor.

 

Use of EU Funds

 

Erasmus+ in Denmark

Denmark participates in the Erasmus+ programme to support education, training, sport and youth. 

The total budget for the 2021-2027 period amounts to €26.2 billion. In comparison, the budget for the 2014-2020 period was €14.7 billion.

 

Out of the total budget for the 2021-2027 period, around €45 million was allocated in 2022 to projects in Denmark. These are administered by the Danish National Agency which falls under The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science.

 

The European Solidarity Corps in Denmark

Denmark participates in the European Solidarity Corps to support volunteering and solidarity.

The total budget for the 2021-2027 period is around EURO 1.009 billion. Out of the total budget for the 2021-2027 period, in 2022 around €1.8 million is allocated to projects administered by Denmark. 

The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science is the National Agency and administers the funds.

 

Horizon Europe in Denmark

Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation in the 2021-2027 period. As of March 2022, research institutes, researchers and organisations have received funding worth €1.330 million, which makes up 2,6% of the total Horizon2020 budget.

 

The Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science is the national contact point (NPC) for Horizon2020 in Denmark.

 

The European Social Fund in Denmark

The Danish Board of Business Development allocates funding from the European Social Fund to business development all over Denmark. In the 2021-2027 period, the budget amounts to around €120 million. The programme focuses on skills development, education and competency development.

 

The European Regional Fund in Denmark

The Danish Board of Business Development also allocates funds from the European Regional Development Fund. In the 2021-2027 period, the budget amounts to around €0,24 billion. The programme focuses on the development of small and medium enterprises and on the implementation of digital solutions strengthening sustainable local development.