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Details of Denmark support measures to help citizens and companies during the significant economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Commission has adopted support measures under the state aid Temporary Framework and EU state aid rules. These measures aim to help citizens and companies and mitigate the significant economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic:

  • on 3 December 2021, the Commission approved a €23.33 million scheme to support travel operators affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The assistance, in the form of direct grants, aims to support travel operators that have to pay an additional fee to cover the liquidity shortages due to the coronavirus outbreak and the consequent bankruptcies of certain travel operators. 

  • on 23 August 2021, the Commission approved a €108 million aid measure to support coronavirus-related research and development activities of Bavarian Nordic, a company active in the vaccine development and manufacturing industry. The assistance, in the form of a repayable advance, aims to support the development, safety and efficacy tests of a novel coronavirus vaccine, currently in candidate stage and undergoing phase II clinical trials. 

  • on 4 August 2021, the Commission approved a scheme of approximately €19.7 million to support 15 cultural institutions affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme, complementing a previous measure approved in March 2021, concerns the beneficiaries who requested more than €800,000, compensating them for their operational losses up to a reasonable profit.

  • on 2 August 2021, the Commission approved a €26 million scheme to support companies providing rail public passenger transport services in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The support, in the form of an infrastructure charges waiver, aims to help rail passenger operators cope with the difficult situation due to the coronavirus outbreak, and to promote the shift of passenger transport from road to rail, in line with national and EU climate policy goals in the area of transport.

  • on 2 August 2021, the Commission approved a €13 million scheme to support large events suppliers affected by the coronavirus outbreak and the restrictive measures implemented to limit the spread of the virus. The support, in the form of direct grants, aims to mitigate the liquidity shortages faced by the beneficiaries and to address part of the losses incurred due to the risk of event cancellation linked to the coronavirus outbreak. 

  • on 12 July 2021, the Commission approved an approximately €150 million aid measure to support Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) aviation company in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the aid, in the form of direct loans, aims to provide SAS with liquidity support due to the new travel restrictions and containment measures imposed to limit the spread of the virus.

  • on 22 June 2021, the Commission approved a €24 million scheme to support companies providing public passenger transport services by rail in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support will take the form of direct grants. The scheme aims to help rail passenger operators address the liquidity shortages faced due to the large decline in the number of passengers caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 26 May 2021, the Commission confirmed the extension of an existing wage tax deferral scheme dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises to be in line with the state aid Temporary Framework. The scheme was amended to allow for the budgetary increase from €4 million to €11.6 million. The Commission also approved a new tax deferral scheme worth around €15.4 million for small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The public support, in the form of an interest-free credit facility, concerns the payment of the value added tax due by the beneficiaries. The aim of both measures is to ease the liquidity constraints faced by businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak, helping them continue their activity.

  • on 25 May 2021, the Commission approved a €5.2 million scheme to support local weekly newspapers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, aims to benefit 27 companies representing approximately 130 local weekly newspapers. The aim of the scheme is to mitigate the sudden liquidity shortages faced by the beneficiaries due to the restrictive measures imposed by the Danish government to limit the spread of the coronavirus, and to ensure the continuity of their economic activity.

  • on 10 May 2021, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, a scheme of approximately €47 million per month, to compensate damages suffered by companies in the tourism and travel-related sectors. The aid, in the form of direct grants, is open to beneficiaries active in sectors still affected by border and travel-related measures implemented by the Danish government to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

  • on 15 April 2021, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, an individual aid measure to support the establishment of a new private body for conformity assessment and certification of medical devices in Denmark. The measure aims to equip Denmark with a certifying capacity for the marketing of medical devices in Denmark and generally in the EU. The aid, in the form of a direct grant, was earmarked to cover 20% of the overall estimated initial investment for establishing the conformity body.

  • on 8 April 2021, under EU state aid rules, the Commission approved a scheme of approximately €1.74 billion to compensate mink farmers and mink-related businesses for the restrictive measures taken in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme entails allocating direct grants of approximately €1.2 billion, as well as support worth around €538 million to mink farmers and business willing to relinquish their production capacities to the state.

  • on 23 March 2021, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, a scheme of around €38.5 million to support Danish companies active in the culture sector and small non-professional sporting activities affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the scheme, the beneficiaries are eligible for grants and compensations for the losses incurred due to the restrictive measures set in place due to the pandemic

  • on 5 March 2021, the Commission approved a €34.3 million Danish tax deferral scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the public support was granted in the form of an interest-free credit facility concerning the payment of the value-added tax by small and medium-sized enterprises. The scheme aims to ease the liquidity constraints faced by businesses severely affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, helping them to continue their activities.

  • on 26 January 2021, the Commission approved a €4 million Danish aid scheme for small and medium-sized enterprises affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the public support was earmarked as interest-free credit facilities in relation to wage taxes. The aim of the scheme is to ease the liquidity constraints faced by small and medium-sized enterprise employers that have been most severely affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, and help them continue their activities.

  • on 21 January 2021, the Commission found the prolongation of an existing Danish scheme to compensate companies for damages caused by the cancellation of public events due to the coronavirus outbreak to be in line with EU state aid rules. The scheme, originally approved on 12 March 2020, was modified twice, in May and November 2020. The scheme enables Denmark to compensate organisers of events for the losses suffered due to the restrictive measures that the Danish government had to implement to limit the spread of coronavirus, which led to the cancellation, postponement or significant modification of planned events.

  • on 21 January 2021, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, the prolongation of a Danish scheme to compensate companies whose activities are still subject to restrictive measures implemented by the Danish Government to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The existing scheme, approved in July 2020, was first amended in November 2020.The scheme enables Denmark to compensate companies that are still not allowed to carry out their activities, and to compensate suppliers of goods and services for events that have been cancelled due to the necessary restrictive measures.

  • on 19 January 2021, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, a €3.4 million Danish scheme to support TV producers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, is expected to benefit around 20 production companies affected by the restrictive measures imposed by the Danish government to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The aim of the scheme is to mitigate the sudden liquidity shortages that the beneficiaries are facing, and to ensure the continuity of their economic activity.

  • on 22 December 2020, the Commission approved a €94 million Danish umbrella scheme to support the uncovered fixed costs of companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, is be open to companies active in all sectors except for the financial one. The purpose of the scheme is to mitigate the economic difficulties and the sudden liquidity shortages that the beneficiaries are facing due to the restrictive measures imposed by the government to limit the spread of the virus.

  • on 22 December 2020, the Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, a €134 million Danish scheme to compensate passenger rail transport providers for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak and the related emergency containment measures that the Danish authorities had to implement to limit the spread of the virus. 

  • on 22 December 2020, the Commission approved a €37.5 million Danish umbrella scheme to cover part of the fixed costs of companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, is open to companies active in all sectors except for the financial one. The purpose of the scheme is to mitigate the economic difficulties and the sudden liquidity shortages that the beneficiaries are facing due to the restrictive measures imposed by the government to limit the spread of the virus. 

  • on 14 December 2020, the Commission approved, under EU state aid rules, a Danish scheme to support event organisers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, is open to organisers of events in the field of culture, sport and business, that are subject to various restrictions. The aim of the scheme is to mitigate the sudden liquidity shortages that the beneficiaries are facing due to these restrictive measures, and to ensure continuity of their economic activity.

  • on 10 December 2020, the Commission approved a Danish umbrella scheme to support micro and small sized self-employed businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support, in the form of direct grants, is open to self-employed businesses active in all sectors of the economy, except the financial sector. On 2 March 2021, the Commission approved modifications to the scheme, expanding the initial budget, increasing the maximum aid amount and extending the scheme until end 2021.

  • on 30 November 2020, a €6 million Danish scheme to support the aviation sector in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the scheme is open to all airlines holding a Danish air operator certificate, and is expected to benefit 26 beneficiaries. The support will take the form of direct grants to cover the beneficiaries' wage costs in the period from 1 October to 31 December 2020. The aim of the scheme is to support passenger air traffic in Denmark in order to restore the air connectivity after the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 30 November 2020, a €9 million Danish scheme to help micro businesses and small self-employed freelancers and professional artists affected by the cancellation of events due to the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support will take the form of direct grants earmarked for covering up to 60% of production costs directly related to the events cancelled due to the measures adopted by the Danish government to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The aim of the scheme is to mitigate the sudden liquidity shortages faced by the beneficiaries, and to ensure the continuity of their economic activity.

  • on 27 November 2020, the Commission approved a €107 million Danish scheme, as well as the extension of a previously approved Danish measure, to help companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support was earmarked to help businesses cover from 75% to 90% of employee salary costs. The first scheme, with a budget of approximately €107 million, is open to companies affected by local restrictions imposed to contain the spread of a specific coronavirus variant that originated from mink. A scheme previously approved by the Commission in October 2020 was extended until June 2021, and adjusts the eligibility conditions to take into account the developments of the pandemic situation in Denmark. The scheme is open to companies affected by the restrictive measures put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Both schemes aim to help the beneficiaries address liquidity needs and pay salaries, to avoid lay-offs and continue operating.

  • on 23 November 2020, the Commission approved Danish plans to set up a fund of around €1.34 billion, to recapitalise large enterprises of substantial importance to the Danish economy that were affected by the coronavirus outbreak and faced substantial revenue reductions in 2020. Under the state aid Temporary Framework, the support will take the form of recapitalisations, by means of acquisition of newly issued shares in eligible private companies.

  • on 13 November 2020, the Commission approved, under EU State aid rules, the amended Danish support for companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak, following a Danish scheme previously approved by the Commission in July (case number SA. 57930) and extended to January 2021. The additional support consists in a new scheme worth around €80 million, for the provision of limited amounts of aid to suppliers of companies prohibited from operating, and suppliers of private events cancelled due to governmental restrictions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The support, in the form of direct grants, was earmarked to cover the liquidity shortages of the beneficiaries, from 1 September 2020 to 31 January 2021.

  • on 30 October 2020, the Commission approved a Danish scheme of around €99.4 million to support cafés, restaurants, nightclubs, discotheques and venues that are restricted on their opening hours, as well as their suppliers, in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. Under the State aid Temporary Framework, the support will take the form of direct grants and help mitigate the sudden liquidity shortages that these companies are facing because of the restrictive measures imposed by the government to limit the spread of the virus.

  • on 12 October 2020, the Commission approved a Danish scheme to support companies that are subject to an operation ban implemented to spread the limit of the coronavirus. Approved under the State aid Temporary Framework, the scheme is open to companies in all sectors except financial institutions. The public support will take the form of direct grants aimed at alleviating the beneficiaries’ wage costs. This enables companies to keep jobs while the operation bans are in place.

  • on 8 October 2020, a €10.5 million Danish scheme to support companies that have been prevented from operating in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme is open to companies active in sectors that were covered by a total operation ban implemented to limit the spread of the coronavirus (from March 2020) and for which the total ban was lifted (after September 2020) and replaced by general safety and health measures limiting customer access. The support will take the form of direct grants, and aims to facilitate access to finance and mitigate liquidity shortages.

  • on 3 September 2020, two Danish schemes, with an overall budget of €24 million (approximately DKK 180 million), to support airlines and airports affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The first scheme, with a budget of €20 million (approximately DKK 150 million), will be open to all airlines serving scheduled passenger flights that land in/take off from Danish airports. The second scheme, with a budget of €4 million (approximately DKK 30 million), will be open to all Danish airports serving scheduled passenger flights within and to/from Denmark. Under both schemes, the support will take the form of direct grants to cover a percentage of certain airport charges between 1 August 2020 and December 2020. The aim of the schemes is to help airlines and airports restore their level of operations in Denmark to the situation before the coronavirus outbreak, thus contributing to restoring air traffic and air connectivity within Denmark and with other international destinations. The measure is expected to benefit approximately 150 airlines and the 13 airports in Denmark.

  • on 17 August 2020, Danish and Swedish plans to contribute up to SEK 11 billion (approximately €1 billion) to the recapitalisation of SAS, of which about SEK 6 billion (approximately €583 million) will be provided by Denmark and SEK 5 billion (approximately €486 million) by Sweden. The recapitalisation measure is part of a larger recapitalisation package, which also foresees a significant participation of private investors, including the conversion of outstanding privately-held debt instruments into equity.

  • under EU State aid rules, a DKK 1.1 billion (approximately €148 million) Danish scheme to compensate damages suffered by companies in the tourism and travel-related sectors. The scheme will be open to companies active in those sectors and whose activities are still affected by previous border closure and travel restrictions that have now been lifted, or by the remaining border and travel related measures implemented by the Danish government to limit the spread of the virus. Under the scheme, such companies, which have a documented decline in turnover of more than 35% because of the coronavirus outbreak, will be entitled to compensation for the damage they suffer. This will be applicable for the period between 8 July to 31 August 2020 compared to a reference period before the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 15 July 2020, a €27 million (DKK 200 million) Danish scheme to support companies whose activities are still subject to the restrictive measures implemented by the Danish Government to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The scheme will be open to companies that are still facing financial difficulties as a result of the coronavirus outbreak as they are active in those sectors that are still subject to restrictive measures limiting customers' access, even though the total operation ban was lifted since 8 June 2020. Companies active in the agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and financial sectors are not eligible for aid under this scheme. The measure will provide beneficiaries with a grant of up to €800,000 (approximately DKK 6 million) per company during the period from 9 July to 8 August 2020.

  • on 14 July 2020, under EU State aid rules, a DKK 1.1 billion (approximately €148 million) Danish scheme to compensate damages suffered by companies whose activities are still subject to the restrictive measures implemented by the Danish Government to limit the spread of the coronavirus, while the rest of the economy is progressively re-opening. The scheme will be open to companies that are still forbidden to carry out their activities and to suppliers of goods and services for events that have been cancelled, because of these measures. Under the scheme, such companies, which have a documented decline in turnover of more than 35% because of the coronavirus outbreak, will be entitled to compensation for the damage they suffer. This will be applicable for the period between 8 July to 31 August 2020 compared to a reference period before the coronavirus outbreak. The maximum aid amount per company is DKK 60 million (approximately €8 million). The Commission found that the scheme is in line with Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures granted by Member States to compensate specific companies or specific sectors for the damages directly caused by exceptional occurrences, such as the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 13 July 2020, two Danish schemes to support self-employed workers and freelancers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The first scheme, with an estimated budget of approximately €66.5 million (DKK 500 million), will be open to self-employed workers active in all sectors of the economy except the financial sector, which are facing liquidity shortage as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The second scheme, with an estimated budget of approximately €26.8 million (DKK 200 million), will be open to self-employed workers and freelancers whose yearly income is strongly dependent on delivering goods or services that are linked to large events, which were initially planned for the summer of this year but had to be cancelled or postponed due to the emergency measures put in place by the Danish Government to limit the spread of the coronavirus. A beneficiary receiving aid from one of the two schemes cannot receive aid from the other one, nor from any other coronavirus related Danish schemes for the same eligible costs.

  • on 2 June 2020, under EU State aid rules, an approximately €97 million (DKK 725 million) Danish scheme to compensate travel operators for damages caused by the cancellation of package travels due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent travel restrictions imposed by the Danish Government. Under the scheme, travel operators will be entitled to compensation for the losses suffered as a consequence of reimbursing consumers in the event of cancellation. The compensation, in the form of direct grants covering up to 100% of documented losses related to the coronavirus outbreak, will be granted by the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund and will cover the period from 26 January 2020 until 31 May 2020, corresponding to the timeframe in which the Danish government has put in place travel restrictions. The Commission found that the Danish measure is in line with Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures granted by Member States to compensate specific companies or specific sectors for the damages directly caused by exceptional occurrences, such as the coronavirus outbreak. 

  • under EU State aid rules, a DKK 240 million (approximately €32 million) Danish scheme to partially compensate media companies for the loss in advertising revenues suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme will be open to all Danish media companies irrespective of the type of media outlet (printed media or broadcasters).  Under the scheme, as notified by Denmark, media companies will be entitled to compensation for the damage suffered, in the form of direct grants covering up to 80% of the loss in advertising revenue incurred from 9 March until 8 July 2020..The loss in advertising revenues will be calculated based on a comparison between each company's advertising revenue and their average monthly advertising revenue in 2019. Furthermore, the scheme includes a claw-back mechanism, which ensures that public support received by the aid beneficiaries in excess of the demonstrated damage will have to be paid back to the Danish state. The risk of the State aid exceeding the damage is therefore excluded. The Commission assessed the measure under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures granted by Member States to compensate specific companies or specific sectors (in the form of schemes) for the damages directly caused by exceptional occurrences, such as the coronavirus outbreak.

  • the prolongation and modification of a previously approved scheme to compensate companies for damages caused by the cancellation of public events due to the coronavirus outbreak to be in line with EU State aid rules. The existing scheme was approved on 12 March 2020 and enables Denmark to compensate operators for the losses suffered as a consequence of the cancellations or postponement the events. Denmark notified the following modifications to this scheme: (i) as a direct consequence of further temporary prohibitions of public events decided by the Danish Government in the public health interest, the duration of the measure is extended to cover events that should have taken place between 6 March and 31 August 2020 (previously, only events scheduled until 30 March 2020 could be compensated); (ii) the scheme will now be accessible to organizers of events with more than 350 participants (previously, beneficiaries were organisers of events with more than 1,000 participants); and (iii) the budget of the measure has increased from DKK 91 million (€12 million) to DKK 2,310 million (€310 million).

  • on 15 May 2020, under EU State aid rules, a Danish guarantee scheme to support the trade credit insurance market in face of the coronavirus outbreak. Trade credit insurance protects companies supplying goods and services against the risk of non-payment by their clients. Given the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the risk of insurers not being willing to issue this insurance has become higher. The Danish scheme ensures that trade credit insurance continues to be available to all companies, avoiding the need for buyers of goods or services to pay in advance, therefore reducing their immediate liquidity needs. The Commission assessed the measure under EU State aid rules, and in particular Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures implemented by Member States to remedy a serious disturbance in their economy.

  • on 5 May 2020, two Danish loan schemes to support start-up companies in the context of the coronavirus outbreak. The loan schemes, with a total budget of approximately €296 million (DKK 2.2 billion) will support start-ups with subsidised interest rates, and will be managed by the Danish State public investment fund Vækstfonden. The first scheme targets companies in their early stages, while the second scheme focuses on companies having already received venture capital. The schemes aim at creating incentives for private investment in start-ups and at overcoming the financial gap created by the current uncertainty in the market, ensuring that these companies continue developing during and after the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 30 April 2020, four Danish schemes granting tax deferrals and comparable measures to ease liquidity constraints of Danish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing difficulties due to the coronavirus outbreak. The public support, with a total budget of €130 million (DKK 970 million), will support companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. This will take the form of tax deferrals and similar measures in relation to VAT and payroll tax liabilities. The Danish Parliament adopted today an “Act on interest-free loans corresponding to declared VAT, payroll tax and advance payment of tax credits due to COVID19”. Certain VAT and payroll tax instalments, which were due to be paid or were paid already in the context of the coronavirus outbreak, but could not be deferred in view of the date of adoption of the Act, will be reimbursed in the form of interest-free credit facilities. The scheme will be accessible to Danish SMEs active in most sectors. The measures are intended to ease the liquidity constraints faced by those companies, thus helping them to continue their activities.

  • a Danish State guarantee of up to approximately €137 million on a revolving credit facility in favour of Scandinavian airline SAS to be in line with EU State aid rules. The measure aims at partly compensating the airline for the damage suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak. SAS is a major network airline operating in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It has its main hub at Copenhagen airport and, under normal circumstances, provides two-thirds of intra-Scandinavian air connectivity. Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, SAS has suffered a significant reduction of its services, resulting in high operating losses.

  • on 6 April 2020, under Article 107(2)(b), a Danish scheme that compensates companies particularly affected by the coronavirus outbreak, up to a maximum of DKK 60 million (approximately €8 million) per company. Under the scheme, private companies registered in the Danish Central Business Register (CVR), which have a proven decline in revenues of more than 40 % because of the coronavirus outbreak in the period from 9 March to 9 June 2020, will be entitled to compensation for the damages suffered. In particular, they will be compensated in part or in full for the fixed costs that they continue to bear. The Danish authorities foresee several levels of compensation according to the level of the turnover decline. The Commission assessed the measure under Article 107(2)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which enables the Commission to approve State aid measures granted by Member States to compensate specific companies or specific sectors (in the form of schemes) for the damages directly caused by exceptional occurrences.

  • on 3 April 2020, a Danish State loan facility in support of the Travel Guarantee Fund (“Rejsegarantifonden”). The loan aims to support the Travel Guarantee Fund, which provides reimbursement to travellers in case of travel cancellations. In particular, the measure covers travel packages that were cancelled due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent travel restrictions imposed by the Danish Government. It aims to ensure liquidity for travel organisers and the quickest possible refunds or reimbursements to travellers.

  • on 25 March 2020, under EU State aid rules (107(2)b TFEU) a DKK 10 billion (approximately €1.3 billion) Danish scheme that partially compensates the self-employed for the losses of turnover suffered due to the coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 21 March 2020, under Article 107(3)(b), a Danish aid scheme SA.56709, which aims at limiting the risks associated with issuing operating loans to those companies that are most severely affected by the economic impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

  • on 12 March 2020, under Article 107(2)(b), a Danish aid scheme SA.56685 to compensate organisers for the damage suffered due to the cancellation of large events with more than 1,000 participants or targeted at designated risk groups.