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Legislation

Information is available here on the most relevant legislation relating to the prevention of extremism and radicalisation. Additional relevant legislation will be added to this page regularly.

Social legislation

In April 2014, the former Minister for Minister for Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs sent information to the municipalities concerning opportunities for initiatives concerning people travelling to Syria, which fall within the scope of the Act on Social Services (the Danish Social Services Act). These opportunities are generally also applicable to initiatives involving citizens who, in a broader sense, are at risk of radicalisation and association with extremist environments.

Download information on municipal obligations and opportunities for action against people travelling to Syria or returning from the conflict zone (PDF) (opens in a new window)

Download memo on municipal obligations and opportunities for action against people travelling to Syria or returning from the conflict zone (PDF) (opens in a new window)

Furthermore, on 10 December 2015 the Folketing (Danish Parliament) amended the Danish Social Services Act (Targeted advisory services for adults at risk of radicalisation, or who wish to leave extremist environments – section 12b).

In March 2016, the then Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing sent a letter of information to the municipalities concerning this amendment to the law.

Download the letter of information (PDF) (opens in a new window)

View the amending law and the underlying government bill at Retsinformation.dk (opens in a new window)

Legislation concerning education

Legislation relating to schools is also relevant to prevention in the broadest sense. The Danish Primary and Secondary Education Act, section 1, para. 3, states that "Primary and secondary schools shall prepare students for participation, responsibility, rights and obligations in a society that enjoys freedom and democracy. Therefore, the work of schools shall be characterised by intellectual freedom, equality and democracy."

Corresponding provisions can be found in the legislation regulating private primary and lower secondary schools, upper secondary education, etc.

Moreover, the Act on students' educational environment, section 1, para. 1, states that:

"Students and other participants in public and private education have a right to a good learning environment so that learning may take place under proper conditions in terms of safety and health. The learning environment in schools and educational institutions (places of education) shall promote the participants' opportunities for development and learning and therefore also includes the mental and aesthetic environment of the place of education." (Act on students' educational environment).

Find out more about the education area from the Ministry of Education (opens in a new window)

Section 115 of the Administration of Justice Act

Section 115 of the Administration of Justice Act provides an important foundation for the Regional Info-Houses whereby the police, municipalities, the Danish Prison and Probation Service and the health regions need to be able to exchange information so that they can deal with concerns relating to extremism, radicalisation and people travelling to conflict zones.

The provision is worded as follows:

"Section 115. The police may pass on information on the purely private circumstances of individuals to other authorities if doing so may be considered necessary with regard to

1) crime prevention cooperation (the SSP cooperation),

2) the cooperation of the police with social authorities and the social and psychiatric care sector as part of an initiative concerning socially vulnerable individuals (the PSP cooperation), or

3) the cooperation between the Danish Prison and Probation Service, social authorities and the police (the KSP corporation) as part of an initiative concerning

  1. offenders released from institutions under the Danish Prison and Probation Service,
  2. offenders under the age of 18 who are released from institutions, etc. outside the Danish Prison and Probation Service where they have been placed in accordance with section 78, para. 2 of the Sentence Enforcement Act, and
  3. individuals released from custody or other detention centre pursuant to chapter 70, if they are considered to be radicalised or at risk of being radicalised.

Para. 2. To the same extent as specified in para. 1, an authority may pass on information on individuals to the police and other authorities included in the forms of cooperation referred to in para. 1. Such information must, in connection with the stated forms of cooperation, not be passed on for the purposes of investigation of criminal cases.

Para. 3. If self-governing institutions that carry out work for the public sector in the field of social services, education and employment or the social and psychiatric care sector are involved, information may be exchanged between the authorities and these institutions in the forms of cooperation referred to in para. 1, to the same extent as specified in paras. 1 and 2.

Para. 4. The authorities and institutions included in the forms of cooperation referred to in para. 1 are not obliged to pass on information pursuant to paras 1-3."

Act on Non-formal Education and Democratic Voluntary Activity

According to the Act on Non-formal Education and Democratic Voluntary Activity, municipal councils establish and distribute margins of expenditure each year for the work of voluntary public awareness associations.

Section 4a of the Act on Non-formal Education and Democratic Voluntary Activity states that public awareness associations cannot be awarded funding or provided with premises pursuant to the Act if the purpose or behaviour of the association opposes or undermines democracy or fundamental freedoms and human rights. According to Section 4a, municipalities cannot award funding or lend or hire premises to associations on grounds other than the Act, including pursuant to the rules of the municipal authority, if the purpose or behaviour of the association opposes or undermines democracy or fundamental freedoms and human rights.

last modified Jun 08, 2018