The Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption today published a report on Denmark assessing progress made in implementing the recommendations issued in the Fifth Round Evaluation Report in 2019 on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (persons entrusted with top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies.
GRECO concludes that Denmark has dealt in a satisfactory manner with only two of the fourteen recommendations. Of the other recommendations, one remains partly implemented and eleven remain not implemented.
GRECO notes that no progress has been made on any of the recommendations since the adoption of the previous compliance report in December 2023.The authorities essentially repeat the information and arguments already assessed by GRECO in the Evaluation and Compliance Reports. The frequent references to provisions of the Criminal Code (e.g. on bribery and confidentiality) suggest a continued focus on criminal conduct, with insufficient attention to integrity-related issues that fall below the threshold of criminality. GRECO notes with regret the continued lack of action by Denmark on several recommendations, as well as the authorities’ position questioning their relevance or necessity, and calls on the authorities to take concrete steps to address the concerns raised without delay.
With respect to persons with top executive functions, several improvements are still needed:
- An analysis of integrity-related risks involving members of the government and special advisers
- The adoption of a code of conduct
- Ministers should be briefed on integrity issues at regular intervals upon taking office.
- Improving public access to information and increasing the transparency of lobbying
- Establishing rules on how to deal with the employment of persons with top executive functions following the termination of their public service
- More data must be included in the financial declarations of ministers and these declarations must be subject to substantive control
As far as law enforcement agencies (police) are concerned, the following measures are still needed:
- Improving the system of authorising secondary activities
- Conducting a study on the employment of staff once they leave the police
- Analysing the need for introducing a requirement for certain officials to declare financial interests
- Raising the awareness of staff on their duty to report corruption-related misconduct.
In view of the above, GRECO concludes that Denmark is still not in sufficient compliance with the recommendations contained in the Fifth Round Evaluation Report and asks the Head of delegation of Denmark to provide a report on the progress in implementing the outstanding recommendations by 30 June 2026.
In addition, GRECO invites the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to send a letter – with a copy to the Head of delegation of Denmark – to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, drawing the attention to non-compliance with the relevant recommendations and the need to take determined action with a view to achieving tangible progress as soon as possible.
