Country report, gender equality : how are EU rules transposed into national law? : Denmark [2025]

The Kingdom of Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, consisting of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not members of the European Union. The Danish judicial system is based on the traditions of civil law as in continental Europe. In general, rules and legal principles are organised in a number of statutory acts. The Danish Courts are composed of the Supreme Court, the two high courts (Eastern High Court and Western High Court), the Maritime and Commercial Court, the Land Registration Court, 24 district courts, the courts of the Faroe Islands and Greenland, the Appeals Permission Board, the Special Court of Indictment and Revision, the Danish Judicial Appointments Council and the Danish Court Administration. The Labour market in Denmark is mainly regulated by cooperation between the Government, employers' and employee associations. This is often referred to as the 'Danish Model'. The Government collaborates with the two sides in tripartite negotiations on, for instance, working conditions through collective agreements. One of the most recently concluded tripartite negotiations in Denmark concerned extra salary funds for primarily female-dominated welfare professions, which was seen as a step in moving closer to equal pay. Another recent tripartite process addressed sexual harassment in the labour market and workplaces. At certain intervals, employers' and employee associations in specific sectors negotiate on conditions such as working conditions or wages. Notably, Denmark does not have a statutory minimum wage. In this context, collective agreements play a significant role in the legal landscape regarding work-related issues. Collective agreements are concluded by the labour market parties themselves, and the Government or state is not party or in any other way involved in the negotiation of such agreements, except for the negotiations covering the employees within the Government and other state sector jobs, such as further and higher education where the Government/state is the employer.