As part of our ongoing coverage of the topic of unequal access to pension supplements for Danish retirees living outside the EU, ScandAsia has on many occasions reached out to all political parties for a comment on the matter. Here is what some of them had to say:
Socialdemokratiet:
“Of course, people are welcome to move away from Denmark, including after a long working life. However, when someone chooses to settle permanently outside Denmark, there are also consequences regarding access to Danish welfare benefits.
The pension supplement is part of the Danish welfare system and is intended for pensioners who live in Denmark. The same applies to a number of other benefits, such as housing benefits, which are also linked to having permanent residence in Denmark.
Therefore, the Socialdemokratiet does not believe that the pension supplement should generally be transferable to people who permanently reside outside the EU. If you choose to move abroad, you must also adapt to the rules and conditions that apply in the country where you choose to live.” – Thomas Monberg, spokesperson for employment.
Venstre:
“We have a strong pension system in Denmark that we must protect, and we must ensure that it remains attractive throughout working life to save for one’s own pension. The state pension is a crucial safeguard that ensures Danes can enjoy a dignified retirement after a long worklife. If you are a Danish citizen and have always lived and worked in Denmark, you can take your pension with you if you move to other EU countries.
There are clear rules governing the conditions for receiving the state pension if you move from Denmark to a third country, so it should neither come as a surprise nor be unexpected that leaving Denmark has consequences. We do not wish to create a system that, in practice, encourages large-scale transfers of pension funds from the Danish state treasury to third countries.” – Trine Jepsen, spokesperson for employment.
Moderaterne:
“The pension supplement is a benefit for Danish pensioners who have limited private pension savings and who live and reside in Denmark. The benefit is specifically calibrated to Danish living costs to ensure that pensioners can enjoy a dignified retirement in Denmark.
The Moderates fully support this principle, and we do not wish to interfere with how or where individuals choose to spend their retirement. That is entirely their own decision. We believe that the current rules governing eligibility for the pension supplement strike an appropriate balance by ensuring that pensioners living in Denmark receive a meaningful supplement to their pension. We have no ambitions or plans to change those rules.” – Rasmus Lund-Nielsen, spokesperson for employment.
SF:
“SF has not taken a specific position on the pension supplement for Danish pensioners living outside the EU, so this is a more general observation.
Over the past decades, the pension supplement has been subject to various forms of regulation intended to benefit state pensioners with the lowest incomes, who are therefore the most vulnerable to, for example, rising prices. In this way, it is a form of cyclical adjustment that is adapted to prices and conditions in Danish society.
While the state pension is universal and does not require further assessment of other income, assets, etc., the pension supplement is specifically made conditional on assets and other income. The pension supplement should therefore be seen to a greater extent as a socially determined supplement. Tax bases also differ in different parts of the world.
The conditions affecting how far a Danish state pension stretches to cover living costs vary greatly from one part of the world to another, and there is no straightforward basis for comparison.
I therefore do not see the issue of pension supplements for Danes living abroad as a first priority. Instead, we in SF are focused on improving pensions for Danish citizens living in Denmark who have the least and who are most affected by rising prices. For the sake of clarity, a Danish pensioner living abroad who returns to Denmark would be covered by the same rules that apply to state pensioners residing in Denmark” – Kirsten Normann Andersen, spokesperson for the elder affairs.
Alternativet:
PR officer for Alternativet, Julie Kragh, replied to ScandAsia’s request, declining to provide a comment and saying that Alternativet has not taken a stance in the debate.
Enhedslisten:
Enhedslisten has not replied to any of ScandAsia’s requests for comments. During a phone call with a PR worker, ScandAsia was told that the party does not wish to comment on the matter.
Konservative Folkeparti:
Konservative replied to ScandAsia’s request but declined to comment on the matter, instead referring to a Q&A session from 2010, where the matter of access to pension benefits for retirees outside the EU was raised.
Liberal Alliance, Radikale Venstre, Dansk Folkeparti, Danmarksdemokraterne and Borgernes Parti have not replied to ScandAsia’s numerous inquiries.
