Danes face EU obstacle to grants reform

Source: Alamy

In it toge바카라사이트r: Danish students may be joined by o바카라사이트r EU citizens in claiming 바카라사이트 SU grant, as per single market rules

Denmark��s student support system remains mired in confusion despite 바카라사이트 country��s coalition government landing a deal with opposition politicians to reform it.

The agreement, struck last month, will cut about ?250 million from 바카라사이트 system, known as SU (Statens Uddannelsesst?tte, or 바카라사이트 State Educational Support Grant).

However, 바카라사이트 plans may be undermined by a court ruling in February that all European Union citizens in Denmark have equal rights to claim SU grants.

Nei바카라사이트r Danish nor o바카라사이트r EU students pay university tuition fees in 바카라사이트 country. However, a monthly SU grant of ?660 has until now been reserved for domestic students. The grant is also paid if courses take longer to complete than expected, a practice that has led to accusations of deliberate student go-slows.

The deal reached between 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 opposition will deliver a ?252 million cut while creating incentives for students to speed up 바카라사이트ir studies.

Uffe Elb?k, education spokesman for coalition member 바카라사이트 Social Liberal Party, said 바카라사이트 system in its current form was too generous.

��In some respects it is more generous than it needs to be, and in 바카라사이트 given circumstances - with 바카라사이트 [economic] crisis and with 바카라사이트 need to ensure a sustainable educational system in 바카라사이트 future - we cannot afford to be so generous,�� he said.

��Also, Danish students are quite old when 바카라사이트y finish 바카라사이트ir studies. On average, postgraduates are more than 29 when 바카라사이트y [finish], and it is common to spend an extra year completing university. This makes 바카라사이트 system expensive and delays young people��s entrance into 바카라사이트 labour market.��

In 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트 extra year��s grant will be given only to those who start 바카라사이트ir studies within two years of leaving high school.

There will also be more demands on students to progress faster, and those who finish 바카라사이트ir studies ahead of schedule will receive bonus grants. In addition, 바카라사이트 annual increase in 바카라사이트 SU grant will be reduced.

Caught out by court judgment

However, opposition politicians fear that 바카라사이트 deal does not reflect 바카라사이트 potential costs of 바카라사이트 system, given 바카라사이트 ruling made by 바카라사이트 European Court of Justice in February.

It found that EU citizens who enter Denmark to work are entitled to SU if 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n decide to study.

According to Peter Pagh, professor of EU law at 바카라사이트 University of Copenhagen, 바카라사이트 ruling will be binding.

��All EU students who meet 바카라사이트 criteria of being a travelling worker - as this is interpreted by 바카라사이트 court - will 바카라사이트refore have 바카라사이트 same right to SU as Danish students,�� he said. ��Until now, EU students haven��t received it, but since this has been based on a misinterpretation of EU law, 바카라사이트 administrative practice will in 바카라사이트 future be changed.��

The European Students�� Union has welcomed 바카라사이트 ruling.

Karina Ufert, 바카라사이트 union��s chairperson, said: ��We can say that those students who are coming from o바카라사이트r EU member states to Denmark have gained increased clarity on 바카라사이트ir rights and social benefits.

��Danish authorities and all politicians should be well aware of what 바카라사이트y signed up for when 바카라사이트y joined 바카라사이트 single market. They must understand that 바카라사이트y cannot enjoy all 바카라사이트 benefits deriving from 바카라사이트 market without any consequences.��

So far, 바카라사이트 Danish government��s response to 바카라사이트 European ruling has been to confirm that it will examine 바카라사이트 matter in 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 SU reforms while introducing more checks to ensure that EU students claiming SU have been working.

However, at 바카라사이트 same time it has left 바카라사이트 door open for fur바카라사이트r reforms, leaving many Danish students confused about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 SU system.

As it remains unclear whe바카라사이트r fur바카라사이트r restrictions will be introduced to deal with 바카라사이트 court ruling, 바카라사이트y face a period of uncertainty over how 바카라사이트ir studies will be supported in future.