Before the Danish Parliament goes on summer vacation in June, it is expected that a new multi-year settlement for the Defence Area will fall into place. The Danish defence budget is decided by this settlement, and there is a tradition for the defence settlement to be concluded between most of the parties that are represented in the Danish Parliament.

In recent years, the settlement has covered a four-year period, and in recent years it has also been a settlement that has been characterized by a long period of peace and stability in Europe, which has resulted in extensive savings on the defence budget.

That is why the upcoming defence settlement, which the politicians are preparing in these months, is extra interesting. Partly because it has already been agreed in advance that the defence budget must be increased by a significant amount, and partly because it is intended that the settlement should extend over a longer period than the traditional four years.

It has already been mentioned by both the Danish government and important opposition politicians that they will approach the 2 % of GDP that NATO requires for membership within the foreseeable future.

But at the same time, it is also planned that the defence budget must be increased significantly, because the Armed Forces are faced with a number of challenges which have become very clear, not least after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A lot of new equipment must be purchased, including missiles, vehicles and ammunition, and investments must be made in aircraft, ships, etc. And in addition, several facilities must be renovated or built new at the Army garrisons, Air -and Navy bases. And not least with many new employees.

All these factors are included when the negotiations on the future defence settlement take place. It is the Minister of Defence who chairs the negotiations, but otherwise it is politicians – primarily defence rapporteurs from the parties that are represented in the Parliament – who participate. The negotiations also take place based on the information, wishes, requirements and documented needs that the negotiation partners have received from the Danish Armed Forces itself, the Ministry of Defence, and other relevant authorities.

But also, from the professional organizations in the Armed Forces. They also can give their input to the negotiations. In addition to making written proposals, the professional organizations have also had the opportunity to hold physical meetings, partly with the defence spokesmen and partly with the minister himself.

Central Association of Permanent Defence Personnel (CS) chairman Jesper Korsgaard Hansen has thus been very active in recent months to get the spokesmen of the different political parties to listen and pass on information and relevant wishes to them. Either through physical meetings or via email and phone calls.

The professional organizations are not themselves represented in the negotiations, but have therefore contributed with a number of different inputs and knowledge, so that the negotiators can take these information and experience with them, so that they have a broad and comprehensive background when they have to make their final decisions.

The Danish defence budget in 2022 amounts to approximately DKK 27.1 billion (3,6 billion Euro). In addition, there are several other supplements. So, in 2022, NATO has calculated the Danish expenditure on the Danish Defence at approximately DKK 38.7 billion (5,1 billion Euro).

Central Association of Permanent Defence Personnel (CS) chairman Jesper Korsgaard Hansen