New Danish Initiatives to Boost Pharmaceutical Production and Streamline Approvals

Legal News
The new initiatives are designed to provide enhanced frameworks for establishing and expanding production in Denmark, with specific measures like a one-stop-shop for business approvals and the creation of new industrial parks. The new framework is expected to boost Denmark's competitiveness in manufacturing, especially for high-growth sectors like pharmaceuticals.

The Danish Government has unveiled a key part of its upcoming Life Science Strategy, aimed at supporting the establishment and expansion of production facilities. A key element is the creation of a "one-stop-shop", designed to streamline and accelerate the regulatory approval process  in Denmark. 

The initiative is especially significant for the life science industry, where many companies are making substantial investments in new productions facilities. The streamlined approval process is expected to further enhance Denmark's attractiveness for manufacturing and innovation.

One-stop-shop for production companies

Expanding production facilities in Denmark is a complex process, often requiring approvals from multiple authorities. The new one-stop-shop aims to simplify this by serving as a single point of contact to support companies in navigating regulatory requirements. Through this service, companies will be assigned a dedicated contact person who will guide them through the necessary approvals from both state and municipal authorities. 

The initiative will also introduce maximum time limits for approvals, capped at 18 months depending on the project's complexity. More details about which companies will qualify for the one-stop-shop will be provided in the forthcoming Act on Production Companies.

Industrial Parks Reserved for Production Companies

In addition to the one-stop-shop, the government plans to establish up to five new industrial parks in Denmark dedicated to production companies. These parks will offer large, well serviced areas where businesses can quickly establish or expand their operations. 

Companies located within these industrial parks will automatically have access to the one-stop shop, further reducing administrative hurdles and ensuring fast-tracked approval processes for their projects. 

Next steps

The Danish government will introduce an Act on Production Companies to formalise the one-stop-shop and industrial parks, with further guidance to follow for companies looking to benefit from these streamlined processes.

Read the Government's paper here (in Danish)