Sweden slams Danish card
TT/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 11 May, 2006 CET.
Updated: Thu 11 May 2006 09:52 CET
Sweden has threatened to challenge Denmark in the EU over a ubiquitous debit card that the government says is an obstacle to free trade and to the integration of the Öresund region.
Dankort is a debit card operated by Danish banks, which is cost-free to use and cost-free for businesses to accept. The problem is that the card is only issued to Danish residents, and almost all Danish shops refuse to accept any other credit or debit cards.
This leads to problems for visitors to Denmark – including the large number of Swedes who visit Denmark from Skåne.
Lars-Olof Lindgren, state secretary (senior aide) to trade minister Thomas Östros, raised the question with Danish colleague Michael Dithmer earlier this week.
"We will see whether we can find a solution. Otherwise we are considering raising the question in the EU," Lindgren told Sydsvenskan.
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Dankort is a debit card operated by Danish banks, which is cost-free to use and cost-free for businesses to accept. The problem is that the card is only issued to Danish residents, and almost all Danish shops refuse to accept any other credit or debit cards.
This leads to problems for visitors to Denmark – including the large number of Swedes who visit Denmark from Skåne.
Lars-Olof Lindgren, state secretary (senior aide) to trade minister Thomas Östros, raised the question with Danish colleague Michael Dithmer earlier this week.
"We will see whether we can find a solution. Otherwise we are considering raising the question in the EU," Lindgren told Sydsvenskan.
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