Competition authority

The Competition Council

The Competition Council has overall responsibility for the Consumer and Competition Authority's administration of the Competition Act, a number of provisions of the Payment Services Act and the P2B Regulation.

The Competition Council's members are appointed by the Minister of Industry based on their personal and professional qualifications. The Council consists of seven members appointed for a four-year term. The Council as of July 1, 2023:

  • Christian Schultz (Chairman), Professor
  • Caroline Heide-Jørgensen (Vice Chairman), Professor
  • Philipp Schröder, Professor
  • Jan-Erik Svensson, former Partner at the law firm Gorrissen Federspiel
  • Vibeke Krag, former Group Director at Codan
  • Jane Frederikke Land, Attorney (H) at Liga Advokater
  • David Dreyer Lassen, Economist, Professor at the University of Copenhagen

The Council is composed to ensure it possesses in-depth knowledge of competition, managerial experience from business and industry, and special insight into consumer affairs. Members must act independently and perform their duties impartially and with care.


>Read about handling of council members' conflicts of interest (in Danish) (pdf)
>Read about council members' duty of confidentiality (in Danish) (pdf)

The Advisory Board

Pursuant to the Competition Act, an advisory board has been established to provide advice to the Competition Council on the following:

  • The preparation of guidelines on the Competition Act and its application
  • The need for competition analyses
  • Possible measures to prevent violations of the law
  • Possible specific competition problems in a market

The Competition Council also consults with the Advisory Board in the preparation of general guidelines on the Competition Act. The Competition Council may request assistance from all or some of the members of the Advisory Board in the handling of specific competition cases of principled or particular importance.

The Advisory Board meets with the Competition Council twice a year. The Board consists of 10 members appointed by the Minister of Industry. The Board must have a diverse knowledge of private and public enterprises, as well as legal, economic, financial, and consumer matters. The Minister appoints the members on the recommendation of trade and interest organizations for a period of up to four years.

The current members of the Advisory Board are:

  • Anne Aarup Fenger, Chief Special Adviser at Finans Danmark. Nominated by Forsikring & Pension and Finans Danmark.
  • Charlotte Bigum Lynæs, Area Director at Landbrug og Fødevarer. Nominated by Landbrug og Fødevarer
  • Christian Damholt, Deputy Chairman. Nominated by the Confederation of Trade Unions.
  • Henrik L. Bang, Director. Nominated by Bygherreforeningen.
  • Jeppe Rosenmejer, Chief Consultant at SMVdanmark. Nominated by SMVdanmark and Liberale Erhvervs Råd.
  • Morten Bruun Pedersen, Senior Economist. Nominated by Forbrugerrådet Tænk.
  • Morten Jung, Marketing Director. Nominated by Dansk Erhverv.
  • Morten Quist Fog, Head of Public Procurement and State Aid Law at Dansk Industri. Nominated by DI-Dansk Byggeri and Tekniq.
  • Pernille Christensen, Legal Director at KL. Nominated by KL and Danske Regioner.
  • Sofie Holme Andersen, Analyst. Nominated by Arbejderbevægelsens Erhvervsråd.

 

Photos of the Competition Council members

Christian Schultz
Chairman

Christian Schultz

Caroline Heide-Jørgensen
Vice Chairman

Caroline Heide-Jørgensen

Philipp Schröder
Member

Philipp Schröder

Jan-Erik Svensson
Member

Jan-Erik Svensson

Vibeke Krag
Member

Vibeke Krag

Jane Frederikke Land
Member

Jane Frederikke Land

David Dreyer Lassen
Member

David Dreyer Lassen

The Competition Authority in Denmark

 

  • The Competition Council and the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority (KFST) constitute a combined unified independent competition authority, which publishes analyses, guidelines, and makes decisions in accordance with the Competition Act.
  • In major principal cases, it is the Competition Council that makes the decisions.
  • It is also the Competition Council that decides whether a case should be brought before the courts with the aim of imposing a fine on a company for violating competition rules.
  • The Danish competition authority also enforces EU competition law in cross-border cases affecting trade. The EU rules can be found on the European Commission's website.