The European Union’s Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether a Danish law restricting the concentration of ethnic minorities in certain neighbourhoods violates EU anti-discrimination law.
A case before the High Court of Eastern Denmark between the Danish state and tenants in communities covered by the Danish “ghetto law” has been suspended pending the judgement of the EU Court of Justice (CJEU).
The CJEU will assess whether the Danish law violates the EU’s Race Equality Directive, which protects ethnic minorities from discrimination. The so-called “ghetto law” in Denmark, officially known as the Parallel Society Package, was passed in 2018 to address social problems in certain low-income neighbourhoods, often referred to as “ghettos.”
The law aims to reduce the concentration of immigrant communities, reduce unemployment and improve educational standards. It provides stricter penalties for certain offences committed in such areas, requires residents to have a higher level of proficiency in the Danish language, and includes a policy to reduce the number of non-Westerners by demolishing or converting public housing.
However, the law has been criticised for discriminating against and stigmatising immigrant communities.
