> Denmark's whistleblower act: the 50-worker rule, the National Whistleblower Scheme, and the official Danish guidance.

Source: https://ethicsportal.eu/whistleblower-laws/denmark/
Updated: 2026-04-24

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# Whistleblower law in Denmark

Denmark implemented Directive (EU) 2019/1937 through **Act No. 1436 of 29 June 2021 on the protection of whistleblowers**, in force since **17 December 2021**. Denmark is one of the clearer markets from an implementation perspective because it combines the standard **50-worker** threshold with a well-defined **National Whistleblower Scheme**.

## Applicable law

- [Act No. 1436 of 29 June 2021 — official text](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2021/1436)
- [National Whistleblower Scheme — English overview](https://whistleblower.dk/english)

## Who must establish an internal channel

Public authorities and private employers with **at least 50 workers** must establish an internal whistleblower scheme.

## External reporting authority

The official external route is the [National Whistleblower Scheme](https://whistleblower.dk/english), which is established within Datatilsynet but operates as a separate national external channel.

## Data protection authority

The GDPR supervisory authority is [Datatilsynet](https://www.datatilsynet.dk/om-datatilsynet/den-nationale-whistleblowerordning), which also hosts the National Whistleblower Scheme institutionally.

## Key compliance points

- Denmark's national scheme accepts written, oral and in-person reports and explicitly allows anonymous reporting.
- The national scheme is not limited to GDPR issues; official Danish materials say it also covers serious legal breaches and other serious matters within the law's scope.
- Internal procedures should make clear when a worker should use the employer's channel and when the national external route is more appropriate.

## Official sources

- [Act No. 1436 of 29 June 2021 — official text](https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2021/1436)
- [National Whistleblower Scheme — English overview](https://whistleblower.dk/english)
- [Datatilsynet — National Whistleblower Scheme](https://www.datatilsynet.dk/om-datatilsynet/den-nationale-whistleblowerordning)
- [Justitsministeriet — guidance for private workplaces](https://www.justitsministeriet.dk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Vejledning-for-whistleblowerordninger-paa-private-arbejdspladser.pdf)
- [Justitsministeriet — guidance for public workplaces](https://www.justitsministeriet.dk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vejledning-for-whistleblowerordninger-paa-offentlige-arbejdspladser.pdf)

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