Paper Carrier in Denmark

The job ..........................................................................................................................2 Employment ..........................................................................................................3 Wages .....................................................................................................................3 Products .................................................................................................................5 Delivering ...............................................................................................................7 Safety.....................................................................................................................12 Working in Denmark .................................................................................................13 Residence and work permit .........................................................................13 Employment and salaries..............................................................................16 Tax ..........................................................................................................................16 Living in Denmark......................................................................................................19 Housing .................................................................................................................20 Transport ..............................................................................................................20 Health ....................................................................................................................21 Money & Banks .................................................................................................23 Shops.....................................................................................................................24 Postal services...................................................................................................24 Telephone ............................................................................................................24 Internet ..................................................................................................................25 Media and news ................................................................................................25 Libraries ................................................................................................................25 Culture ...................................................................................................................25 Sports ....................................................................................................................26

To apply for a job delivering newspapers in Denmark contact Bladkompagniet: Bladkompagniet / Islevdalvej 205 / 2610 Rødovre / Denmark Mail: [email protected] / Phone: 0045 44 51 71 78 www.papercarrier.dk 1

The job In recent years the Danish economy has undergone strong expansion and unemployment is low. One area that is in great need of labour is the distribution of newspapers. Right now the opportunity for foreign workers to go and work in Denmark as newspaper carriers is good. Many have already come and a great deal of the Danish newspapers are delivered by foreign workers. Many people find a job in Denmark through a recruiting agency while others come to the country themselves. Contact Bladkompagniet to hear about the job. Being a deliverer can be hard. You will have to work at night. You will have to go out in all kinds of weather. You may have to go up and down a lot of stairs. There is, however, also the opportunity to earn good money. You must be at least 18 years of age to deliver newspapers at night. You can work either full-time or part-time. If you are working part-time then typically you will deliver newspapers in the weekend. Many foreign students deliver newspapers on Sundays. If you come from one of the new member states of the EU i.e. the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia then you are covered by special transitional rules. To get a work and residency permit you must have at least 30 hours paid work per week.

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Employment As a deliverer you are employed by an independent distributor who is delivering newspapers for Bladkompagniet. Bladkompagniet is owned by Denmark’s largest newspaper companys JP/Politikens Hus and The Berlingske Officin and distributes newspapers in Copenhagen and Zealand. When you are employed as a deliverer your employer, the distributor, will help you to settle-in to your new job. You will have a contact person appointed to you who will be responsible for training you in the duties associated with the job. Most places you can hire or borrow a bicycle from the distributor to use on your delivery route. The delivery takes place through the night. The newspapers come from the presses at different times. At first it may take longer to deliver your newspapers on your route than the time it has been calculated it should take. As soon as you settle in to your route and work cycle you will find that you are able to deliver the newspapers within the set time. Most people find that it takes one to two weeks before they are completely comfortable with both the job and the routes.

Wages When you are employed as a deliverer you will receive a contract of employment and a payslip each time your wages are paid. You will need to give some information to the distributor’s office including your name, address and contact details, preferably a mobile phone number. A tax rate and deductions card as well as bank details will also have to be supplied so you can be paid your wages. Your employer will help you to register with the Danish authorities and get a tax rate and deductions card. Wages are paid every fourteenth day.

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Piecework Delivering newspapers is piecework. The individual newspaper rounds are assessed to take a certain number of hours to complete. Depending upon the round’s difficulty, distance, number of newspapers and the weight of the various publications an extra supplement may be added to your wages. Your wages are not based on how long it takes to complete your round. At first it will typically take longer than the fixed time. Later you may be able to complete it quicker. It is only permitted to deliver newspapers at most six days per week. Some people can complete more routes than others and thereby earn more money. As a deliverer your wages are fixed according to an agreement between the Danske Dagblades Association and the 3F trades union. See more at www.3f.dk

Tax You will have to pay tax on your wages but based on special rules for foreigners with so-called double house management you will pay reduced tax in one year. Everyone has to pay a labour market contribution consisting of 8% of your wages. Read more about taxes in www.workindenmark.dk

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Products As a newspaper deliverer with a distributor under Bladkompagniet you can deliver three types of products: Free newspapers, paid newspapers and magazines.

The free newspaper The free newspaper 24 TIMER is delivered to most households. That is to say that you will be delivering to almost every house on your route. The exceptions to this are households that have cancelled free newspapers. They are called “refusants” and have cancelled the newspaper with the newspaper companies. Free newspapers arrive from the printers at different times. The earliest come at 11 p.m. when the first deliverers head out. Free newspapers must be delivered by 7 a.m.

Paid newspapers Paid newspapers are delivered to households that have a subscription with one or more of the newspapers such as, Politiken, Jyllandsposten, Berlingske Tidende, Børsen, Ekstra Bladet or BT. Paid newspapers vary in size from day to day. The Sunday papers are, for example, a lot bigger and heavier than the weekday papers.

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Magazines Magazines are trade journals such as Ingeniøren or magazines such as Se & Hør and Alt for Damerne. They are delivered to households that have subscribed to that particular magazine. Some of the magazines are addressed, that is to say that they have a sticker on them with the subscriber’s name and address. Remember therefore always to check that you have delivered the correct magazine to the correct address. Magazines are delivered on the days that they come out. On your LIGA-list you will see which households should have which magazines. In some cases you will be given a separate LIGA-list for magazines.

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Delivering Every night trucks drive from the largest printers in Zealand with several hundred thousand newspapers. They are delivered to independent distributors under Bladkompagniet who are responsible for newspaper delivery in the different areas of Copenhagen and Zealand. As a deliverer you will meet in the evening or at night when the newspapers are delivered to the offices of the distributor from the printers. When the trucks arrive the offices are humming with activity. Here you will meet the counters, and your fellow deliverers. From the offices you will take the newspapers and magazines out on your bicycle, scooter, or in a car. You will deliver the newspapers to subscribers on one or more limited routes and your job is to deliver the correct newspapers and magazines to the correct subscribers within the agreed time. The newspapers are packed in watertight bags or in saddle bags. Most deliverers work many routes and collect newspapers in the offices many times.

The Counter The Counter is a person employed by the distributor who counts the number of newspapers for each route and gives them to the deliverers. The Counter will also give you your LIGA-list with the day’s route and recipients. Before you pack your newspapers you should check that the number of newspapers given to you by the Counter is the same as the number on your LIGA-list.

The LIGA-list Every night you will follow your route according to the LIGA-list. LIGA stands for Liste I Gangrækkefølge and is a plan of your route as well as a daily

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updated list of the households accepting that day’s newspapers and magazines. The LIGA-list gives the most objective order for your route and helps you to deliver your newspapers in the easiest possible way. On the front page you will find any new subscribers that have come on your route. A new customer is called a “tilgang” (addition) and is marked with a “T”. If a customer as unsubscribed from a magazine they are called an “afgang” (departure). The address will no longer be on the list. If a customer has “reklameret” that is, complained over the delivery of a newspaper they are marked with an “R” on the LIGA-list. In such a case make sure to deliver the correct newspaper in the correct way. Basically the newspaper should be delivered through the letter box or into the post box. Some subscribers may wish to have the newspaper delivered in another way. In this case there will be a comment in the LIGA-list in the socalled AFLO text that will tell you how the newspaper should be delivered. You should note down on the LIGA-list any comments or corrections you have in relation to your route such as, for example, any incorrect addresses. The list is then delivered to the distributor’s office and they will follow up on your comments or corrections.

Keys When you are travelling around on your route you will bring keys to the various hallways on your route. The LIGA-list will tell you which key is for which hallway.

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The keys usually are hanging on large boards with numbers corresponding to the number of your route. Take good care of the keys as they are very difficult to replace. The keys must at all times be handed back to the office after, you have finished your routes.

REMEMBER ALWAYS To check that the number of newspapers delivered corresponds to the LIGA-list before packing them away in the bags. To bring the LIGA-list with you on your route. To bring the correct keys for your route. To bring something to write corrections and comments with.

Finding your way around At first there are a lot of new things to remember and it may be necessary to bring a map with you to find your way around. It takes longer time to deliver all the newspapers on your route at the start when you are not familiar with the route. Most however quickly learn their route by heart. Do always remember your LIGA-list. It helps you find your way through your route.

Surplus Newspapers You are responsible for the delivery of newspapers on your route. If you

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should have surplus newspapers when you are finished delivering then the surplus will have to be explained. There can be many reasons why a newspaper cannot be delivered. There could, for example, be a problem with a key not fitting or with an address that does not exist. After you have finished delivery you should report such mistakes to the Counter or to the operating supervisor in the office and deliver the surplus newspapers.

Decliners If you deliver free newspapers then you can meet recipients who do not want the newspaper. They are called “nægtere” (decliners). You should deliver newspapers to all the recipients on your LIGA-list. Recipients who do not wish to receive them should unsubscribe with the publisher 24 TIMER. They can ring the newspaper publishers or go on to www.afmeldavisen.dk to do this. The recipient will then be removed from the LIGA-list. When this happens no more deliveries should be made to that address. You should deliver newspapers to the address until it is removed from the LIGA-list.

Delays Free newspapers should be delivered by 7 a.m. Paid newspapers and magazines should be delivered by 6.30 a.m. on weekdays and 7.30 on weekends. Sometimes delays will occur. There could, for example, be problems with the printing of the newspaper or the weather can make it difficult for the truck driver to drive out.

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When this happens delivery must wait for the newspapers. When there are delays a waiting supplement will be paid according to your terms of employment. Should there be delays in your own delivery then you should report this to the office and explain why you are late, and when you will be able to finish your routes.

ALWAYS REMEMBER The correct newspaper You deliver many different newspapers and magazines. You should therefore be in control of which subscribers should have which newspaper. Use the LIGA-list every time! The right place Usually the newspaper should be delivered through the letter box or in the post box. The right time Delivery should be complete within the agreed times. If you have problems on your route then ring to the distributor’s office and they will help you.

Cleaning up In connection with your work you will have a certain amount of refuse, paper waste, twine and suchlike. Show consideration for your colleagues and always clean up after yourself.

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Safety Working as a deliverer is physically demanding. It is therefore important that you are in good physical condition and do not have any problems with, for example, your back or knees. Every day at work you will walk and cycle many kilometres as well as lifting many kilos of newspapers. It is therefore important that you think about lifting in the correct fashion. It is also a good idea to do some stretching exercises when you have completed your route. On the website BUDSIKKER you can read more about the working environment and safety in the job of newspaper deliverer: www.budsikker.dk

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Working in Denmark When you move to Denmark to work you must register in the Central Persons Register (CPR) if you are staying in Denmark for more than three months. After you have registered with the municipal registry, you will receive a civil registration number and a health insurance card. The rules for residing and working in Denmark depend on your country of origin. There are separate rules for Nordic citizens, EU/EEA citizens, citizens from the new EU member states, and citizens of other countries.

Residence and work permit Nordic countries Nordic nationals do not need a residence and work permit. Citizens of Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden can freely travel to Denmark to work and reside. They are not required to obtain a visa, residence- or work permit. For more information See: The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs: www.newtodenmark.dk

Countries within the EU EU/EEA citizens are subject to the rules of free movement of people and service. There is however a special transitional scheme for workers from Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. An EU/EEA citizen may stay freely in Denmark for 3 months. If the EU/EEA citizen is looking for work during the stay he or she can stay for 6 months. If the EU and EEA citizen stay in Denmark for more than 3 months, they can get an EU/EEA residence certificate.

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EU citizens are citizens from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus (only the greek-cypriotic area), Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. EEA citizens are citizens from Liechtenstein. For more information see: The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs: www.newtodenmark.dk

New EU member states Citizens from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia are encompassed by an interim agreement for workers. Nationals from these countries who take paid employment in Denmark must obtain a residence and work permit. Work permit Work permits can be granted to applicants who have employment for at least 30 hours a week under a valid Danish collective bargaining contract. To obtain a work permit a specific offer of employment is required, or a signed employment contract between the foreign applicant and the employer. The permit is granted only for the specific job listed in the application. If the applicant gets a new job, he or she must apply for a new residence permit. As a rule, the permit will be withdrawn if the employment cease. For more information see: The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs: www.newtodenmark.dk

Countries outside EU Nationals of a non-Nordic country that is not a member of the EU or the EEA co-operation need a residence and work permit before arriving in Denmark. You apply for a visa at a Danish mission in your country of origin or the country where you have lived for the last 3 months.

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A residence and work permit is usually valid for 1 year. If the basis of the permit still exists, you may apply for extension from Denmark. After staying in Denmark for 7 years on the same grounds, you can get a permanent residence and work permit if you fulfil certain requirements. For more information see: The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs: www.newtodenmark.dk

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Employment and salaries Employment Contract The law requires that your employer must present you with an employment contract, certificate of employment or some other written attestation of your professional relationship. Your proof of employment must be given to you no more than 1 month after the commencement of the term of employment.

Collective agreements The Danish labour market is subject to collective agreements between the employers organisation and the trade unions. It is common to belong to a trade union. More than 80% of Danish wage earners are members of a union. Newspaper carriers are covered by the agreements of the trade union 3F. For more information see: www.3f.dk

Trade union representative At your workplace you have a trade union representative - also called "shop steward". The trade union representative is chosen by the employees and must be approved by the trade organisation. The trade union representative represents the employees' interests in the face of management, try to promote cooperation at the workplace and act as the local representative for the trade organisation.

Tax In Denmark any private person is liable to pay state, county and municipal income tax. Due to the Danish welfare system taxes are relatively high. However foreign workers have certain allowable expenses that reduce your tax considerably. Wages and salaries are taxed at source. This means that income tax is automatically deducted from wage or salary earners’ pay each month. Once a year, you must send in a tax return with information about your

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income and tax allowances. You will receive the tax return form in January or February, and you must return it before 1 May.

Tax card When you work in Denmark you must have a tax card. Persons with limited as well as full tax liability have a tax card supplied so employers can deduct tax from the salary. If the employee does not have a tax card from tax administration, the employer must deduct 60% tax from the salary without allowance. The tax card is obtained from the tax centre. Your employer will help you with the formalities. As a foreign employee, you must make a personal enquiry at the tax centre and have personal identification with you. You must bring: proof of date of birth photo identification (e.g. passport) employment contract with information about salary documentation of spouse in home country, if applicable. You also need a 'Nem-Konto' (Easy Account) in the bank to be used for salary payments and any payments of excess tax. It takes some time - up to two months - to obtain your tax-card. In that period you are liable to pay up to 60 % of your wages in taxes. This high percentage will be deducted later. However you should make an agreement with your employer, the distributor, to give you an advance to help you through this first period.

Allowance for seasonal work Tax allowances are expenses that may be deducted in the assessable income, from which the income tax is calculated.

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Employees with seasonal work (shorter than twelve months) and with permanent residence in the home country have the right to obtain a daily allowance of DKK 613. The main condition for this allowance is that the employee has temporary residence with or in the vicinity of the employer and the employer does not offer board and lodging.

Labour market contribution 8 percent of your income must be paid in labour market contribution. The 8 percent is deducted form the salary before income tax is calculated. For more information see: www.workindenmark.dk www.skat.dk

Holiday In Denmark all wage earners are entitled to take 5 weeks of holiday a year. The holiday year runs from May 1 to April 30.

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Living in Denmark Denmark is a small but prosperous nation situated in the north of Europe bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The country is part of Scandinavia and borders in the south on Germany. The terrain is mainly low and flat with changing fields and forests. Across the Danish landscape villages and farmhouses lies close. The climate is temperate with mild, windy winters and relatively cool summers. Population Denmark has a population of 5,4 million. The capital Copenhagen, which is located on the island of Zealand/Sjælland has approximately 1 million inhabitants. Language Danish is a Nordic language and is very close to Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic. It belongs to the Germanic family and has many similarities with German, English and Dutch. Almost all Danes speak English and many speak German. Some also speak French, Spanish or Italian, or other languages. Political system Denmark is a parliamentary democracy with a royal head of state. The Danish monarchy is the oldest in the world. The current monarch is Queen Margrethe II. The participation in international organisations such as The European Union and UN plays a major role in Danish politics. Denmark has an extensive welfare system often referred to as the Scandinavian welfare model. The basic principle is that all citizens have equal rights to social security. For more information see: www.denmark.dk

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Housing Just arrived in Denmark to work as a newspaper deliveryman your employer will help you find accommodation. Typically you rent a room that you share with others. It is very much like a hostel and the rent you pay is also similar to that of a hostel. Often the accommodation is located in some distance from your workplace. Renting a place Others find accommodation on their own. You find advertisements for the rental of homes on the Internet or in newspapers. Rights and duties of both tenant and landlord are stated in the Danish Rent Act. There are rules on how high the rent may be, who is to be responsible for maintaining the rented premises, and how many people may live there. According to the Danish Rent Act, you must receive a lease contract that sets out the agreements made between you and the landlord. Subletting You may rent a flat from a tenant. This is called subletting and is allowed for a two-year term. Subletting periods may be longer, but only if the owner consents. For more information see: www.workindenmark.dk

Transport Denmark has an extensive network of national and local public transport. Busses All towns in Denmark with more than 10,000 inhabitants use local Busses as a central part of the public transport. In sparsely populated areas the public transport consists of regional trains and regional bus routes.

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Trains Denmark has a highly developed railway systems. The railways cover most of Denmark and connect the cities and the various parts of the country. The railways also connect Denmark with other European cities. Copenhagen In Greater Copenhagen there are four means of public transport: The yellow busses drives all over Copenhagen. The Metro connects stations in the city-area. The S-trains connects Copenhagen with the suburbs and surrounding towns. The regional trains connect to towns at a further distance. It is possible to buy monthly and other discount cards for bus and train travel. Airplanes Denmark has several airports. The busiest one is Copenhagen Airport. It's the largest airport in Scandinavia and have connections to most of Europe. There are frequent trains to the Copenhagen Airport. Bringing your car to Denmark In order to drive a car in Denmark, there are a number of mandatory requirements. You can read more about these on the website www.workimport.dk

Health Emergency In an emergency or life-threatening situation such as an accident, serious illness or fire, you phone 112. Everybody who is staying in Denmark is entitled to hospital assistance in case of accidents, emergency illness or emergent worsening of an illness. Health insurance EEA nationals who are covered by the public health insurance of an EEA

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country will be covered by the public health insurance when you move to Denmark. If you move to Denmark from a non-Nordic country which is not a member of the EC/EAA you will normally have a six week quarantine before having access to public health services. After you have registered, you will receive a national health insurance card. Public health care service (health insurance) in Denmark covers hospitalisation and medical consultation. Furthermore, the health insurance subsidises medicine and a range of treatments. Medical consultation You must contact your general practitioner if you need medical consultation. Opening hours Danish doctors' opening hours are typically between 8 am and 4 pm. Some doctors have extended opening hours one or more days a week. Remember to bring your national health insurance card Payment If you are covered by the public health insurance basic medical consultation is free. Emergency doctor If you need medical consultation outside the opening hours, you should contact the emergency doctor of the county. The emergency doctor's number is in the phone book. You will get phone counselling. If the doctor finds it necessary you get an appointment at the emergency doctor or have the emergency doctor come to your house. Hospitals The majority of Danish hospitals are administered publicly and treatment is free of charge if you reside in Denmark. In most cases hospitalization only requires a referral from a doctor. You can get assistance from an interpreter at the hospitals if the doctor finds it necessary. 22

Pharmacies Prescription and non-prescription medicine is generally obtainable from pharmacies. Opening hours are Mondays to Fridays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Saturdays until 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. There are also drug stores that sell non-prescription medicine during normal opening hours. Certain types of non-prescription medicine, such as painkillers are available from a number of supermarkets and petrol stations. A 24-hour pharmacy service is provided on a rota basis. Details of which pharmacies are open outside normal hours can be obtained by calling the nearest pharmacy or by visiting www.sundhed.dk.

Money & Banks The currency is Danish kroner (DKK). Denmark is not a member of the Euro zone, and Danish shops are not obliged to accept payment in Euro. Many shops do accept Euro however. Banks Danish nationality is not required to open an account in a bank in Denmark. Banks have no right to refuse to accept you as a customer because you do not have Danish nationality. Opening hours Banks normally open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and most open on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5.30 or 6 p.m. Many banks have cash dispensers for use with Dankort and credit cards. Payment cards If the bank finds your financial situation satisfactory, you may get a Dankort. The card can be used for payment in most places.

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Shops The cost of living in Denmark is relatively high compared to many other countries. If you buy food and other goods in discount supermarkets like Netto and Fakta, you will save quite a lot of money. Opening hours Shops are permitted to open all hours from 6 a.m. on Monday to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Small shops selling mainly food, beverages and other groceries may open on all Sundays. Small shops, such as clothes shops, normally open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., keep open slightly longer on Fridays and close early on Saturdays. Many large supermarkets and department stores open from 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.

Postal services Stamps can be bought at post offices and in many kiosks. The post offices handle letters and parcels and national and international payments. Opening hours Local post offices have different opening hours, but most open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays to 5.30 p.m, and Saturdays to 1 p.m. The opening hours of all post offices can be found at www.postdanmark.dk. Domestic and international letters should be posted in the red letter boxes found everywhere. The collection times are shown on the front of the letter box.

Telephone There are pay phones in many public places. It is possible to phone using special pay cards that can be bought from kiosks or supermarkets.

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Mobile phone To use your mobile phone in Denmark most foreigners buy a special pay card that works as a sim-card to the Danish mobilnet. The cards can be bought in kiosks. For international phonecalls you should use special international phonecards that offer cheap connections to most foreign countries.

Internet Denmark has very good Internet accessibility and most Danish homes have internet access. You can also go online in either an internet-café or a public library. In most libraries though, you will have to book a computer in advance.

Media and news Danish news in English is available in The Copenhagen Post, which is published in a printed version every week. The online version is updated daily. See www.cphpost.dk

Libraries There are public libraries in all municipalities. Books, CDs and video films may be borrowed free of charge. Most main libraries open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Local branches often have shorter opening hours.

Culture There is a wide selection of cultural activities in Denmark, and Copenhagen has a vivid cultural life. In the websites listed below you will find information about museums, cinemas, concerts and much more. www.aok.dk (Copenhagen)

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www.visitcopenhagen.dk www.visitdenmark.dk www.denmark.dk

Sports In all towns in Denmark and in all neighbourhoods of Copenhagen you will be able to find several sport facilities such as football-fields, sport centres og swimming centres. At www.visitdenmark.dk you will find more on sports in Denmark.

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Contact To apply for a job delivering newspapers in Denmark contact Bladkompagniet. Bladkompagniet Att. HR. Koordinator Islevdalvej 205 2610 Rødovre Denmark Phone: 0045 44 51 71 78 Mail: [email protected]

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