Øresunddirekt celebrates 25 years - a quarter of a century of cross-border cooperation
A bridge for people and opportunities
When the Öresund Bridge opened on 1 July 2000, it became a symbol of integration and cooperation between Sweden and Denmark. With the bridge as a physical link, there was also a need to link regulations and information to make the region function more smoothly. Øresunddirekt became a key player here.
Øresunddirekt was created, on the initiative of the Swedish and Danish governments, as a partnership between various authorities on both sides of the strait. The aim was to provide information and guidance to citizens and businesses on labour, education, taxes, social security and other issues that may arise in everyday cross-border life.
In July 2000, Øresunddirekt opened the doors of an information centre in Malmö, where staff from the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen), the Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan), the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) and the County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) offer information and guidance to people who want to work, start a business, study or move to the other side of Öresund.
By pooling resources from Swedish and Danish authorities, Øresunddirekt has since made life easier for commuters, through hundreds of thousands of personal consultations at the information centre in Malmö and over 20 million visits to the websites.
"It's amazing to see how much we have achieved together over these 25 years," says Malin Dahl, Operations Manager for Øresunddirekt Sweden. "But we are also looking ahead. There is still a lot to do to simplify everyday life for people and businesses in the region."
A jubilee year full of celebrations
To mark this quarter-century of progress and cooperation, a series of celebrations are planned throughout 2025. The anniversary will include project collaborations, conferences, seminars and participation in various events and activities. The aim is, among other things, to highlight the importance of cross-border integration and how co-operation contributes to the development of the Öresund region.
During the year, we are planning to launch a major project, hopefully co-financed by Interreg, aimed at inspiring young people in the region to take a job on the other side of the Sound. The number of commuters continues to rise, but commuting among young people has fallen sharply, while unemployment is high on the Swedish side, and Denmark lacks labour. There is much to be done here, and we look forward to many new collaborations that can contribute to a more integrated regional labour market in the future.
We are organising a border issue conference in October 2025, where politicians, researchers and representatives from authorities and business, together with employers and commuters, will meet to discuss the future of the Öresund regional labour market. The conference is organised in collaboration between Øresunddirekt and the Øresundsinstituttet, and the venue will be Malmö City Hall.
We will also be visible in various events to celebrate the Öresund Bridge and the political co-operation in Greater Copenhagen.
A partnership that bears fruit
For 25 years, Øresunddirekt has demonstrated how strong partnerships can help bridge borders and improve opportunities for people in the region. By providing practical information and simplifying complicated processes, the initiative has become a model for other border regions across Europe. Working closely with the other border information services in Norway and Finland, we learn from each other and meet regularly to exchange experiences.
Looking to the future, Øresunddirekt looks forward to continuing its work and creating an even stronger and more integrated Öresund region. The 25th anniversary celebrations give us the opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved, and we will share many good stories from entrepreneurs and commuters throughout the year. Follow us on our website and social media, and get inspired!
