Chinese surveillance cameras from Hikvision and Dahua still monitor parts of Copenhagen four years after Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service (Politiets Efterretningstjeneste, PET) mapped their risks in 2021, as the city debates a 2026 budget plan that would fund their replacement.
PET’s 2021 risk mapping of Chinese surveillance cameras
In late 2021, PET warned of “concrete vulnerabilities” in equipment from Hikvision and Dahua, noting that Chinese companies can be compelled to cooperate with state authorities under national security laws.
Denmark’s Center for Cyber Security (Center for Cybersikkerhed, CFCS) subsequently issued guidance to tighten procurement, configuration and network segmentation for surveillance systems. Together, these warnings shaped a national debate on how to treat Chinese-made video surveillance across public bodies.
Closed networks vs. real‑world risk in the capital
Copenhagen Municipality (Københavns Kommune) maintains that its cameras run on a closed network and meet high security standards. Yet cybersecurity experts counter that isolated networks do not fully eliminate risk.
A municipal budget note estimates DKK 17.1 million (€2.3 million) to replace the affected cameras, and councillors have moved to put the phase‑out on the table during current budget negotiations. The discussion reflects a wider trade‑off between operational continuity, cyber exposure, and public trust.
Politics and procurement: conservatives and radicals align
Det Konservative Folkeparti has proposed removing Chinese technology from “high‑tech and critical solutions,” arguing that potential backdoors are incompatible with a safe city.
Radikale Venstre indicates support, pressing the administration to reconcile its internal risk assessment with national‑level warnings. With budget talks under way, cross‑party backing suggests momentum toward a planned decommissioning if funds are approved.
What others did in Denmark—and the European trend
Elsewhere in Denmark, public authorities have already acted. Region Hovedstaden decided in 2022 to stop new purchases and to retire existing units absent adequate security upgrades, and Frederiksberg moved to remove or avoid the technology the same year.
Nationally, the Vejdirektoratet (Danish Road Directorate) began replacing Hikvision equipment in 2024 to align with CFCS guidelines. Across Europe, several governments have restricted or removed Chinese surveillance cameras from sensitive sites, citing supply‑chain and legal‑compulsion risks.
Why this matters for Nordic and EU readers
The Copenhagen case illustrates how municipal procurement intersects with national security and EU‑wide supply‑chain debates. Nordic capitals are upgrading critical infrastructure amid heightened hybrid‑threat awareness; decisions taken in one city often ripple across public‑space surveillance, transport nodes, and civic venues. If Copenhagen finances a full replacement, expect neighboring municipalities—and EU partners—to revisit their own risk models, vendor lists and exit plans.
Copenhagen’s budget talks will clarify scope, timing and financing of any phase‑out. Regardless of the outcome, the city will likely face continued scrutiny over risk mitigation and vendor due diligence, in line with evolving CFCS advice and the broader European move to harden urban security systems.
