Denmark's new government was praised by the European Union today for creating a specific ministry for immigration.
The EU said the proposals for tighter rules on newcomers were in line with rest of Europe.
The formation of a ministry focusing on integration is a praiseworthy and an important measure, the European Union's Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) spokesman Mr Bent Soerensen said.
The Danish electorate's big swing to the right in last weeks’ vote caused fears at home and abroad that the new Liberal-led rightist minority coalition would be hostage to a fiercely anti-immigrant party.
After a landslide victory, Liberal leader and new Prime Minister Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen formed a government with the Conservatives but excluded the anti-immigration Danish People's Party, which almost doubled its size in parliament with 12 per cent of the vote.
The new government pledged to limit the number of newcomers to Denmark to ensure that those already in the country found jobs and integrated better into society. The government also established a new Ministry for Refugees, Immigrants and Integration.
Paradoxically, Danish per capita aid to developing nations is the highest in the world. And for a first time, two immigrants have won seats in the new parliament.
Fewer than five per cent of Denmark's 5.3 million inhabitants are foreigners, a lower proportion than in much of Europe.