The literature on Europeanisation of welfare shows that coordination of social security schemes is enabling citizens to work and study freely across the European Union. Fears of benefit tourism in the Nordic welfare states have not materialized. However, the ECJ’s interpretation of the coordination regulation is still expanding, now entering areas such as family benefits and student allowances. This paper analyses the Europeanization of social benefits in Denmark, in two areas: family benefits and student allowances. In both cases, the study finds that the Danish government had set up legal barriers, limiting access to family and student benefits. Previous barriers put in place to limit access of non-danish EU citizens to family benefits (exportability) and student allowance (on the condition of being enrolled in a Danish education institution) have been dismantled as a result of recent rulings. In spite of these rulings, the criteria and benefits level for the two social benefits examined have not been significantly changed (or levelled downwards), nor does it represent a significant cost for the Danish welfare state.
