Copenhagen will replace approximately 800 surveillance cameras from Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua. The decision, outlined in the city’s budget agreement for 2026, allocates DKK 8.6 million annually for 2026 and 2027 to replace the cameras with “non-Chinese models.”

The cameras in question are manufactured by Hikvision and Dahua, both companies with partial ownership by the Chinese state. Concerns about potential data access by Chinese authorities have led to this decision.

Cybersecurity experts have repeatedly warned against using Chinese surveillance equipment. Ivan Bjerre Damgård, a professor at Aarhus University, previously stated his surprise that action hadn’t been taken sooner, given prior instances of these cameras transmitting data to China.

Earlier reports indicated that Hikvision had sent data from Italy to a Chinese IP address. Furthermore, Hikvision cameras were found at the University of Copenhagen’s department in Amager, prompting cybersecurity expert Sofie Freja Christensen to express serious concerns about data harvesting risks.

Several other Danish authorities have already discontinued the use of Chinese surveillance cameras, including the Danish Road Directorate, Frederiksberg Municipality, and the Capital Region of Denmark. The Municipality of Copenhagen currently has 795 Chinese cameras monitoring various locations, including municipal buildings, sports facilities, squares, and traffic hubs.