Case Note on the Supreme Court of Denmark’s Judgment of 18 March 2026 Regarding Legal Standing of Organisations

This case note discusses the Supreme Court of Denmark’s judgment of 18 March 2026. In this case, four humanitarian organisations brought claims against the Danish National Police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeking to have several permits for the export of military equipment for F-35 fighter jets declared invalid or, alternatively, revoked. The organisations argued that the permits violated Denmark’s international obligations. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the case, ruling that the organisations lacked legal standing. Consequently, the possibilities for humanitarian organisations to bring public interest litigation before Danish courts appear – at least for now – to be rather restricted.