CEPOS
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The Danish Centre for Political Studies, also known as CEPOS, is an independent liberal think-tank in Denmark.
Inspired by institutions such as American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, Adam Smith Institute, Institute of Economic Affairs etc., CEPOS was founded on March 11, 2004 by a number of high-profile representatives of Danish academia, business, media and the arts including fmr. Conservative Defence Minister, Chamberlain at Her Majesty’s Court and Master of the Royal Hunt, Bernt Johan Collet who became Chairman of the Board.
Other prominent co-founders include former Prime Minister Poul Schlüter, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, university professors Jesper Lau Hansen, Bent Jensen and Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard as well as well-known journalists Bent Blüdnikow and Samuel Rachlin. Martin Ågerup was hired in 2005 as the think-tank's first CEO.
During the summer of 2004, the new Board managed to bring in the necessary grants and contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. At a meeting on October 2, 2004, the founders confirmed their decision to establish the think-tank, CEPOS. The official opening of CEPOS took place on March 10, 2005.
CEPOS is dedicated to preserve and strengthen the foundations of a free and prosperous society such as tax-cuts, limited government, private enterprise as well as vital cultural and political institutions. The research of CEPOS will support a civil society consisting of free and responsible individuals and foster policies, institutions and culture most supportive of free market economy, the rule of law, and a civil society consisting of free and responsible individuals.
CEPOS produces academic studies and policy analyses, aimed at both general political debate and specifically at the political process. Inspired by the Heritage Foundation, CEPOS tends to employ bright, aggressive public policy analysts who produce comparatively shorter policy papers intended to pass what Heritage calls "the briefcase test" for busy politicians to read on the run.
In 2006, CEPOS launched the CEPOS University, a privately financed course in free market thinking and the various theories behind the free market.
CEPOS is the Danish participant in the Economic Freedom of the World research project.