The rules for participation in the Melodi Grand Prix, Denmark's selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, have been published, and a few changes are in store for potential candidates this year.

The contest is once again opened up to all who wish to submit an entry, rather than invited artists, and each entrant can submit a maximum of three songs. Sixteen of these will be selected to perform in two semifinals, the first time this has happened in the history fo Danish Eurovision Song Contest selections, and more similar to the way neighbouring Sweden has tended to select its entries.

Four songs from each semifinal will qualify for the grand final on 10th February 2007, although two further songs will be given wildcards by listeners of the radio stations P3 and P4 .

Fewer limitations on nationality
The biggest change is the relaxation on citizenship; DR will allow not only people resident in Denmark, but Danish nationals outside the country and those with a close relationship with Denmark to participate. This could potentially include non-Danish nationals, and opens up the possibilities to writers in neighbouring countries to submit a song.

There is no requirement for the entry to be sung in English at the contest in 2007, which could result in the first Danish-language Eurovision Song Contest entry since the language rule was abolished in 1999. Although entries have won the Melodi Grand Prix sung in Danish, they were always translated into English for the actual contest.

Finally, in a futher move which brings the Danish selection process a step closer to its Swedish counterpart, DR plan to release the whole show on DVD, the first ever time this has happened. After a disappointing result at Athens 2006, could it be that officials at DR are hoping for the luck of their neighbours through the sweeping changes to the national selection process?