Regional cooperation within the Nordic Council of Ministers

Regional cooperation within the Nordic Council of Ministers Senior Adviser Kåre Geil 16. March 2017 1

A regional cooperation between 5 countries and 3 autonomous territories: • • • Denmark Finland Iceland Norway Sweden • Faroe Islands • Greenland • Åland 2

History • One of the oldest and most comprehensive regional partnerships in the world • Cooperation between many organisations in the countries at grass root level existed already in late 1800 – it is still an important factor • Nordic Associations established 1919 -1924 – still active • Nordic Council – inter-parliamentary cooperation established 1952 (Finland joined 1955) • Nordic Council of Ministers – inter-governmental forum and cooperation established 1971 3

Nordic coorporation Approx. 26 million people in 5+3 countries 7 languages (3 official) 8 time zones EU (DK, FI, SE) EEA (IS, NO) NATO (DK, IS, NO) 4

The Nordic Council of Ministers • The prime ministers have the overall responsibility for the cooperation • They appoint “cooperation ministers” from each government that represent them • “Cooperation ministers” are assisted by senior officials in the Ministries for Foreign Affairs 5

10 Council of Ministers • Nordic Council of Ministers for Labour • Nordic Council of Ministers for Business, Energy & Regional Policy • Council of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry • Council of Ministers for Gender Equality • The Nordic Council of Ministers for Culture • Nordic Council of Ministers for Legislative Affairs • Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment • Nordic Council of Ministers for Social and Health Affairs • Nordic Council of Ministers for Education and Research • Council of Ministers for Finance 6

The secretariat in Copenhagen • Secretariat for the Nordic governments cooperation • Liaise with the national senior officials in Nordic ministries • Convene, prepare and follow up on Council of Ministers meetings and meetings of the senior officials 7

Nordic Council of Ministers for Social and Health • Formal cooperation based on The Helsinki Treaty and many Nordic agreements • Programme decided each year by the chairing country • The 2017 total contribution to social and health cooperation is approx. 40 Million Danish Crowns • Political will to cooperate • Built on mutual trust • Population is very positive 8

Methods used in formal Nordic cooperation 1. Nordic institution with own statutes and budget 2. Three years programme decided by Prime Ministers 3. Former Nordic politician/minister writes a report with suggestions on how to cooperate in the next 5 -10 years 4. Working group, expert group, network with specific mandate for a limited time 5. Declarations by the Council of Ministers 9

Thank you Seniorrådgiver Kåre Geil KV 16 marts 2017 10