Introduction

On 20 August 2019, the Nordic prime ministers adopted a vision of the Nordic Region to be the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030 – “Our Vision 2030”. All work undertaken within the framework for the Nordic Councils of Ministers must seek to realise this vision and the strategic priorities for a green Nordic Region, a competitive Nordic Region and a socially sustainable Nordic Region  

Co-operation around justice affairs, moreover, is focused on three strategic focus areas – Nordic Legal Unity, Legal Certainty in the Nordic Region and the Prevention and Combating of Criminality. Within the framework of these focus areas, the justice sector can contribute towards the attainment of the strategic priorities for a competitive Nordic Region and a socially sustainable Nordic Region which form a part of Our Vision 2030 for the Nordic Council of Ministers.  

The justice sector works to promote legal unity in the Nordic Region, in conformity with the provisions of the Helsinki Treaty pertaining to Nordic co-operation, the prevention of unnecessary border obstacles and the creation of an integrated region. This focus area contributes to the vision’s strategic priority of a socially sustainable Nordic Region and of a competitive Nordic Region. 

The purpose of the rule of law focus area is to secure and reinforce the principles of the rule of law in the Nordic countries and their neighbouring areas and, in so doing, to contribute towards creating and upholding a socially sustainable Nordic Region. 

Both preventing and combating crime, including organised crime and terrorism, are key elements of Nordic co-operation within the justice sector. Among other things, the justice sector has set up working groups to coordinate efforts against human trafficking and digital crime. This contributes towards the objective of a socially sustainable Nordic Region. 

The co-operation programme for the justice sector describes political priorities and goals for the 2025–2030 period.

The sector’s priorities are to co-operate within the following focus areas: Nordic Legal Unity, Legal Certainty in the Nordic Region and the Prevention and Combating of Criminality. 

The Nordic Council and other relevant stakeholders have been involved in the drafting of the co-operation programme.  

The co-operation programme is the governing document for all activities undertaken by the Council of Ministers for the justice sector. The co-operation programme was approved by the Council of Ministers for Justice Affairs on 20 September 2024 and shall apply through until 31 December 2030.  

The co-operation programme takes its starting point from the Nordic Council of Minister’s mission to contribute towards attaining the vision to make the Nordic Region the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030. All of the councils work to achieve this vision through the three strategic priorities that have been established. 

All activities in the Nordic Council of Ministers will contribute to fulfilling our vision that the Nordic Region will be the world's most sustainable and integrated region in 2030. The co-operation programme describes how the sector will work with the three strategic priority areas.