TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED, COMPETITIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE NORDIC REGION
The Nordic Council of Ministers is governed by the Nordic prime ministers’ shared vision for the Nordic Region to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. The vision has three strategic priorities: a sustainable Nordic Region, a competitive Nordic Region, and a socially sustainable Nordic Region. Sustainable development, gender equality, and children’s rights and young people are central themes that permeate the work of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Finland and Åland’s co-presidency marks the start of a decisive period for the vision in the run-up to 2030. All of the individual ministerial councils have their own co-operation programmes for 2025 to 2030 which set objectives and sub-objectives for their activities. To ensure the best possible outcomes, each sector also has a working plan for specific measures.
During the presidency, we are undertaking to deliver on the vision in a way that is effective and safeguards the Nordic advantage. The working methods and measures of the Nordic Council of Ministers must be results-oriented and consistent. The Finnish government supports the development of the secretariat’s administration and proposes that those of the secretariat’s employees with Nordic agreements be proficient, orally and in writing, in at least two Nordic languages, at least one of which must be a Scandinavian language.
The focus on both the green and digital transitions has proven to be the right choice in the promotion of a sustainable, equitable, and interoperable Nordic Region. The presidency is promoting sustainable and fair digitalisation as well as the effective and secure handling of information across borders, with the aim of better assessing the impact on the climate and environment, as well as to implement changes by way of effective and technology-neutral measures that reduce emissions. The Nordic and Baltic countries can be exemplified as models for the transition to a digital society. The changes sought require measures that strongly support the secure use of digital technologies, such as 5-7G, artificial intelligence, and data-driven solutions. Furthermore, these measures must safeguard equal access to these and ensure technology neutrality.
A functioning, democratic, and equitable digital society requires digital skills, the ability to use digital tools and services, and accessibility within digital services and products. Digital security and preparedness are becoming increasingly important as digitalisation changes society. Citizens’ digital skills and stakeholder preparedness are crucial for the security of society.
It should be easy to live, study, work, and run companies across borders in the Nordic Region. During the presidency year, we are promoting freedom of movement in the Nordic Region and working across all the ministerial councils and the Freedom of Movement Council to remove obstacles to freedom of movement. There shall be a seamless start to the new mandate period for the Freedom of Movement Council, which runs from 2025 to 2030. Our focus areas include progressing the exchange of public registration information and continuing to evaluate possible reforms in the area of taxation, taking the guidelines of the previous presidency as our starting point. Cross-border operational co-operation is also pursued by the cross-border co-operation committees, which play an important role in the development of an integrated, sustainable, and competitive Nordic Region.
It is in the interests of the Nordic countries to pursue improvements to the European Union and how it functions. In many EU matters, it is possible to exercise a constructive influence in advance in different constellations of like-minded Member States. We want the Nordic Region to inspire and actively offer up its experience, standards, and solutions, taking into account the conditions and structures of the partner countries. We can also achieve a Nordic advantage by co-ordinating the way in which EU decisions are implemented in the Nordic countries. It is in the interests of the Nordic countries to influence these issues together.
Finland is emphasising the importance of continued support for Ukraine. The Nordic Council of Ministers should continue to support Ukraine in its reconstruction and in strengthening the rule of law and civil society in Ukraine, such as in the education sector, and support those receiving temporary protection.
Vision 2030 governs Nordic co-operation, which is the responsibility of the Nordic prime ministers. They are each represented by a Minister for Nordic Co-operation for each country. The Nordic governments work together in 14 different sectors, each represented by its own ministerial council. These are administratively supported by the Secretariat to the Nordic Council of Ministers, which is led by the Secretary General.