The 2024 Session of the Nordic Council took place at Iceland’s Althingi and Reykjavík City Hall, centering on the vital theme of “Peace and Security in the Arctic.” This focus underscored the Council’s commitment to fostering stability in the increasingly strategic Arctic region, addressing security challenges, and enhancing Nordic cooperation in this crucial area.
The session is the highest decision-making body within Nordic parliamentary cooperation. It is a unique forum for regional cooperation, which brings together both the parliamentarians of the Nordic Council and ministers from the governments of the Nordic countries. This represent a unique opportunity for nations of the Nordics to come together and discuss hard pressing issues that impact citizens right across the region.
“Update the Helsinki Treaty!”
At the 76th Session of the Nordic Council in Reykjavík, members recommended that their governments update the Helsinki Treaty.
The proposal, now under national review, calls for a unified response via the Nordic Council of Ministers. Key updates include clarifying the role of Nordic cooperation in representing regional values within the EU and EEA, and introducing stronger language to promote collaborative drafting and implementation of new policies.
Key areas such as climate, nature, and sustainability remain absent in the Helsinki Treaty, which includes only a brief mention of the environment. The treaty also lacks coverage of defence, contingency planning, societal security, and digitalisation. Since its signing, international relations have shifted dramatically, with Finland and Sweden joining NATO alongside other Nordic countries.
Calls for a simplified tax agreement
Currently, multiple cross-border tax treaties exist in the Nordic region, but none cover the entire area. To tackle this, the Nordic Council funded the report “Working across the Nordic Region – Proposals for Simplifying Nordic Tax Rules with a Focus on Greater Mobility”. The report strongly recommends merging the three existing treaties into a single, unified agreement for individuals, businesses, and public agencies across all Nordic countries.
During the session, Kjell-Arne Ottosson, chair of the Committee for Growth and Development, urged Nordic cooperation ministers to take action.
“From the responses so far, we can only conclude that the finance ministers haven’t been very willing to take seriously the challenges faced by people and businesses. They have not heeded our call for a Nordic tax agreement,”
Closer co-operation on security and stability
The Nordic Council has been pursuing enhanced collaboration on foreign affairs, defense, and security among Nordic nations. At its annual session in Reykjavík, the Presidium proposed to national governments the establishment of a Nordic defense and security commission.
The Nordic Council views the commission proposal as a significant step forward in security policy collaboration and in strengthening regional stability. Defense and security themes regularly feature at Council sessions, underscoring their priority. Notably, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressed these themes in Copenhagen in 2021 and Oslo in 2023, highlighting the Nordic region’s increasing focus on security issues in collaboration with global allies.
Sweden’s presidency programme for 2025
According to Sweden’s presidency programme, global uncertainty is prompting closer co-operation and Nordic unity. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, war in the Middle East, and the climate crisis are pushing safety and security even higher up the Nordic agenda for 2025.
Sweden’s presidency will also highlight Nordic everyday value. This relates to breaking down obstacles to freedom of movement, investing in knowledge and innovation, and promoting an integrated Nordic labour market.
Heléne Björklund, the newly elected President of the Nordic Council.
“We live in troubled times, which means that cohesion and co-operation are more important than ever. We need each other in our Nordic family, and we want to continue to strengthen and develop our relations so that we can stand stronger together, even in times of crisis,”.
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