Nordic Council: Notes for UPSC International Relations

The Nordic Council is an official body which facilitates inter-parliamentary cooperation between the Nordic nations of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland as well as from the autonomous areas of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and the Åland Islands. Its headquarters is located in Copenhagen, Denmark

This article will give details about the Nordic Council which will be of immense use for candidates in the International Relations segment of the IAS Exams.

Origin of the Nordic Council

Denmark and Norway was invaded and occupied by the Nazi Germany during World War II, while Finland was under constant assault by the Soviet Union. Although Sweden was neutral, it still felt the effects of the conflict due to pressure from Germany regarding the supply of iron ore.

Following the end of the war, the idea of a Scandinavian Defence Union began to take shape, which would eventually become the Nordic Council. Finland could not pursue this idea because of its neutrality policy which prevented it from taking any sides during the Cold War.

The same neutrality policy was to be adopted by the other Nordic nations, but the United States of America made it abundantly clear that no aid would be forthcoming in post-war reconstruction efforts if they did not join NATO. Hence, Denmark, Norway and Iceland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Nordic Council was established on March 16, 1952 at Copenhagen, Denmark, by Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Sweden to provide a link between parliaments and governments of the Nordic states. Finland joined in 1955. In March 1962, the Treaty of Cooperation was concluded in Helsinki to strengthen joint efforts in economic, social, cultural, legal and communications areas.

Objectives and Structure of the Nordic Council

Objective

The Nordic Council seeks “to provide a forum for consultation among the legislatures and governments of the member-states on matters of common interest”. Cooperation is sought especially in economic, social, cultural, legal,
labour and environmental matters.

Structure

The Nordic Council consists of the Plenary Assembly, the Presidium, the Standing Committee and the Secretariat.

The Plenary Assembly is the highest decision-making body and is composed of 87 members elected by national or territorial parliaments. The Assembly meets once a year. The Presidium, consisting of a President and 10 Vice-Presidents (two from each country), is appointed by the Plenary Assembly.

It presides over the Assembly sessions and supervises the Council’s work. The Secretariat, headed by a Secretary-General, looks after the day-to-day administration. There are five Standing Committees; economic, legal, cultural, environmental and social which report to the Assembly on the concerned areas.

Activities of the Nordic Council

The Nordic Council has implemented several joint programmes in the areas of education, scientific development, transport and communications, social welfare, health and environment. The Convention on Social Security in 1955 formalised cooperation in social and health policy. A new Convention on Social Security was signed in 1981.

The Nordic Transport Agreement was enacted in 1973 to increase efficiency in transportation and communication. The Nordic Investment Bank became operative in 1976 to provide finance and guarantees for investments and exports. The Nordic Development Fund was created to provide loans for projects promoting social and economic development in
Third World countries.

The Council has established relations and cooperation with other European organisations like Election Commission and EFTA, and participates in the EEA. New areas of concern include foreign policy and security issues. The growing political dimension of the Nordic Council is clear by the adoption of a number of resolutions on security matters in 1997.

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