Northern Council: description, structure and important dates

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Today, there are many different organizations designed to strengthen relations between states. One such organization, which calls itself the Nordic Council, will be discussed below.

What is this?

The Nordic Council is an association that involves cooperation between the Nordic countries (this includes Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The council was established in 1952.

The most urgent problems of the northern region are discussed at council sessions. This is also where states figure out their political actions (in a good way) towards each other. Moreover, we can talk about both two countries, and about all five that make up the council.

In addition, the organization makes recommendations and expresses its opinion on various issues considered by the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCMC).

Decisions made at the sessions carry a lot of weight and are recorded in special documents. Often they take the form of specific actions on the part of the governments of these states or the NMC.

Council convenes once a yearevery autumn. Despite this, the session can be organized at any other time if the issue is of particular importance.

Who is in charge?

The Presidium is the most important body of the Nordic Council. During the session, he prepares questions on foreign policy, considers security issues, etc. The Presidium also holds various events related to issues discussed at the council, and between sessions coordinates events in member countries of the council and other international organizations.

The Presidium includes:

1. President.
2. VP.
3. 12 members selected from all member countries.

All countries of the Nordic Council have the right to hold high positions in the Presidium. It is also worth noting that the Presidium manages the budget of the entire organization, which is accumulated thanks to differentiated contributions. Most often, the position of President and Vice President is held by representatives of the country where the council is held.

Important dates

You should also consider the dates that played an important role in the history of the organization:

• 1952 Establishment of the Nordic Council.
• 1993 The organization becomes the initiator of parliamentary cooperation among the countries of the B altic Sea. Thanks to this, in 1994, the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region was formed.
• 1996 The Nordic Council formalized relations with neighboring territories (this includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,western regions of the Russian Federation, etc.).
• 1997 Russia signed an agreement on cooperation between the state and the investment bank of this organization.
• 1999 The Nordic Council held a conference in which the countries of the Barents region participated. This was the reason for the emergence of parliamentary cooperation in the specified territory.

September 2018. The last meeting of the Nordic Council took place in Norway. Mikael Tetskner was the President.

Structure

The main bodies dealing with matters related to the Nordic Council are:

1. Presidium.
2. Chairman.
3. Committees.
4. Party groups.
5. Secretariat.

The current work of the organization is carried out directly by party groups and committees, however, despite this, even between annual sessions, the Presidium remains the highest body.

Committees include 5 profile committees, Party groups are presented as social democratic, conservative, centrist parties and a group of left socialists.

If necessary, the Nordic Council can be assisted by the secretariat, which is currently located in Copenhagen.

In conclusion, we can say that this organization has played an important role in the development of the Nordic countries. In addition, the Nordic Council contributed to the improvement, albeit insignificant, of the Russian economy.