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Norway and the Nordic Council

During the first decade of the new century the Nordic Council was an important forum for Nordic cooperation. Since Sweden and Finland became EU members in 1995 (Denmark was already a member) this co-operation has changed character. The expansion of the EU and the fact that the Baltic Sea region is developing into an important power sector in Northern Europe has implied a shift of political power from west to east in the Nordic region.

There was nevertheless a broad consensus that Nordic co-operation must continue. As a result of the changes in Europe, co-operation in recent years has focused increasingly on security and stability in the areas adjacent to the Nordic countries - in Russia and the Baltic Sea region and on European security policy problems and co-operation in general.

The most important Norwegian initiative in the field of regional co-operation is the so-called Barents Co-operation which was set up between the five Nordic countries, Russia and the EU Commission in 1993. This co-operation takes place on two levels, in the Euro-Arctic Council where the chairmanship rotates between Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia and in the Regional Council, which consists of representatives for the individual counties in the Barents Sea region and one representative for the indigenous poulation. The reason for this strong regional basis is that co-operation is to develop in accordance with regional conditions. Furthermore, since 1992 Norway has been a member of the Baltic Sea Council which in addition to Norway embraces all the countries around the Baltic, as well as Iceland and the EU Commission.

The Nordic defence cooperation structure consists of three pillars. Firstly, the operational cooperation in NORDCAPS (Nordic Coordinated Arrangement for Peace Support). Secondly, the material cooperation in NORDAC (Nordic Armaments Cooperation) and thirdly, the NORDSUP (Nordic Supportive Defence Structures). NORDSUP was established in 2008 as a recognition of the increasing challenges facing small nations in retaining capabilities on their own. A number of potential multinational initiatives have been identified in many areas, including sea, air, logistics, personnel and education, and research and development. Tasked by the Nordic Foreign Ministers, former Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorvald Stoltenberg presented a report in February 2009 with a number of proposals for a strengthened Nordic cooperation on foreignand security policy. The report includes a number of specific proposals for cooperative projects and was well received in all Nordic capitals.

For a number of years, the Baltic States have received military assistance from the Nordic countries. Following NATO membership for these states, Norwegian bilateral assistance has been reduced and transferred to the Allied framework. The regional cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic states will, however, continue to be close, related, inter alia to mutual assistance and security sector reform in the Balkans and in the Ukraine. This cooperation will be expanded to include Georgia. Norway today has a military action plan with Latvia.

The reduced American military presence in Iceland led to a need for support from the Nordic neighbours. Against this background, Norway and Iceland signed a bilateral agreement in spring 2007, focusing on contingencies and search and rescue in the North-Atlantic. Norway attaches great importance to this cooperation. Iceland is a close Nordic neighbour, and the cooperation reinforces the general focus on the High North. The bilateral cooperation does, however, not include any security guarantees, and from a Norwegian perspective it is desirable that defence cooperation with Iceland continues to be seen primarily within a multinational NATO framework.