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The Nordic Council – Our Council the Nordic Council – Our Council © Nordic Council, 2012 ISBN 978-92-893-2372-7 DOI ANP 2012:737

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The Nordic Council – Our Council the Nordic Council – Our Council © Nordic Council, 2012 ISBN 978-92-893-2372-7 DOI ANP 2012:737 The Nordic Council – our council The Nordic Council – our council © Nordic Council, 2012 ISBN 978-92-893-2372-7 DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/ANP2012-737 ANP 2012:737 Editors: Silje Bergum Kinsten and Heidi Orava Design: Jette Koefoed Photos: Karin Beate Nøsterud; Ingram; Image Select; Ojo; Søren Sigfusson; Ludwig Ehlers/Landesarchiv Berlin; Photos from “50 år Nordisk Råd 1952–2002” Copies: 1500 Print: Rosendahls-Schultz Grafisk, Albertslund Printed in Denmark Nordic co-operation Nordic co-operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involving Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic co-operation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an important role in European and international collabora- tion, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co-operation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and competitive. Nordic Council Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 Copenhagen K Telefon (+45) 3396 0200 www.norden.org The Nordic Council – our council Council Nordic The This brochure will provide you with a deeper insight into what the Nordic Council is all about. You will discover that the work of the Council exerts an influence on your life. Perhaps you would like to help exert influence on the Council. 4 The Nordic Council – our council Introduction 7 Out of the ashes 8 The first steps 10 Timeline 10 What issues does the Nordic Council address? 14 Closer to the people 17 Facts about the Nordic Council 22 It is also important that the people of the Region continue to consider the Council relevant to their lives. 6 Introduction The Nordic Council has existed for Nordic voice stronger in an interna- more than six decades. Much has tional context. changed in that time – compare 21st-century standards of living with The path to appreciation of the Nor- those of 1952, consider modern dic Council as our council is through technological advances, and think understanding. And understanding about how easily we move back and comes from knowledge. Knowledge forth across borders, not just in the of the Council’s history, of its com- Nordic Region but globally. position, and, above all, of the work that it does every single day – not Throughout its history, the Council just in the Nordic countries but in has been underpinned by the strong the wider world too. The Council can cultural, social and democratic and does make a difference to the values of the member countries, lives of people in the Region – and and it is these same commonly held hopefully beyond. values that will carry the Council forward into the future. However, This brochure will provide you with a it is also important that the people deeper insight into what the Nordic of the Region continue to consider Council is all about. You will discover the Council relevant to their lives. that the work of the Council exerts The Nordic Council is our council, an an influence on your life. Perhaps arena in which our elected repre- you would like to help exert influ- sentatives work together to promote ence on the Council. closer partnership and make the Jan-Erik Enestam Director The Nordic Council The Nordic Council – our council Council Nordic The Out of the ashes … The history of the Nordic Council In 1945, a vital new political forum By the end of the 1940s, the sense has its origins in the end of the – the United Nations – emerged to of instability and insecurity was over- Second World War. From north to serve as an arena for international whelming, and the Nordic countries south and east to west, Europe dialogue and partnership. felt they could make greater use of lay in ruins. Civilians were fleeing, their linguistic and cultural affinity. death camps were being discovered Here, in the Nordic Region, we The countries’ social systems may not and unbelievable human tragedies shared a sense that our modest size have been identical, but the similari- were only just coming to light. In Ja- could be a disadvantage in an uncer- ties outweighed the differences. The pan, two atomic bombs had caused tain world. Our larger neighbours, concept of Nordic co-operation there- unprecedented destruction. The old like Germany, had been bombed to fore arose from a desire to give the world had collapsed. Soon, recon- pieces, and the Soviet Union was Region a stronger, more unified voice struction efforts were underway. behaving somewhat erratically. It felt at a time when the political future as if anything could happen. was entirely unpredictable. Popular support for the setting up of the Nor- dic Council was widespread, driven largely by the Nordic Association. By the end of the 1940s, the sense of instability and insecurity was overwhelming, and the Nordic countries felt they could make greater use of their linguistic and cultural affinity. 8 9 The Nordic Council – our council Council Nordic The The first steps The first step towards Nordic co-operation was taken by In 1952, Hedtoft’s proposal was adopted by Denmark, the Danish Prime Minister Hans Hedtoft (Social Demo- Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Nordic Council was crat). On 13 August 1951, he proposed the creation of a a reality – the first Session was held in the Danish body where parliamentarians could meet and talk – both parliament on 13 February 1953. Hans Hedtoft was with each other and with the Nordic governments. elected the first President of the Council. First Session of the norden 1945–1969 . store resultater, store ambisjoner 35 Nordic Council, Helsinki Treaty, 13 February 1953 23 March 1962 The Nordic Council is estab- lished, 1952 norden 194532–1969 . store resuløyvtainted tør, nnstoesreso na mbisjo. nordiskne råd r1952–2002 25 Hedersmenn på TV: Social- Initiativet til å opprette demokraten Jens Otto Krag (DK) og folkpartisten Bertil Nordisk Råd kom fra Ohlin (S) i diskusjon om dansk side. Det danske EEC i 1961. Forholdet til det kongeparet, Frederik 9. øvrige Europa har forblitt et debattema i Nordisk Råd og dronning Ingrid, kas- i mer enn en manns alder, tet glans over begivenhe- men det har aldri ten da Rådets første se- kunnet bli behandlet jour- sjon fant sted på Christi- nalistisk av en felles nordisk redaksjon for en felles ansborg i februar 1953. nordisk fjernsynskanal. deler av Europa. Fra 1955 foregikk disse sam- en nordisk løsning hadde tidig og de førte til at de seks landene i den i virkeligheten lenge vært for sterk. Erik Bro- 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957europeiske · 1958 Kull- og Stål unionen· 1959 to år senere ·foss, 1960 som nå var sentralbanksjef, · 1961 skrev da han · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 vedtok Romatraktaten, grunnlaget for opp- tidlig i 1959 trakk sig som norsk medlem av det rettelsen av eec, det europeiske økonomiske nordiske økonomiske samarbejdsudvalget: fellesskap. Parallelt ble det fra 1956 forhand- «Personlig har jeg i lang tid vært klar over atsamarbeidstiltak på det økonomiske område. særlig gode. To forslag fremmet i Nordisk Råd let om et stort europeisk frihandelsområde en økonomisk Representanter for fem for industrivarer, som skulle om fattet alle organisasjon i Norden ikke kunne la seg etaI- mange tilfeller dreide det seg om tiltak som før sesjonen i 1966 kan tjene som eksempler nordiske regjeringer un- medlemslandene i oeec, deriblant Norge, blere på grunn av norsk trangsynthet.»24 Proposal to set up Joint Nordic labour Finland Sverige og Danmark.Passport Det var forskjellige agree syn - alleredeNordic hadde Council vært Litera vurdert- i utredningeneNordic Council på at interessekonflikter blokkerte for et tet- dertegner det nordiske på disse forhandlingene i Norden, men ihvert- a Nordic Council, market, July 2, joins, 1955 fall i Danmark og Norgement var det becomes en al minnelig Norden og EEC omture et Prize eksklusivt awarded nordisk for fellesmarkedMusic Prize i tere økonomisk samrøre: Det ene forslaget, samarbeidets «grunnlov», oppfatning at man måtte følge Storbritannia, Helsingforsavtalen, i Fin- 13 August 1951 1954 som både var en sværtPassport viktig handelspartner Union, Danmark, Norge og Sverige var med på å1950 first-årene. time, Et 1962forhold som gjordeinitiated, nye nor 1965- som ble fremmet av en svensk og en finsk par- opprette efta 20.–21. juli 1959. Ti dager tidli- 25. Nordisk statistisk og en nær alliert i nato. Da Frankrike og de lands Riksdag 23. mars Rådets etablering 1952–55 årbok har fra 1967 tabeller øvrige av «de seks» brøt forhandlingene om gere var spørsmålet om et nordisk fellesmardiske- fremstøt aktuelle, var problemer i efta- lamentariker, gikk ut på å sikre rettslig likestil- med tallEt for annet den nordiske argument et europeisk som ble frihandelsområde, fremført1958 for komet det raskt ked lagt til side. efta-landene skulle over en 1962. mersamhandelen. regelmessig Totalverdien samarbeid mellom de nor- periode på ti år bygge ned tollmurer seg imelsamarbeidet.- Svikt i britisk økonomi og kon- ling for nordiske borgere når det gjaldt yrkes- Hans Hedtofts forslag om å opprette Nordisk i perioden 1962–69 steg igang forhandlinger mellom de syv resteren- Fra venstre Danmarks diskefra 1326,9 landenesmill. til 3201,8 parlamentarikere,de oecd-land, og disse var forhandlingeneat dette førte lom, med sikte på å oppnå full frihandel med Råd ble fremmet under inntrykk av at for- mill. us $. til dannelsen av Det Europeiske Frihandels- industrivarer. Dermed ble store deler av detkurranseevne fikk i 1964 den britiske regjerin- fiske, mens det andre, fremmet av seks råds- 26. Eriksen og Pharo, op.cit.
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