The Nordic Council “The political co-operation is built on common values and a willingness to achieve results that contribute to a dynamic development” The Nordic cooperation Nordic Council, formed in 1952. The official interparliamentary body. Nordic Council of Ministers, formed in 1971. The intergovernmental co-operation. Five countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden. Three autonomous territories: Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland. 25 million people Why the Nordic Council? The Nordic Council was established in 1952, in the aftermath of World War II. The politicians at the time strived for stronger international co-operation generally, the UN, the Council of Europe were established. The Helsinki Treaty, on which the official Nordic co-operation is based, mentions a number of political fields in which the Nordic states shall co- operate. The Nordic Council gives impulses, visions, directions, where we see that the Nordic countries can tackle issues more successfully together. Some important results Nordic Convention on Social Security Passport Union The Helsinki Treaty, ”the Nordic constitution” that regulates official cooperation between the countries. Joint Nordic labour market Agreement on access to higher education Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) 11 national parliaments (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden) 11 regional parliaments (Faeroe Islands, Bremen, Hamburg, Greenland, Kaliningrad, Karelia, Leningrad, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, St. Petersburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Åland) 5 parliamentary organisations (Baltic Assembly, European Parliament, Nordic Council, Council of Europe, OSCE) Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Regin (CPAR) 8 Arctic states (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, USA) European Parliament Permanent Participants (indigenous peples of the Arctic region) Barents Parliamentary Conference Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden European Parliament, Nordic Council .