Nordic countries strengthen cooperation on civil security and emergency preparedness

Ólavur Í Geil
23 hours ago
2 min read

Cooperation among the Nordic countries on civil security and emergency preparedness is set to become significantly more coordinated and strengthened. This was agreed by the Nordic Ministers for Cooperation at a meeting of the Nordic Council of Ministers held in the Faroe Islands.

The decision builds on extensive and ongoing Nordic efforts in this field, which are currently spread across a range of separate initiatives. With this new agreement, there is a clear ambition to develop a comprehensive programme that will provide a more coherent and strategic framework for collaboration on civil security and preparedness across the region.

At its core, preparedness is about the ability to protect citizens when it matters most. In times of crisis, it is crucial that countries can rely on one another. The Nordic countries, while individually vulnerable, can become significantly stronger by pooling their resources and capabilities.

“Preparedness is fundamentally about our ability to protect citizens in times of crisis. When emergencies strike, it is vital that we can rely on one another. Together we are stronger, and I am very pleased that we are now strengthening cooperation in civil security and preparedness,”said Monika Rubin, Danish Minister for Nordic Cooperation.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted shortcomings in coordination among the Nordic countries’ preparedness systems. It also demonstrated that the region’s traditionally strong freedom of movement is more fragile than previously assumed. Achieving the ambition of making the Nordic region the most integrated region in the world requires that cooperation also functions effectively during times of crisis.

“The pandemic exposed gaps in coordination and showed that freedom of movement in the Nordic region is more vulnerable than we believed. Today’s decision is therefore an important step in the right direction,”said Bárður á Steig Nielsen, Minister for Nordic Cooperation.

As part of the initiative, the ministers recommend establishing a dedicated committee composed of representatives from the Nordic countries. The purpose of this body will be to strengthen the joint handling of shared challenges, promote knowledge sharing, and involve more sectors in a structured and cross-disciplinary Nordic collaboration.

The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Secretariat has been tasked with developing the new preparedness programme.

“We look forward to presenting a Nordic programme that ensures knowledge sharing and coordination across sectors and countries. This is a core responsibility of the Secretariat,”said Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

In addition to the preparedness agenda, the ministers also met with the Nordic Council’s Committee on Freedom of Movement. They discussed several key issues affecting mobility within the Nordic region, including priorities related to digitalisation and access to digital services, cooperation on population registers, tax-related cross-border barriers, pensions in international contexts, the maintenance of free movement during crises, and statistics related to border regions.

Together, these efforts mark a significant step toward a more integrated, resilient, and collaborative Nordic region.

(Mynd Leit.fo / Finnur Justinussen)