Recent years have seen the development of several local labour markets that transcend national borders – e.g. between Norway and Sweden, and Norway and Finland. Within the next few years, another joint labour market is expected to emerge between Denmark and Sweden (Malmö–Copenhagen).

High mobility is good for the Nordic Region because it enables the individual countries to balance out supply and demand in each other's labour markets. The Nordic countries' populations have similar educational backgrounds, and language barriers are minor and easily overcome. As a result, sourcing manpower from a Nordic neighbouring country is often an extremely desirable option.

Since the Nordic Region and the EU constitute an open and joint labour market, it is important that efforts are made to make it possible – indeed, easy – to relocate or commute to a neighbouring country. This also enables us to widen our horizons and gain new experiences and competencies.

In order to facilitate relocation and commuting between the Nordic countries, the Council of Ministers set up an information service in June 1998: Hello Norden. Since then, similar local and regional services have been set up in various border areas. Their purpose is to provide whatever the requisite information to assess the consequences of moving to or accepting a new job in a neighbouring country, as well as to offer practical guidance once the decision to move has been made.