Former prime minister of Finland Paavo Lipponen will join the debate and identify potential Nordic solutions to the future challenges facing the food sector.

High on the agenda will also be the issue of antibiotic resistance, a topic under the microscope in many contexts – at national as well as international level – at the moment. The ministers will discuss what contribution Nordic co-operation can make to addressing the challenges posed by antibiotic resistance.

The Nordic countries regularly collate data on the spread of resistance and actively monitor the problem throughout the Region. It is a question that Denmark will also focus on during its Presidency of the EU in spring 2012, when a Europe-wide monitoring system will hopefully be set up.

The conference “Nordic Research in the Bio-based Knowledge Economy – future opportunities and challenges” will be held just before the ministers meet.

The conference will focus on research collaboration in the Region and on the political priorities for the food sector if the Nordic countries are to cope with global competition.
Competition is fierce and even though the nature of food production varies widely from country to country in the Region a great deal could be gained from working more closely together, especially on research.

Representatives of the European Commission will be attend the conference, at which EU initiatives in what are referred to as bio-based knowledge economies will be presented and discussed in relation to the challenges faced by the Nordic Region.

Lene Breum Larsen
Phone +4533960243
Email lbl@norden.org