Nordic co-operation is the key to growth and influence
"Nordic co-operation has led a dormant existence but that must end now. The region is the world's tenth largest economy and geographically bigger than India. This weight must be used to make its mark in the world", write the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation in the Danish Commonwealth of the Realm in an opinion piece in the newspaper 'Information'.
"We can achieve Nordic advantage with large-scale operations in the existing co-operation. But this demands that we, the politicians, dare to prioritise, to earmark the money and to make co-operation more political. We need to ask all the time: Are we where we ought to be?”, asks Karen Ellemann.
- Photographer
- Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org
Green growth, job creation and focus on strengthening competitiveness and export potential in a sustainable way are identified as success factors for Nordic co-operation, write the three politicians, Karen Ellemann, Palle Christiansen and Jacob Vestergaard in an article in the Danish newspaper 'Information'.
Nordic research is top class but should be disseminated and utilised better, in particular in the climate area in conjunction with the Nordic Top-level Research Initiative. There should be more focus on strengthening growth across the region and making life easier for citizens and companies by removing obstacles between the countries.
Along with the region's potential to make a mark in other parts of the world these are some of the areas that ought to be receiving more attention, according to the three politicians.
However, the ability to dare to prioritise is a prerequisite for greater co-operation, they write.
"We can achieve Nordic advantage with large-scale operations in the existing co-operation. But this demands that we, the politicians, dare to prioritise, to earmark the money and to make co-operation more political. We need to ask all the time: Are we where we ought to be?
They also note the importance of continued co-operation in the development of the Baltic Sea Region as a "centre of growth and anchor of stability" and assert the need to implement the EU's Baltic Sea Strategy.
There should also be focus on the continued fight for the development of democracy in Belarus.
"It is important that we have a strong Baltic Sea Region, because it borders on more troubled areas such as Belarus. In the light of the latest harsh developments in Belarus, the visit of the Nordic Ministers for Co-operation to the European Humanities University in 2010 appears even more important in the fight for democratic development in Belarus.
Another priority area is the Arctic where co-operation to protect the vulnerable marine areas must continue. This underlines the importance of continued dialogue with the USA, Canada and Russia.
The three authors of the article are:
Karen Ellemann
Danish Minister for the Environment and Nordic Co-operation
Palle Christiansen
Greenlandic Minister for the Economy and Nordic Co-operation
Jacob Vestergaard
Faroese Minister for Fisheries, Nordic and Foreign Co-operation.
