Member countries and territories
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have been members of the Nordic Council of Ministers since 1971. In addition, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland have also increased their representation and position in the Nordic Council of Ministers, with the same representation as the above mentioned countries.
Decisions taken in the Council of Ministers are binding for the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland to the degree that they are compatible with the autonomy statutes.
Each country has one vote on the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers consists of one or more members of the government from each country. As such, the Council of Ministers can comprise the ministers for Nordic co-operation; or departmental ministers; or a combination of both. Representatives of the devolved governments of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland also take part in the Council of Ministers' work.
The Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland have exerted greater influence on Nordic co-operation since the Åland Document was adopted by the ministers for Nordic co-operation in Mariehamn, Åland, on 5 September 2007.
