The prime ministers have overall responsibility for Nordic inter-governmental co-operation. They meet for that express purpose a couple of times a year, and also get together in other contexts.
According to the Helsinki Treaty , which forms the basis for Nordic co-operation, the prime ministers are responsible for inter-governmental co-operation.
As well as the regular prime ministers' meetings, which are usually held in June and in conjunction with the Nordic Council's annual Session in the autumn, the prime ministers now meet in advance of EU summits. The Icelandic and Norwegian prime ministers also attend these pre-meetings.
The prime ministers also meet at the Nordic Globalisation Forum,the first of which was held in 2008 at Riksgränsen in Sweden.
In addition, they generally meet with the heads of the autonomous territories during the annual Session of the Nordic Council in the autumn.
At the Session, the prime minister of the country holding the Presidency of the Council of Ministers reports back on the main features of inter-governmental co-operation and outlines the priorities for the next year. The Presidency lasts for one full calendar year and rotates between the five Nordic nations.
The June 2007 meeting of the Nordic prime ministers in Punkaharju, Finland, represented the first step in revamping Nordic co-operation to meet the challenges of globalisation.