Even greater mobility in the Nordic Region

The programme consists of higher funding for a range of projects and programmes that support mobility for individuals and a list of measures that promote freedom of movement and Nordic integration for companies and individuals.

“The Nordic countries make up the most integrated region in the world, but even here there is plenty of potential to improve the situation,” says Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson (Iceland), chair of the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation in 2019. “Greater mobility will also enhance the sense of Nordic community and improve understanding of each others’ languages,” he adds.

The programme covers all of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ policy areas and focuses on digitalisation, the recognition of qualifications from other Nordic countries and working together on the implementation of EU legislation. 

“In particular, I would highlight that we are striving to put in place the infrastructure needed so that we will be able to use our national e-ID everywhere in the Nordic Region as soon as 2020,” Jóhannsson points out. “As a reform, the introduction of the new e-ID system will be as important as the Nordic passport union was in its day,” he says. 

Several of the projects focus on young people, including higher funding for the Nordic Master and Nordplus student exchange programmes, used by approximately 8,500 Nordic young people every year to study in another Nordic country. The programme will also make it easier for young people to find jobs outside their homeland. 

The programme highlights the role played by the Freedom of Movement Council in the work to remove obstacles to cross-border mobility in the Nordic Region, as well as the importance of improving access to information about the opportunities available in the Region. Every year, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ information service Info Norden provides thousands of people in the Region with answers to questions about relocating to other Nordic countries.