Nordic cooperation and northern regional cooperation

Nordic Council of Ministers

Nordic cooperation involves Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland as well as the self-governing territories Åland, Faeroe Islands and Greenland. The countries collaborate within the Nordic Council, the Nordic Council of Ministers and in 12 Nordic institutions.

Established in 1971, the Nordic Council of Ministers is an intergovernmental body for cooperation. The prime ministers hold overall responsibility, but in practice the responsibility has been assumed by the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation and the Nordic Committee for Co-operation (NSK).

The Nordic Council of Ministers comprises several councils of ministers. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry participates in the Nordic Council of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MR-FJLS). The Issues discussed are prepared and monitored by Committees of Senior Officials, consisting of national government officials. The Nordic Council of Ministers is assisted by the Secretariat operating in Copenhagen. The Nordic ministers of the sector usually meet once a year at the ministerial meeting.

The work of the Council of Ministers is guided by the Vision for Nordic Cooperation and sector-specific cooperation programs. The Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen) in Sweden is a joint Nordic institution under the FJLS sector.

Finland’s and Åland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2025

The Presidency of the Council of Ministers lasts for one year and rotates among the five Nordic countries. Finland and Åland held the Presidency in 2025. The next presidency is in 2031.

During the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the horizontal themes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry were preparedness and resilience in the bioeconomy, as well as children and youth.

The key areas of focus in the cooperation were the sustainable management and use of bio‑based natural resources, the healthy and sustainable consumption of food, and the sustainability of food systems. In fisheries‑related cooperation, the sector's energy transition was highlighted.

During the year, a Nordic conference on climate change adaptation, the Nordic Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (NOCCA), was organised, as well as a conference on the energy transition in fisheries, Energy Transition in Fisheries: From Visions to Actions.
In 2026, Denmark and the Faroe Islands hold the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Northern Regional Cooperation

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry actively participates in cooperation within northern cooperation bodies (e.g., Barents and Baltic Sea cooperation). Sustainable Nordic bioeconomy and sustainable food systems are key themes in cooperation with other northern countries and regions.

Useful external website

Nordic Council of Ministers