Nordic collaboration

The five Nordic countries – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland – cooperate with one another to improve and coordinate matters of business and energy policy. The collaboration of the Nordic countries is divided into two pillars: the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

  • Updated 18. October 2023

The vision for Nordic collaboration is that the Nordic Countries comprise a leading region in the areas of innovation, green growth and welfare.

Nordic Council

The Nordic Council is a parliamentary body with 87 members designated from among the politicians of the five parliaments of the Nordic countries. The council members meet once a year. The Nordic Council discusses business policy issues and other matters and frequently adopts resolutions which are recommendations for the business policy of the Nordic governments.

Nordic Council of Ministers

The Nordic Council of Ministers is the framework for collaboration involving the Nordic countries’ governments, i.e. the governments’ departmental ministers with associated administrative systems. The secretariat of the Council of Ministers is located in Copenhagen. The council’s work is divided into a number of sectors (task areas) and departmental minister councils (ministerial remits). The Ministry of Business' remit is covered by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Business, Energy and Regional Policy. Each sector has a committee of senior officials and the Danish Business Authority sits on in the Committee of Senior Officials for Business Policy.