Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen's statement to the Nordic Council November 6, 2000
Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen's statement to the Nordic Council before the start of the Finnish chairmanship of the Council in 2001
Dear Mr President,
The Finnish chairmanship of the Council pivots on the theme "Nordic Citizen 2001". Our ambitious objective is to see activities within every field from the individual Nordic citizen's perspective. The theme was chosen as a natural continuation of the Danish chairmanship's welfare theme. This implies that focus is transferred from the collective to the individual.
Since Nordic cooperation has been object for continuing evaluation and reforms, it has been possible to react flexibly to the demands arising from changes in the Nordic countries and in the surrounding world.
The most recent manifestation of the sensitive nature which characterizes Nordic cooperation is the fresh report presented by the Panel of Wise Men and Women just before this session. The very title of the report, "The Nordic countries - open to the winds of the world", already shows that Nordic cooperation is - also in terms of international comparison - quite unique. Its deep roots and vitality have helped maintain cooperation also in times when unity has been put to the test. We hope that during our chairmanship ordinary citizens will become aware of Nordic cooperation both in its Nordic and national contexts.
Nordic cooperation is based on democracy, identity and community. In spite of the different decisions the Nordic countries have made as concerns their ties with various international organisations and European integration, cooperation has in a unique way represented a uniting element for the five Nordic countries and the three self-governing regions.
Based on these aspects, the Finnish chairmanship will continue the work taking into account, inter alia, the work of the Panel of Wise Men and Women, in order to bring about closer cooperation to the benefit of the Nordic citizens. We want to, for example, call attention to the idea of a Nordic "citizen agreement". Finland is going to raise an initiative concerning examination of current rights and the biggest remaining obstacles between the Nordic countries. The project has obvious common points of interest with the work focusing on the removal of border barriers, which was started during the Swedish chairmanship.
The fact that three of the Nordic countries are Member States of the European Union and two are integrated into European cooperation through the EEA Agreement means that the countries which are involved in Nordic cooperation need to take into account their different affiliations and obligations. In March next year, Nordic cooperation's relation to European cooperation will be put to the test in a concrete manner, when the Schengen Agreement will become valid in all Nordic countries. This cooperation has been subject to thorough preparation for years, and it is now time to implement the acquis.
All Nordic countries are now in the midst of a developmental phase which is characterized by big and radical changes, not least in the field of information society and communications technology. We are moving towards a world which is increasingly based on information and knowledge. Globalisation and rapid technological development bring about new possibilities and new challenges but also new threat images.
The evolution of information society covers all political and administrative fields and occupies a constantly growing part of ordinary operations. Finland will promote Nordic cooperation which is targeted at the development of information society by raising the issue in the different ministerial councils and official committees. A number of important IT projects have been taken to Finland's agenda. We are also prepared to convene the ministers responsible for IT issues for a meeting during our chairmanship, if required.
Regarding education policy, priority is given to the principle of lifelong learning. Special attention will be given to the ageing with a low basic education and to their educational needs.
A well-functioning working community and mental well-being at workplace critially contribute to the well-being at work and help workers maintain their capacity to work. In cooperation with the labour market partners, Finland will endeavour to develop an effective labour market and an integrated approach to people's well-being.
Next year, a new cooperation programme will be launched in the social and health care sector. The programme is targeted, inter alia, to the removal of border barriers between the Nordic countries and to the development of the Nordic welfare societies in European and international contexts.
Cooperation in the energy sector is directed to a gradual elimination of border barriers between the energy markets in the Baltic Sea region. The Nordic countries will continue to function as the prime mover and financier of energy cooperation in the region. The Finnish chairmanship will pay particular attention to the following priorities: development of energy markets, energy cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, development of Baltic electricity markets, and closer cooperation with neighbouring areas by improving coordination.
Environmental cooperation between the Nordic countries will be steered by the Nordic Strategy for Sustainable Development and the Nordic Action Programme for Environmental Co-operation for 2001-2004. Joint Nordic measures channelled through the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) support bilateral and EU activities related to EU enlargement, the EU's Action Plan for the Northern Dimension and EU-Russia cooperation.
The contamination of the Baltic Sea arises serious anxiety among the Nordic citizens. National measures are inadequate. We need wide-scale international cooperation which should involve not only the Nordic countries but also all the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, the EU, and international financing institutions.
Environmental issues are given a prominent place among the political priorities to be pursued during the Swedish Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2001, coinciding with the Finnish chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Finland fully supports Sweden in its endeavour to accord environmental issues higher priority on the EU agenda during the Swedish Presidency.
At the moment, two projects are of immediate interest in the Baltic Sea region. The St Petersburg area is one of the most serious environmental hazards as concerns emissions in the Baltic Sea region. The planned construction of a water treatment plant in the south-western part of St Petersburg would markedly improve the situation in the Baltic Sea region.
On Finland's initiative, the EU has financed preparations of the water treatment plant. This was made possible thanks to the personal contribution of Commissioner Chris Patten. The Nordic Investment Bank is now in charge of the overall coordination of the project.
Regarding the plans to construct an oil port in Primorsk, an international environmental impact assessment has been conducted concerning the establishment and the significance ofincreasing oil transports in an ecologically fragile environment. Finland's environment authorities have recently been informed by Russian authorities about the possible environmental consequences and are now analysing this information. It is positive that, at the summit meeting between the EU and Russia last week, President Putin underlined the significance of environmental aspects in this context.
The Nordic Council of Ministers' policy on the neighbouring areas has to be reviewed in the course of the Finnish chairmanship. This year, a joint Nordic group of experts has been studying the Council's neighbouring area cooperation, set strategic objectives and identified possible ways for future cooperation. The recommendations for measures given by the group of experts lay a good foundation for future work.
At its summit meeting in Feira in June this year, the European Council adopted an Action Plan for the Northern Dimension. The Northern Dimension is part of the EU's external relations policy, and the Commission has primary responsibility for its implementation. The Nordic countries actively participate in this work by coordinating their national contributions. I acknowledge the support of all the Nordic countries and self-governing areas to the development of the Northern Dimension.
Sweden's Presidency of the EU during the first half of 2001 will offer good opportunities for promoting joint Nordic interests. Sweden will arrange a ministerial follow-up conference on the Northern Dimension on April 2001 to which the partnership countries will be invited. The first complete follow-up report will be submitted to the European Council in Gothenburg.
Denmark has already announced that it is interested in arranging a corresponding conference in the course of its EU Presidency in the latter half of 2002, when the primary objective will be the promotion of Arctic issues. Finland has established a national forum of its own to bring projects within the Northern Dimension at a practical level. We would be happy to see the other Nordic countries take similar initiatives.
Arctic cooperation is important to all Nordic countries. Finland has only just taken over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council from the USA and presented the issues that it considers significant in the Arctic Council's meeting in Barrow, Alaska, in October.
In accordance with the proposed new Strategy for Cooperation in the Neighbouring Areas, Finland will launch a review of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Programme for Cooperation with the Arctic. The Council of Ministers' activities related to the Arctic must be coordinated with the Arctic Council's objectives, aiming at synergy and avoiding overlaps.
Finland greets with satisfaction the advanced and deepened cooperation which is conducted between the Sami of Norway, Sweden, Finland and North-West Russia today. During its chairmanship, Finland hopes to be able to further Nordic cooperation related to Sami issues.
I consider that cooperation between the three Nordic EU Member States functions well today. Exchange of information and very practical collaboration is conducted daily between the countries. But within the EU there is no Nordic block. Such thinking or limited spheres of interest do not belong to the European Union. However, increasing information about Nordic cooperation models within the EU could be a natural joint interest.
The Nordic countries can provide valuable contributions through working methods and models which in time can become the foundation for joint European policy. Perhaps the strongest uniting factor is the endeavour to establish such decision-making practices which are open and pragmatic and aim at the widest possible consensus.
The Nordic countries have been active and advocated the implementation of equality through introducing employment, the social dimension, and activities to fight discrimination to the EU agenda on a permanent basis. We have received wide support for theseefforts and, therefore, have been successful in these areas.
At the moment, enlargement is the EU's main concern. The question is about a hundred million persons and their possible access to democracy and external stability. The Nordic countries are strongly in favour of enlargement. The Baltic countries need to have - and they have - as good possibilities as the other candidate countries to be become member states of the EU. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have advanced well in their membership negotiations. Finland together with the orther Nordic countries continues to give active support to the Baltic countries.
The EU cannot shirk its responsibility for enlargement by getting entangled in its own internal circles. During such critical times as we have now, feelings of uncertainty must not be created nor any anti-EU atmosphere stirred up in the candidate countries by giving imprudent statements. We should be active and contribute to as early enlargement as possible.
The Panel of the Wise has proposed that Nordic cooperation could be developed to a direction which would facilitate the involvement of such neighbouring areas as the Baltic countries.
The Panel suggests that in order to support positive developments in the Baltic countries, it would be advisable to consider offering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania membership of the Nordic Investment Bank so as to make financing of important infrastructure easier. The EU's enlargement and the Union's deepening require that the Nordic countries are prepared to take a stand to new and even radical initiatives.
I am of the opinion that in the course of the coming year it is important to discuss the future of Nordic cooperation and to consider how to concretely increase cooperation with the Baltic countries. Beginning from next year, we have reason to speak about cooperation involving eight countries instead of the five plus three. We need open debate on this important issue during our chairmanship. During its chairmanship, Finland will also invite all eight prime ministers to Helsinki to further the issue.