Finland Times

 

 

The 66th session of the Nordic Council and the associated ministerial meetings is scheduled to begin in Stockholm tomorrow (Monday).

 

The issues for discussion by the Nordic prime ministers are Arctic policy and cooperation in the Barents region as well as topical foreign and security policy issues, according to a press release of the ministry of foreign affairs.

 

During the four-day meeting, the prime ministers of the Nordic and Baltic countries are expected to discuss the economic situation in Europe, Latvia's upcoming EU Presidency, the situation in Ukraine and the situations in Syria and Iraq.

 

Finland will be represented in the meeting by Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, Foreign Affairs Minister Erkki Tuomioja, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and Nordic Cooperation Minister Lenita Toivakka, Culture and Housing Minister Piia Viitanen and Environment Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

 

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb will attend the meetings of the Nordic prime ministers and the Nordic and Baltic prime ministers.

 

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will participate in the meeting of Nordic foreign ministers. The main themes of the meeting are further development of Nordic cooperation in foreign and security policy and topical foreign policy issues, such as the Russian and Ukrainian situation and the situations in Iraq and Syria.

 

Iceland holds the chairmanship of the Nordic cooperation in foreign and security policy this year.

 

In Stockholm, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade, Lenita Toivakka will take part in the meetings of the ministers for Nordic cooperation and the ministers for European affairs and foreign trade.

 

The ministers for European affairs will discuss topical EU issues, such as the new Commission's priorities, the Eastern Partnership and the EU's climate and energy work.

 

The agenda of the meeting for the ministers of foreign trade includes, for instance, current WTO issues, negotiations on the free trade agreement between the EU and the United States as well as other international free trade negotiations. Aside from the session proper, Minister Toivakka will meet Finnish and Swedish enterprise actors.

 

The Session of the Nordic Council is the largest Nordic forum of the year, bringing together Nordic parliamentarians, prime ministers, opposition leaders and sector ministers. Intergovernmental cooperation is chaired this year by Iceland. Finland will hold the chairmanship in 2016.