The Storting’s Delegation to the Nordic Council is currently playing host to 87 Nordic parliamentarians for the Council’s April 2016 Theme Session in Oslo. Sonja Mandt, the Head of the Norwegian Delegation, views the border controls that have recently been reimposed between several of the Nordic countries as a source of concern.

“The Nordic Council has made an important contribution to establishing open borders and passport-free travel within the Nordic region, long before similar initiatives were made within the EU and Schengen. This is why it’s so sad to see that the current situation has forced restrictions and controls. Trade and, not least, our common Nordic labour market depend on retaining open borders. We work hard in the Nordic Council to remove border obstacles, but recent developments have moved us in the opposite direction. It’s exactly at times like this, when we’re under pressure, that Nordic co-operation is more important than ever,” she says.

An active delegation

Sonja Mandt is the head of a 20-strong delegation in which virtually every party in Parliament is represented.

“We’re an extremely active delegation, and for the first time for many years several of the Nordic Council’s committees are currently chaired by Norwegians,” she continues.

Jorodd Asphjell is the chair of the Committee for Knowledge and Culture in the Nordic Region, Bente Stein Mathisen heads the Committee for Welfare in the Nordic Region, and Torgeir Knag Fylkesnes is the vice chair of the Committee for Growth and Development in the Nordic Region.

“We mustn’t forget that all the members of the delegation have important roles to play. We’re dependent on their efforts to take the initiative within the Council. It’s also vital that they bring a Nordic perspective to their respective specialist committees here at the Storting,” Ms Mandt adds.

Patience

The Nordic Council puts forward recommendations to the Nordic governments that propose different measures and initiatives. It often takes time for the five national governments in question and their respective public administrations to move from recommendation to action. There are numerous considerations to take into account and reconcile. Patience is essential.

“International cooperation takes time, and Nordic collaboration is no different. You could say that the Council is an ideas workshop and an initiator towards the Nordic governments. It can be frustrating that proposals with broad support, such as my own one to set up an electronic register for Nordic health professionals, are still under consideration,” says Sonja Mandt.

The proposal for an electronic health register was put forward in 2010. Its aim is to make it easier to check whether accredited health professionals in one Nordic country have unblemished records in other Nordic countries.

Also of interest

About the theme session at the Storting.
About the Nordic Council