Michael Tetzschner (Conservative Party), the current President of the Nordic Council, has invited Prime Minister May to take part in the session. Tetzschner is looking forward to the visit, and believes that close relations with Great Britain are and will continue to be important for the Nordic countries.
"The UK is one of the Nordic region’s most important partners, not least in the spheres of trade, finance and security. We collaborate very closely and will work to maintain these excellent relations in the years ahead. This is something that all parties involved will benefit from,” said Tetzschner.
The official opening of the session will take place in the Storting Chamber on Tuesday 30th October at 14h15. It is here that Theresa May will make her speech.
Before her appearance at the Nordic Summit, May will meet Erna Solberg (Conservative Party). Prime Minister Solberg will be joined by the Nordic region’s other prime ministers during the summit, which will commence after May’s speech.
The topic for the Nordic Summit is “The resilience of the Nordic countries in the face of attempts by other nations to influence our society and our democratic processes.”
The Storting’s Delegation to the Nordic Council will be hosting this year’s session, at which 87 parliamentarians from the Nordic countries and guests from, among others, the Standing Committee of the Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, the Baltic Assembly, the West Nordic Council, the EFTA Parliamentary Committee, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and the Benelux Parliament will be taking part.
Prime Minister May’s programme at the Storting
13h37: Prime Minister Erna Solberg (Norway) and Prime Minister Theresa May (United Kingdom) arrive at the Storting. Photo opportunity at the main entrance. Brief statements from Solberg and May in the Central Hall shortly after.
To be followed by a bilateral meeting between prime ministers Solberg and May.
14h15: Official opening of the Nordic Council’s 70th Session, Storting
NB: Members of the press are requested to be in place for Prime Minister May’s visit by 13h15 at the latest. Compulsory security check.
There will be a Nordic Council press meeting in the Central Hall at 10h45 earlier in the day. Those taking part will be the President of the Nordic Council, Michael Tetzschner, and the leaders of the Nordic Council’s party groups.
16h45: Doorstep session in the Central Hall with the Nordic region’s five prime ministers.
Prime ministers’ press conference, Wednesday 31st October
The Nordic prime ministers will hold a press conference in the Central Hall at 10h00 on Wednesday 31st October.
The following will take part: Norway: Erna Solberg (Conservative Party); Sweden: Stefan Löfven (Social Democratic Party); Denmark: Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Venstre); Finland: Juha Sipilä (Centre Party); Iceland: Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Left-Green Movement).
Press access during the Nordic Council Session
Members of the parliamentary press club will have access in the usual way.
Press accreditation for members of the press who are not members of the parliamentary press club must be done via the Nordic Council. Deadline: Friday 26th October, 14h00
Practical information
The Nordic Summit in the Storting Chamber and the other meetings during the Nordic Council session will be streamed on www.stortinget.no.
You will find more information about the Nordic Council session here: https://www.norden.org/en/session2018
Photos from the Nordic Council will be published regulary on Flickr and may be freely downloaded and reproduced: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmtYvjyZ