EFA meets the President Bertel Haarder and Secretary General Kristina Háfoss of the Nordic Council

This week, the European Free Alliance met the President Bertel Haarder and Secretary General Kristina Háfoss of the Nordic Council.

Members of the EFA Bureau and EFA parliamentary group discussed issues such as Citizens’ Assemblies, reform of the EU and the Conference on the Future of Europe, rights of minorities and stateless nations, and Vision 2030 – the Nordic Council’s ambitious initiative to make the region the most sustainable and integrated in the world by 2030.

Established in 1952, the Nordic Council is the official body for inter-parliamentary cooperation in the Nordic region, with 87 representatives from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Åland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

It has close relations and cooperated with neighbouring territories such as the Baltic states, the Sami Parliamentary Council, Schleswig-Holstein region, and members of the council have even called on the Council to discuss its future relations with Scotland.

In the event of independence, the Nordic Council stated it would be open to dialogue with a newly-independent Scotland. Similarly, were the Faroe Islands, Greenland or Åland vote for independence, their continued membership of Council would be accepted.

The Nordic Council represents a model for international cooperation,  and European Free Alliance looks forward to future contact with the Council and its members.