Editorial
When sustainability becomes the fashion
Jan 19, 2023 The circular economy is only part of the solution for making our society greener. But it is very concrete and it is easy to measure its results. The circular economy is the theme for this edition, and we look at how it influences trade, fashion and the textile industry.
EU initiative will make circular products the new normal
Jan 19, 2023 Sustainable and circular products will be the new normal in EU markets. That is at least the idea behind the EU Commission’s initiative for a new circular economy action plan which is now being scrutinised by the EU decision-making machinery.
How donated textiles become new clothes
Jan 19, 2023 Fashion and textiles are environmental bad guys in terms of raw material production, work environments and pollution from processes to finished products and transport. There are many ideas for circular solutions in all parts of the chain, but it will take time to turn this big ship around.
How Iceland's industry benefits from being outside of the common energy market
Jan 19, 2023 Surging energy prices have been one of the many consequences of the war in Ukraine. This has mainly been felt in Europe since sanctions against Russia have led to considerable cuts in gas imports from there which in turn has pushed prices up.
Healthcare staff in Sweden look forward to stricter daily rest rules
Jan 19, 2023 A minimum of 11 hours of consecutive rest between shifts. That is the result of negotiations between Swedish trade unions and employers. Rules had to be changed after the European Commission questioned certain parts of the Swedish collective agreement on working hours.
Editorial
Nordics, Nato and the neighbourhood
Nov 29, 2022 The Nordic Council is 70 this year, which was of course celebrated during its annual session in Helsinki. The Council President Erkki Tuomioja pointed out that parliamentarians cooperated for twenty years before the ministers got involved. In this edition, we take a closer look at the Nordic cooperation.
Nordic cooperation spans everyday and fateful issues
Nov 29, 2022 “The Nordic Council deals with everyday issues of concern to the Nordic citizens,” Erkki Tuomioja told the media just before opening the 74th session in Helsinki on 1 November in his role as the Council President. Yet never before has a session been so dominated by big, existential issues.
27 years since the last changes: Time to revise the Helsinki Treaty?
Nov 29, 2022 During its meeting in Helsinki in early November, the Nordic Council decided to call on the Nordic governments to start a “joint discussion with the Nordic Council about how the Nordic countries can better anchor the Nordic cooperation.” Or in other words: revise the Helsinki Treaty.
How unique is the Nordic Council?
Nov 29, 2022 How unique is the Nordic cooperation, with its Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers? The nearest European parallels are the Benelux Union and the Benelux Parliament. At least in one area they have taken cooperation even further. But while people in the Nordics call themselves nordbor, no one calls themselves Beneluxianian.
The labour ministers consider collective agreements' position in the Nordics
Nov 29, 2022 The Nordic governments should introduce a new kind of support where employers who sign up to collective agreements pay lower employer taxes for their employees. That was what Fafo researcher Jon Erik Dølvik proposed when he presented a report about collective agreements in the Nordics during the Nordic labour ministers’ meeting.
Sweden takes on Council of the EU presidency at times of turmoil
Nov 28, 2022 On 1 January 2023, Sweden takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months. The presidency means looking after all of the member countries’ interests and leading the work with all the issues in the Council’s in tray – including major decisions on migration, climate and EU expansion.