Opinion

Nordic preparedness put to the test

(Sep 26, 2023) Rarely has the scout motto been more apt than right now. When the leader says “Be prepared!” the scouts answer “Always prepared!”

The need to facilitate mobility in the Nordics

(Aug 22, 2023) “My ambition is to make commuting within the Nordic region as unhindered by red tape as possible, both for the worker and the employer. And cross-border commuters should be able to work from home without it having consequences for the amount of tax they pay.”

The Nordics look to the Baltics

(Jun 26, 2023) The war in Ukraine has brought the Nordics and the Baltics closer together. This will become very clear during the Nato summit in Vilnius on 11 and 12 July, when Finland and perhaps even Sweden will participate as members of the defence alliance for the first time. We take a closer look at the cooperation with the Baltic countries which has grown to become more equal.

When do we get a Council of Ministers for Transport?

(Apr 27, 2023) If the prime ministers really want the Nordics to become the world’s most integrated region, there should be a designated Nordic Council of Ministers for transport and infrastructure.

On the fringes of the EU

(Mar 23, 2023) The Nordics’ relationship with the EU stretches from Denmark joining 50 years ago to Iceland's current renewed debate about reopening accession talks that were never finalised.

It is time to get women on board again

(Feb 27, 2023) The number of female state leaders is falling. In rapid succession, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced their retirements.

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.

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.

New ways of recruiting skilled labour

(Oct 28, 2022) 2023 has been designated the European Year of Skills by the EU Commission. Skills are about more than simply having knowledge, it is about having the ability to use them to carry out tasks and solve problems.

What is “real” work?

(Sep 22, 2022) Our need to be seen and appreciated is often as important or more important to us than pay. But what happens when the boss is an algorithm? Our theme this time is artificial intelligence, AI, and the Nordic labour market. That is quite a lot to chew on, so we only have space to take a few bites.

Nordic nuances regarding whistleblowers and paternity leave

(Aug 18, 2022) Nordic citizens have many rights that can seem nearly utopian to people elsewhere in the world. But in certain areas, there are surprisingly large differences also between Nordic countries. Paternity leave is one example.

Green aims in uncertain times

(May 26, 2022) One of the most important goals for the Nordic labour market cooperation is to make sure the right knowledge and skills are available to meet the demands of the green transition. But new and surprising challenges must also be dealt with.

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