News
EU Court: Equal treatment for all, also among minorities
Feb 24, 2021 Can it be discrimination if an employer favours one person over another if both have some sort of disability? Yes, says the EU Court of Justice in a new ruling. The ban against discrimination does not apply only in relation to persons who are not disabled.
News
Is Denmark's proposed refugee legislation unrealistic?
Feb 24, 2021 Denmark’s government has presented legislation that represents a first step towards realising a controversial election promise to set up reception centres in countries outside the EU. Refugees would stay there while their asylum applications are processed in Denmark. Critics doubt the proposed legislation is realistic.
News
More Nordic people wanted to become Norwegian in 2020
Feb 10, 2021 2020 saw a tenfold increase in the number of citizens from other Nordic countries gaining Norwegian citizenship. From 1 January that year, it became possible to hold dual citizenships in Norway. 1,905 people applied to become Norwegian citizens while keeping their old citizenship.
Portrait
From Faroese independence to Nordic cooperation
Feb 01, 2021 When she was younger, Kristina Háfoss was known as one of the Faroe Islands’ top competition swimmers. In recent years she has been best known for her work for Faroese independence, but now she is also working actively for increased Nordic cooperation.
Editorial
Do we know more about the USA than Europe?
Jan 22, 2021 Many have become experts on US politics in the past 12 months. A few days ago, Donald Trump left the White House for the last time and Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the USA. The transfer of power also has consequences for the Nordics and Europe.
News
Portugal and Finland head Councils of Ministers
Jan 22, 2021 The Corona pandemic has demonstrated that good cooperation is not only desirable but literally vital, says the programme for Finland’s 2021 Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. At the same time, Portugal heads the Council of the European Union where the creation of a European health union will be a key issue.
tema
EU minimum wage directive: last stand for the Nordics?
Jan 22, 2021 2021 looks set to be the year when the issue of statutory minimum wages in Europe will be settled. The debate has lasted a long time and opinions are divided, but on 28 October 2020, the EU Commission finally presented a proposed directive which will be processed by the European Council and the EU Parliament.
tema
Yellow card from Sweden and Denmark to proposed minimum wages in the EU
Jan 22, 2021 The Swedish and Danish parliaments want the EU Commission to withdraw the proposed directive on statutory minimum wages. Both parliaments have used the so-called yellow card procedure, arguing the proposal is in breach of the EU’s principle of subsidiarity.
tema
Six MEPs' views on statutory minimum wages
Jan 22, 2021 The proposed directive on statutory minimum wages has still not been through the European Parliament. But just over one year ago, with a clear 422-131 majority, it called on the Commission to present a proposal to secure a fair minimum wage for all workers in the Union.
tema
Four researchers' take on the minimum wage
Jan 22, 2021 A positive move for low-income earners in Europe or the hollowing out of the Nordic collective agreement model? When researchers look at the EU’s proposed directive on statutory minimum wages, the analysis changes according to the area of research and perspectives.
Comments
Why minimum pay has become such a hot potato
Jan 22, 2021 Why do Finns trust that the proposed minimum wage directive will not harm their labour market model, while the Danes and Swedes have no faith in the European Commission’s assurances? And why is the debate so heated? There are several reasons.
News
Iceland: Immigrants are better protected, says MIPEX
Jan 22, 2021 Sweden is still top, but Iceland saw the greatest increase in the 2020 MIPEX migrant integration policy index. The country’s index rose by seven points from 49 to 56 between 2014 and 2019, on a scale of 100. Sweden got 86 points, down one.
Editorial
Even Santa Claus is hit by the Corona crisis
Dec 10, 2020 The Nordic model is not past its best-before date. On the contrary, it is needed and it has shown its strength during the Corona pandemic. But it faces new challenges, which call for innovative welfare system finance solutions when new forms of employment and new technology disrupt entire sectors.
tema
Jon Erik Dølvik: Stored demand could help create jobs
Dec 10, 2020 The largest research project ever to be financed by the employment ministers at the Nordic Council of Ministers was about to conclude just as the Corona pandemic hit. How will the pandemic and the economic crisis in its wake impact on the advice the researchers will give on the future of work?
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