This co-operation is rooted in political, economic, and cultural ties. The Nordic Council of Ministers covers most major areas of society and is organised into 12 ministerial councils that meet annually. In addition, the cooperation is supported by expert committees at the civil servant level.

The guiding principle is that Nordic cooperation should focus on areas where joint Nordic efforts create added value for the Nordic countries and their citizens.

The Nordic community works to promote a strong Nordic region in the world and plays an important role in European and global cooperation. Shared values among the countries help strengthen the Nordic region’s position as one of the world’s most innovative, competitive, and gender-equal regions.

The Nordic Council was established in 1952, and the Nordic Council of Ministers was founded in 1971.
The Helsinki Treaty, which is the cooperation agreement between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, was signed in 1971.