[autom.vertaling] Noordse en Baltische statenbeweging dichter (en)

The Nordic Prime Ministers have invited the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia to become members of the Nordic Investment Bank.

Meeting the Baltic Prime Ministers on Sunday in Oslo ahead of this week's annual Session of the Nordic Council, the invitation marked a further step towards closer Nordic-Baltic cooperation.

The Nordic Investment Bank finances projects in the Nordic states and its neighbouring regions for such things as waste water treatment and energy projects.

The Nordic Council was formed in 1952 as a forum for inter-parliamentary co-operation. It has 87 members, with MPs representing the five Nordic countries and three autonomous territories.

This year the three-day annual Session is held in Oslo under Norwegian chairmanship.

Of common concern to the Norwegian as well as the Swedish Prime Minister is the lowering of alcohol taxes in Denmark.

Implementing EU regulations, the Danish government reduced the taxes in September, which has added pressure on the neighbouring countries to follow suit. The European Commission has also asked Sweden to allow its citizens to freely import alcohol or face being taken before the European Court of Justice.

"The lower prices are, the higher consumption will be and the more health problems will follow, said the Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik to Aftenposten.

The Danish government has declared to be ready to rise the taxes again, provided Germany does the same.

Open borders and freedom of movement between the Nordic countries is also on the agenda during this year's Session.

The chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers is on rotation and will be taken over by Iceland in 2004.