EU, Rusland, Noorwegen en IJsland keuren nieuw beleid voor "Noordelijke dimensie" goed (en)

On Friday, 24 November, the Northern Dimension Summit in Helsinki approved a Framework Document and Political Declaration as the new basis for the Northern Dimension. The Northern Dimension is a partnership involving the European Union, Russia, Norway and Iceland. At the Summit, the EU was be represented by the Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Commission President José Manuel Barroso and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana. Russia was represented by President Putin, Norway by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Iceland by Prime Minister Geir Hilmar Haarde.

The Northern Dimension Framework Document, which will enter into force at the beginning of 2007, introduces a number of improvements. It will replace the current time-limited action plans and will serve as a permanent basis for the Northern Dimension, valid indefinitely. It will put cooperation on a new footing, turning the Northern Dimension into a common policy, to be pursued by all partners.

Throughout the territory covered by the Northern Dimension, action will be taken to implement the roadmaps for the common spaces forming part of the EU-Russia strategic partnership. The common spaces cover: economic matters; justice and home affairs; security; and research, education and culture. As before, the Northern Dimension will also cover environmental issues, social affairs, public health and other matters relating specifically to the northern region, such as the vulnerable environment, indigenous peoples and cultural diversity. A steering group will be set up to boost practical implementation. In addition, the desirability of establishing a new partnership in transport and logistics will be examined as well as possibilities to enhance cooperation in the field of energy efficiency.

The partnerships for health and social affairs and for the environment are the most significant in terms of practical cooperation carried out as part of the Northern Dimension. Funding is provided by the Northern Dimension partners and international financial institutions. A number of regional organisations take part in Northern Dimension practical work, namely the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Council of Baltic Sea States, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Arctic Council. The Northern Dimension policy sets out to improve cooperation and avoid overlap between the various regional bodies. The activities of other international, regional and local bodies also contribute to the practical work.

At the same time as renewing the Northern Dimension policy, the Finnish Presidency has been pursuing the objective of strengthening existing partnerships. The low profile of Northern Dimension projects has presented a particular challenge. For example, there was little awareness that projetcs worth more than €2 billion are being implemented under the environmental partnership. Finland has recently decided to invest a further €6 million, while Germany, the next Presidency country, has allocated another €10 million to the environment partnership. Several other countries are currently preparing similar investment decisions.

Further information: Johan Schalin, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2068; Marja-Leena Vuorenpää, Counsellor, tel. +358 9 1605 5627 or +358 40 861 7135 and Katja Karppinen-Njock, Attaché, tel. +358 9 1605 6042 or +358 400 320 841, Ministry of Foreign Affairs