DEFENCE POLICY COOPERATION AMONG THE NORDIC COUNTRIES

Nordic defence policy cooperation focuses on two main areas: crisis management and defence materiel. Nordic cooperation has been very strong for many years now, at all levels in the defence administration. The ministers of defence and the defence ministry permanent secretaries, procurement heads and experts in different fields all meet several times a year.

The Nordic countries have cooperated successfully in many international crisis management operations. The present aim is to establish a joint Nordic crisis management force that could be made available to the international community (UN, OSCE, EU or NATO) from 2003 onwards. This will be within the framework of the Nordic Coordinated Arrangement for Peace Support (NORDCAPS). The NORDCAPS planning organization is in Sweden and includes officer representatives from each of the Nordic countries. Cooperation in crisis management gives the Nordic countries a greater profile and also allows a financial saving through the coordination of training and operational activities.

Nordic cooperation over defence equipment and materials has also intensified in recent years. The greatest achievement in this area has been the joint Nordic helicopter project: in autumn 2001, Norway, Sweden and Finland decided to buy the same type of helicopter. The Nordic countries also signed an agreement on defence industry cooperation in autumn 2001. This will improve the security of supply for all participant countries and will allow the opportunity to maintain a national and joint Nordic defence equipment industry and to achieve savings in resources.

The close interaction between defence administrations of the Nordic countries extends from the ministerial level downwards and includes various civil servant exchange agreements. There is also close cooperation between the defence forces of each country, from the Chief of Defence down to individual units and establishments.