Nordic Ministers Advocates Ratification Of Helsinki Treaty.

Copenhagen; February 2026: The eight ministers for Nordic co-operation from Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Aland are meeting in Copenhagen today (19th February 2026) for the first time under the joint Danish and Faroese Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. At the meeting, the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation are discussing a revision of the Helsinki Treaty, the framework for all of the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Council.

One of the top priorities for the joint Danish and Faroese Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2026 is to update the Helsinki Treaty to allow the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Aland to become equal parties to it. Adopted in 1962, the treaty was last amended in 1996.

The President of the Nordic Council, Jorodd Asphjell: “We are pleased that the governments have listened to the Nordic Council’s unanimous call to update the Helsinki Treaty. It is an important and timely step. The treaty was last updated 30 years ago, and issues like digitalisation, the climate, barriers to freedom of movement, defence, security and contingency planning all now play a far bigger role in Nordic co-operation”.

Ville Väyrynen stresses that the Nordic Region has a unique opportunity to renew co-operation between the eight countries. “The Nordic Council has unanimously encouraged the governments to set up a Nordic Commission with a mandate to present concrete proposals for modernisation, and we expect to be involved. We are ready to play our part in the process and ensure that Nordic cooperation is close and takes a form in keeping with the times we live in”.

Morten Dahlin, Danish minister for Nordic Co-operation: “Updating the Helsinki Treaty will be a historic step and will secure the future of Nordic co-operation. I am pleased and proud that the joint Danish and Faroese Presidency is discussing the potential for an update to the treaty so that all eight Nordic countries can work together on an equal footing”.

Sirið Stenberg, the Faroese Minister for Nordic co-operation: “The Faroe Islands have been part of Nordic co-operation for more than 50 years and have wanted full membership for almost as long. The times we live in call for closer Nordic co-operation and more Nordic values. It is gratifying that we have reached a point where we are initiating real discussion on a revision of the Helsinki Treaty to ensure equal participation for all eight Nordic countries”.

Vivian Motzfeldt, the Greenlandic Naalakkersuisoq for Foreign Affairs: “Greenland will play an active role in the process of setting up a commission to look at updating the Helsinki Treaty. The process will be crucial to whether Greenland can be recognised as an equal partner in Nordic co-operation”.

The Nordic Council looks forward to the rest of the process and to close consultation with the governments.

The President also informed the meeting about the joint Finnish and Ålandic Programme for the Presidency of the Nordic Council in 2026, and he provided input on the Nordic Council of Ministers’ budget for 2027.

The agenda for the meeting also includes a dialogue on the Nordic Council of Ministers’ budget for 2027, and visits by the chair of the Freedom of Movement Council and the Presidency of the Nordic Council.

Team Maverick.