Plan of Action for the Centre Group in the Nordic Council 2026

The Centre Group is the second-largest party group in the Nordic Council and holds substantial influence as well as the ability to unite the Council from left to right. In our proposals, we promote a Nordic Region without borders and a Nordic Region that acts as a cohesive player in Europe and globally.

Meeting Dates

1. 23 February, Roskilde
2. 16 April, Norway – Annual Meeting (accounts for 2025, election of chair and board)
3. 14 September, Iceland
4. 26 October, Finland – Annual Meeting (budget and plan of action for 2027)
   

EU, Foreign, Security and Defence Policy (The Presidium)

The year 2026 is decisive for the renewal of the Helsinki Treaty. Denmark, holding the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers, is responsible for taking the crucial steps needed to ensure that foreign, security, and defence policy are included in the treaty. The Centre Group, consistent with the unanimous view of the Nordic Council, believes that a commission including both parliamentarians and governments should be appointed to oversee the treaty update.

Nordic civil preparedness is another theme the Centre Group wishes to highlight in 2026. We want cooperation in the civil sphere to become equal to cooperation on military defence, making coordination between the two areas easier. We also want the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland to become parties to the so called Haga Cooperation on Civil Security.

A third theme is the Nordic Region’s global engagement. The Centre Group believes that global influence brings just as much added value as traditional “intra-Nordic” cooperation. In our view, it benefits the Nordic community if we ensure that the world moves in our direction. Practically, this means that the Nordic countries coordinate their efforts on all international fronts—especially within the UN and the EU—and support one another, whenever possible, on issues where individual countries have specific interests.

For several years, the Centre Group has called for a shared Nordic security policy analysis. We believe this should be discussed in our democratically elected parliaments, and have therefore advocated both the amendment of the Helsinki Treaty and the establishment of a joint Nordic defence commission with parliamentary participation. These two goals have not yet been realised. We will continue to push for their implementation in 2026.

Finally, the Centre Group believes that Nordic cooperation within the EU is important because the borderless Nordic Region must, in our opinion, retain its special position alongside European cooperation. Furthermore, we believe that EU legislation must not create new obstacles to free movement within the Nordic Region.

Committee for Growth and Development

The Centre Group aims to strengthen sustainability and competitiveness in the Nordic Region. We believe that closer Nordic cooperation creates more jobs, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and increases value creation.

In 2026, the Centre Group will focus particularly on four areas: energy cooperation, fairer taxation of cross-border commuters, better and more digital services, and greener transport.

Strong cooperation is crucial if the Nordic Region is to achieve its sustainability goals. The Centre Group will work to establish a Council of Ministers for Transport and to make travel and transport across borders easier and more sustainable.

The pandemic demonstrated how vulnerable cross-border labour markets are. The Centre Group believes that if more people are to work across borders, cross-border workers must be taxed and treated on equal terms with those who live and work in the same country.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and manipulation of energy markets have created great uncertainty in Europe. The Centre Group believes that united Nordic energy cooperation and expanded capacity for sustainable energy are more important than ever.

We also want greater digital integration between the Nordic countries. Therefore, we will promote proposals that provide residents with better public and private digital services throughout the region, contribute to more favourable and simpler tax agreements for people living and working across borders, and work for a coordinated Nordic approach to artificial intelligence (AI).

The Centre Group will also advance cooperation in sectors such as minerals and tourism.

Committee for Knowledge and Culture

The Centre Group believes culture and education are essential for cohesion in the Nordic Region. Much of the cross-border, interpersonal cooperation takes place in these fields.

Culture and education are therefore key to achieving the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Vision 2030. In today’s global environment, it is also important to remember that culture and knowledge are forms of preparedness. They strengthen the psychological resilience needed in uncertain times.

Preparedness also includes ensuring that more people can access Nordic nature. Being able to move in and navigate nature is essential knowledge, as well as a source of quality of life and improved health. It is also important to involve children, young people, and civil society. In this area, we believe the Nordic Region can do more together.

Public debate and freedom of expression are vital components of a strong democracy. Here, we should strive for wise solutions and learn from each other. Supporting free and independent journalism with high ethical standards is important, and this discussion should also be elevated at the Nordic level.

In 2026, the Centre Group will continue to monitor issues relating to language comprehension, cooperation on education and research, and a vibrant cultural life in the Nordic Region. Nordic cooperation must continue to include outward-facing initiatives that make Nordic culture accessible, including by maintaining and safeguarding Nordic awards so that the achievements being recognised reach the wider public. We will continue to follow up on the initiative launched by the Centre Group regarding visibility for the awards, to protect their standing going forward.

An important issue for the year is strengthening cooperation in education, laying the groundwork for Nordic schools and educational institutions to improve quality. The downward trend in the PISA results must be reversed. The attractiveness of studying in other Nordic countries must be increased.

In the cultural sector, it is important to uphold strong conditions for cooperation across Nordic borders. Therefore, discussions about funding will remain relevant. The Centre Group maintains that no further cuts should be made in this area.

Committee for a Sustainable Nordic Region

The Centre Group will monitor how Nordic cooperation drives the global agenda for continued and accelerated climate ambition. We will continue contributing to a joint Nordic strategy for implementing the global biodiversity framework and the BBNJ Agreement (“Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction”). The Centre Group actively follows opportunities to contribute to the circular economy.

The Nordic Region continues to push an ambitious global climate agenda, and the Centre Group supports proposals that promote increased carbon sinks and reduced carbon emissions. We believe it is essential for the Nordic countries to participate in global meetings on climate and biodiversity to advocate an ambitious agenda and build bridges between the Global North and South. The Centre Group will put forward proposals that support the implementation of the biodiversity agreement and turn biodiversity work into an opportunity for more actors in society. We want to see actions that foster a nature-positive direction in the Nordic Region.

In 2026, new developments related to the circular economy are expected in Europe—an opportunity for the Nordic Region that the Centre Group will monitor closely. Material efficiency strengthens both local business opportunities and the Nordic Region’s regional supply of materials. In biotechnology as well, there is reason for the Nordic Region to support joint initiatives and legislation that promote sustainable innovation and safeguard the region’s vitality.

Committee for Welfare in the Nordic Region

The Centre Group works for strong and effective Nordic cooperation on welfare, well-being, health, and gender equality.
We want to harmonise social security rights across the Nordic Region, making it easier to work, live, and study across borders.

In the health sector, the Centre Group supports harmonisation of e-health systems so that citizens can use their prescriptions, referrals, and medications throughout the Nordic Region.

It is currently vital that we strengthen Nordic emergency preparedness in pharmaceutical and hospital capacity, as well as cooperation with civil society (the third sector).

The Centre Group also wants to focus on gender equality challenges and ensure that the Nordic Region continues to be a leading global and European actor in equality. We want to counter oppression, violations, and insecurity; increase transparency on gender differences in pay and leadership responsibilities; and address the vulnerability of children and young people.

We want Nordic countries to continuously seek new tools to combat extremism. The Centre Group supports knowledge exchange in this field to remain at the forefront of developing new methods and facilitating initiatives and practices that can prevent and combat all forms of extremism. In this way, we can maintain the trust that binds Nordic societies together and makes them unique.

The Working Group on Free Movement

The vision of making the Nordic Region the world’s most integrated region by 2030 requires that border obstacles between the Nordic countries be kept to a minimum. Removing unnecessary border obstacles provides clear benefits for citizens in their daily lives. Being able to accept a job, commute, shop, or run a business across national borders without hassle is in many ways the core of Nordic cooperation. The level of ambition for removing border barriers must be raised further.

In recent years, important efforts have been made to make the work against obstacles for free movement more concrete. Close dialogue between the Nordic Council’s Working Group on Free Movement and the Council of Ministers’ Mobility Council is important for effective work.

For the Centre Group, it is essential to maintain strong representation in the Working Group on Free Movement. This enables active, concrete work to reduce border obstacles. Through a more structured working method in the group, there are good opportunities for individual members to help address specific border obstacles. The Centre Group’s engagement in these issues is therefore important.

Effective work on border obstacles requires well-functioning tools—parliamentary tools in particular. These include the ability to propose initiatives, pose questions to governments, influence public opinion, and engage with organisations and businesses affected by border-barrier challenges. It is also important that existing barriers are well documented and followed up. Reporting on results is essential so that the work being done is visible. For the Centre Group, tangible results are central.

Work to develop the working methods of the Working Group on Free Movement must continue, concerning both the group’s internal methods and its cooperation with the Mobility Council, the Council of Ministers, and national governments.