The Faroe Islands apply for membership in the Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers

The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade have on behalf of the Government of the Faroes submitted an application for full membership in the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The Nordic Council has its Annual Session in Copenhagen on 1-3 November 2016. The application will be on the agenda at this session as well as at the meeting of the Ministers of Nordic Co-operation.

In its coalition agreement the Government of the Faroes has set out to seek full membership in the Nordic Council and in the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Poul Michelsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade says:

“Ever since the Nordic Council was founded in 1952 there has been a strong political will in the Faroe Islands to become a full member of the Nordic Co-operation. This has been demonstrated several times, both domestically by two unanimous decisions by Parliament, in 1977 and 2003, and also from our first application from 2003 for full membership.

- We are a Nordic nation, and we have a distinct Nordic identity and our own language. We have our own democratic institutions and we govern ourselves.

- The Nordic Co-operation is of great significance to us, and all the policy areas covered by the Nordic Co-operation fall under the purview of our own government. It is thus very important that we can participate in this forum on an equal footing with the other Nordic nations.

- The Nordic Co-operation is founded on the spirit of inclusion, equality and fraternity amongst the Nordic nations, and it is therefore only natural that we are allowed to take part in this co-operation on an equal basis.

- We in the Faroes are fully committed to contribute and cooperate with our fellow Nordic nations on all aspects of Nordic Co-operation. We look forward to engage in a dialogue with all parties about our goal to become a full member of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers “states Poul Michelsen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

(Photo: www.norden.org)