In Focus
Has it become harder to govern the Nordics?
Three of the five Nordic countries are now run by minority governments. Does this mean the political pillar of the Nordic model has grown weaker? While the power of the major established parties is dwindling across the Nordics, trade unions and employers gather in ever-larger organisations.
Nordic cooperation – a must-have or nice-to-have?
The pandemic has led to increased polarization between the Nordic countries and trust between Nordic citizens has fallen. This is particularly true for those living far apart. In border regions, where people know each other, it has been less damaged.
Three Swedish stories of service during the pandemic
To be of service. A task with varying content depending on the business. A common thread these days: How to best get through the pandemic. In Höganäs it happened on a local as well as on an international level.
“Chocolate brown is the post-pandemic comeback office colour”
What do I wear? That could be this autumn’s great question for many who will be returning to work after the holidays. Many Finnish employees have been working from home since March 2020.
100 years of comfort clothes coming out of the closet
A current exhibition at the Helsinki Design Museum showcases the Finnish clothing company Nanso and the 100 years-old history of their everyday fashion. The theme is “The Comfort Revolution” – how comfort and wellbeing has steered fashion’s evolution towards today’s Corona fashion.
Improved labour market access for sign language users
Earlier this year the Norwegian parliament passed a new language act that states that Norway is multilingual. For the first time, Norwegian sign language was recognised as the national sign language, equal to spoken and written Norwegian as a language and cultural expression.
Nordic job exchange hopes to bounce back from Corona
Many Nordic cooperation platforms have been hit by the Corona pandemic. One of the higher profile ones is Nordjobb, the Nordic mobility programme for young workers. Summer jobs should be starting up now, but many are still waiting to hear from their prospective employers.
Åland gave Finnish Maria a Nordic language boost
Improved self-confidence, great experiences together with other Nordjobb workers and useful language training. These are the best memories from Maria Karjalainen’s time working through Nordjobb. Her job was in Åland – exotic enough for a student from Rovaniemi in northern Finland.
Nordic and German trade unions join forces for the green transition
Nordic trade unions should work with their colleagues in Germany to make sure the green transition happens in a just way. Together they can be strong enough to get this trade union perspective on the agenda.
Danish world first: a circular and sustainable building
In 2023, 60 Danish families will move into a cutting edge building made from climate-friendly materials that can be recycled or reused. This kind of sustainable and circular construction is being accelerated and the Nordics are playing an important role.
Construction industry high up on Nordic climate agenda
The Nordic countries are working intensively together to reduce the climate impact from the construction industry both in the region and elsewhere in the EU.
Passionate about seaweed: healthy, tasty and plentiful
Seaweed has been rediscovered as a resource with a range of uses point out ecopreneurs and researchers. But it is also under threat from human activities.
The many ways in which seaweed can save the environment
In Denmark, researchers, companies, authorities and interest organisations have come together in Tang Nu (Danish for Seaweed Now), a project exploring how seaweed farming might help create cleaner oceans and how to use seaweed biomass as food and animal feed.
Norwegian petrol stations might fall victim to EVs
The number of petrol stations has slowly fallen for many years. Soon there will be more EV chargers than petrol stations in Norway.
Green transition brings big industry to northern Sweden
The construction of Northvolt’s electric car battery factory in Skellefteå in Västerbotten County represents one of the largest industrial investments in Swedish history. Within five years, 3,000 people will be employed to produce a car battery that is environmentally friendly to produce and to use.
Nordic equality: small annual changes but a long-term revolution
2020 became a bit of a gap year for gender equality, according to the Nordic Labour Journal barometer. It measures whether 24 positions of power in each of the Nordic countries are being held by a woman or man on 8 March. Like last year, women got 83 points. 100 points equals total equality.
Nordic cooperation to secure equality for LGBTI people
Children, young people and seniors are important priority groups for equality ministers’ cooperation on LGBTI rights.
What is it really like to be LGBTI in Norway today?
Norway’s LGBTI community is more exposed than ever and their living conditions should therefore be studied. So say young people in Trondheim’s gay milieu, and get support from a gender researcher.
EU minimum wage directive: last stand for the Nordics?
2021 looks set to be the year when the issue of statutory minimum wages in Europe will be settled. The debate has lasted a long time and opinions are divided, but on 28 October 2020, the EU Commission finally presented a proposed directive which will be processed by the European Council and the EU Parliament.
Yellow card from Sweden and Denmark to proposed minimum wages in the EU
The Swedish and Danish parliaments want the EU Commission to withdraw the proposed directive on statutory minimum wages. Both parliaments have used the so-called yellow card procedure, arguing the proposal is in breach of the EU’s principle of subsidiarity.
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