Ten key points for youth

1. Education is the A and Z

The Nordic countries must keep their top place in international rankings on such things as competitiveness and education. This can be ensured by reinforcing education, research and innovation. Schools should not only provide their pupils with knowledge and learning but also develop them mentally and socially. Guidance counselling and student welfare services need to be improved in order to increase well-being among school pupils and students. Cooperation in university education is vital. During its Presidency, Finland will develop information for the young on a Nordic basis and enhance the existing Nordplus mobility programmes and the recently introduced Nordic Master's Programmes.

2. Unspoiled nature also in the future

The Nordic countries are known as an area with unspoiled nature and pure waters, and they must remain so. These countries must gain more influence over the environmental policy of the European Union and the elaboration of international environmental conventions, and be able to implement agreements and obligations efficiently. The Finnish Presidency will put particular focus on the Baltic Sea and its condition. For this purpose it is important to implement the Marine Strategy of the EU. The Baltic states will be involved in Nordic cooperation more than before, because environmental issues are becoming increasingly global. Competitiveness will be promoted, with sustainable development as an overriding goal. The use of renewable sources of energy will be developed and energy efficiency encouraged.

3. Society for children and young people

Even the young must be made visible in society. Therefore, cooperation on children's and young people's issues will be one of the priorities of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year. It is important to guarantee good living conditions for children and young people, and they must be given opportunities to influence. Everyone, even a young person, has the right to a social identity. Schools, for their part, should help their pupils build up self-confidence and social competence. During the Finnish Presidency, a computer game for young people will be produced and seminars will be arranged on such themes as the young and equality, and equality among school pupils.

4. A common Nordic area

The ongoing work to eliminate border barriers between the Nordic countries will continue. These countries should constitute an area where citizens can move freely. It should be easy to study or work in another Nordic country. Therefore the related systems will be simplified and citizens will be clearly informed which country is their country of taxation and when they must register in another country's population register. The word of the year is mobility, ranging from a summer job under the Nordjobb programme to a couple of years of studies under a Nordic Master's Programme.

5. Growing responsibility

Global responsibility grows as the world gets smaller. Originally, Nordic cooperation started between the Nordic countries only, but today also the Baltic states and Northwestern Russia are involved in it in a growing number of sectors. As from 2008, exchange students under the Nordplus programmes can study in Baltic countries, too, since the programmes will be extended to cover the Baltics. In addition, the Finnish Presidency will increase contacts between Nordic and Baltic authorities. In the field of development policy, joint projects will be organised within the Nordic+ Group.

6. Living countryside

It must be possible to carry on the primary rural industries – agriculture, forestry and fisheries – , also in the Nordic countries. Joint Nordic research on these fields will be supported, and work will be done to develop for instance socially, economically and ecologically acceptable forestry. Nordic food has traditionally been pure, and must remain so. A project entitled "New Nordic Food" has been launched in order to make Nordic food more visible in the world. This project, too, is based on the availability of pure, safe and fresh foodstuffs.

7. Your health - your future

A well-functioning system of social welfare and health care services is one of the cornerstones of the Nordic welfare model, and the Nordic countries have established a number of joint education and research institutions to operate in this field. Today, there are many concerns about young people's well-being. It is important to create a healthy growing environment for children and young people, and to improve their opportunities to influence. The Finnish Presidency aims at developing various forms of social security for students and, at the same time, dismantling border barriers. The growing obesity of children and young people is a major concern. The significance of physical exercise and healthy food will be highlighted as part of the means developed to stop this trend.

8. Nordic equality

The Nordic countries should be pioneers in the field of equality, too. The Presidency's priorities in this sector are gender and power, and gender and the young. From the point of view of equality it is of paramount importance that work and family life can be easily reconciled. One step towards greater equality would be that both mothers' and fathers' employers would share the costs of family leaves. From the viewpoint of the young, it is important to mainstream a gender sensitive perspective in all youth work. In addition, the Nordic countries will cooperate to combat prostitution and trade in human beings.

9. High-quality work in the country of your choice

Globalisation imposes new requirements in traditional labour market policies, and the Nordic countries will additionally need to prepare for structural changes in the labour market. To ensure economic growth, it is vital to raise the employment rate and to increase the supply of labour force. Quality of working life will be a priority during the Finnish Presidency, and improvements in it must boost productivity. It is important to improve the relationship between the supply and demand of labour force. This can be achieved by such means as developing electronic employment services between the Nordic countries.

10. Influence

In the Nordic countries, the distance between decision-makers and citizens is short by international standards. It can, however, be shortened further, and the Finnish Presidency will therefore endeavour to improve citizens' opportunities of influence. One means to this end is increased awareness-raising on Nordic cooperation, which, in turn, is conducive to attracting more interest in Nordic cooperation. Even young people can have influence!