Nordic ministers for justice stand together against cross-border crime
During the meeting, the ministers discussed the fight against organised crime, focusing on the recruitment of children and young people to commit serious violent crimes, the impact on the judiciary, financial crime, and human trafficking.
“Organised crime is highly cross-border in nature, both in the Nordics and globally. Today, my fellow Nordic ministers for justice and I have had important discussions on how we can step up efforts in the fight against such crime together and individually. It’s about safeguarding freedom and restoring security in our societies,” says Sweden’s Minister for Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, who holds the Nordic presidency this year.
The Nordic ministers for justice also met with representatives from major digital platforms to discuss their role in crime prevention.
New Nordic co-operation programme for 2025 to 2030
At the meeting, the Nordic ministers for justice also approved their co-operation programme for the period 2025 to 2030. Their co-operation will focus on efforts to promote Nordic legal unity, the rule of law in the Nordic Region, as well as the prevention and combatting of crime and terrorism, which are often cross-border in nature.
The Nordic ministers for justice have decided to prioritise areas that are central to strengthening cohesion in the Nordic countries. Together, we can ensure a safe and democratic future for our region.
The co-operation programme for the Nordic Council of Ministers’ justice sector will be officially launched, together with the Nordic Council of Ministers’ other sectors, at the end of October.
Nordic co-operation in the justice sector
The co-operation of the ministers for justice is based on the principles of the Helsinki Treaty (link), the overarching principles and priorities of Nordic co-operation, as well as the current co-operation programme.
The Nordic ministers for justice meet once a year in a Nordic context. The meetings are prepared by a committee of senior officials with officials from the respective Nordic ministries for justice. The committee of senior officials is responsible for preparing the meetings, as well as for implementing and following up on the ministers’ decisions. The committee of senior officials usually meets three times a year.
