Northern Dimension

The Northern Dimension is a joint policy between four equal partners - the European Union, Russia, Norway and Iceland - regarding the cross-border and external policies geographically covering North-West Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Arctic regions, including the Barents region. The ND Policy was initiated in 1999 and renewed in 2006. The Northern Dimension addresses the specific challenges and opportunities arising in those regions and aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the EU and its member states, the northern countries associated with the EU under the European Economic Area (Norway and Iceland) and Russia. A particular emphasis is placed on subsidiarity, and on ensuring the active participation of all stakeholders in the North, including regional organisations, local and regional authorities, the academic and business communities, and civil society.

Several key priority themes for dialogue and co-operation under the Northern Dimension have been identified:

The working method for cooperation within the Northern Dimension is the partnerships model. ND cooperation takes place within four partnerships:

Other kinds of activities are pursued through the Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) and the Northern Dimension Business Council (NDBC).

The ND policies' own bodies convene on a regular basis to discuss the development of the joint policies. Partner countries' MPs also meet every other year at a Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum to discuss the development of the activities.

ND cooperation is based on the principle of co-financing. Funding is provided not only by the participating states but also via the EU's funding instruments and programmes and International Financial Institutions (IFIs).

The Northern Dimension is intended to promote security and stability in the region, as well as helping build a safe, clean, and accessible environment for all people in the north. It aims at addressing the special regional development challenges of northern Europe. These include cold climatic conditions, long distances, wide disparities in standards of living, environmental challenges including problems with nuclear waste and wastewater management, and insufficient transport and border crossing facilities. The Northern Dimension is also intended to take advantage of the rich potential of the region, for example in terms of natural resources, economic dynamism, and a rich cultural heritage.

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