Estonian Prime Minister Ansip: Nordic countries and Baltic States are a good club to belong to

Monday, 28 October 2013
NB8 Prime Ministers in Oslo on 28 October 2013. Photo: Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org NB8 Prime Ministers in Oslo on 28 October 2013. Photo: Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org

At a meeting of the prime ministers of the Nordic countries and Baltic States held in Oslo on 28 October the heads of government discussed regional cooperation, the state of the economy in Europe and its competitiveness. The prime ministers agreed that the Nordic-Baltic region remains one of the most dynamically developing on the continent.

Estonian prime minister Andrus Ansip said that Europe needed to continue to implement structural reforms and to achieve its budgetary goals if it is to restore its stability and reliability. He said that development of digital services in a single European market wouldcontribute to boosting the economy.

According to the prime ministers, the Nordic countries and Baltic States remain a dynamically developing region whose countries have managed to keep their economies in order and which, as a result, finds itself in a better position than the European Union as a whole.

"This is a region where the countries' finances have been kept in check, where the debt burden of the government sector is low and where the government sector deficit is under control," Ansip said. "On top of that, our banks are strong. Cooperation in the region has contributed a lot to all of this."

The prime minister also emphasised the importance of cooperation from the point of view of how closely intertwined the Nordic and Baltic economies are. "The biggest investors in Estonia come from Northern Europe, making up two-thirds of all foreign investment," he explained. "That's why for us the format of our meetings works so well." He said that it is useful to coordinate activity not only in the region, but also internationally.

"For us the Nordic countries and Baltic States are a good club to belong to," he added.
Also discussed during the meeting was the summit to be held in Vilnius at the end of November. Prime Minister Ansip said that support must be shown for the EU's Eastern partners in continuing on their course towards Europe.

The specific results that are awaited from the summit are the signing of a free trade and association agreement with Ukraine and agreement on the wording of similar documents with Georgia and Moldova.

Press release compiled by Government Communication Unit.

The prime ministers of the Nordic countries and Baltic States traditionally meet the day before the autumn session of the Nordic Council, i.e. the Nordic Summit. The summit brings together the heads of government, various ministers, representatives of the people, leading thinkers and organisations from the Nordic countries to discuss joint policy and the challenges facing the region. This year's summit is to take place in Oslo from 29-31 October. The themes of and news and photos from the summit can be viewed on the official website of Nordic cooperation.


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