Cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region
Cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region was launched in 1993 on two levels: intergovernmental (Barents Euro-Arctic Council, BEAC), and interregional (Barents Regional Council, BRC), with sustainable development as the overall objective. The region was an area of military confrontation during the Cold War. The underlying premise was that close cooperation secures poltical long-term stability and reduces possible tensions. This objective has already been successfully achieved. The Barents cooperation has fostered a new sense of unity and closer contact among the people of the region which is an excellent basis for further progress.
Cooperation in governmental and regional level
The members of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council are Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the European Commission. The chair of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council rotates between Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Sweden holds the chairmanship for the period 2009-2011.
Thirteen counties or similar sub-national entities form the Barents Regional Council (BRC). The Region of Troms (Norway) is the chair of the BRC 2009-2011.
The representatives of the three indigenous peoples, the Sámi, the Nenets and the Vepsians, cooperate in the Working Group of Indigenous Peoples . It has an advisory role in relation to both the BEAC and the BRC.
Where appropriate, there is also coordination with the relevant activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of Baltic Sea States and the Arctic Council.
The Barents cooperation in a few pages (pdf):