The Nordic Council Explained: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark & Iceland's Union - TLDR News

[@Kathkere]

As a Swede I think that the Nordic Council is a good institution. I'm not anti-EU, but our relationship with the EU has its ups and downs, and the EU itself as a political body is currently being tested. The Nordic Council is, in comparison, a stable body. The Nordic Countries have a lot more in common with each other than we do with, say, Spain, Italy or Greece. The Nordic Council ensures that our countries continue to work together rather than drift apart. I'm all for closer cooperation with our neighbors.

[@Woffenhorst]

Another big difference is that the NC ha no direct powers, it can only suggest things.

[@juanpabloperezgomez4349]

So you prefer a wishy washy consultive body for basic coordination with extremely like minded partners that barely does anything practical to a proper political organisation with true powers in which you actually have to do stuff and compromise outside your confort zone. :p

[@Cosmic_idea]

Well a second attempt of a Kalmar union will properly always be the plan B for the Nordic countries, in case everything fucks up.

[@thepickle5214]

@@juanpabloperezgomez4349 u good there? y so mad?

[@thepickle5214]

@@Cosmic_idea second times a charm?

[@TomLuTon]

"Language: Leading the charge on mutual recognition and understanding of each other's languages" Laughs in Finnish

[@ganjafi59]

TomLuTon finish school system: laughs in Swedish

[@larrywave]

@@ganjafi59 not really 🤣

[@rrni2343]

Perkele!

[@alwaysuseless]

Roughly 10 million Swedes, 5 million Norwegians, and 5 million Danes speak their own language and try to understand the others'. If it gets too difficult, they switch to English. What is wrong with this picture? How difficult would it be to develop a Standard Scandinavian language? This language could be taught starting in elementary schools, and by the time these students graduate from high school, they would be fluent in this unifying language. In time, 20 or 30 million Scandinavians would have a common language, and non-Scandinavians would be far more motivated to learn this language. The only real obstacle is national pride: "Tweaking my language means losing our culture." Not really. Instead of a Swede, Norwegian, and Dane switching to English, they could switch to Scandinavian, just as the Swiss can switch from Swiss German to Standard German, a.k.a. Hochdeutsch. English: ........... I don't understand you. Let's switch to Scandinavian. Swedish: ......... Jag förstår dig inte. Låt oss byta till skandinaviska. Norwegian: ..... Jeg forstår deg ikke. La oss bytte til skandinavisk. Danish: ........... Jeg forstår dig ikke. Lad os skifte til skandinavisk. Scandanavian: Jeg forstår dig ikke. Låt oss byta til skandinavisk.

[@larrywave]

@@alwaysuseless you could maybe reconstruct old norse for lingua franca ?

[@pollutingpenguin2146]

This will get a lot of views - us Nordic’s will hunt down any video on KZbin that’s about our part of the world haha

[@pollutingpenguin2146]

wargent99 that was a bit of a generalisation if I’ve heard one. And yes we keep informing those two nations how royally screwed they are getting as their media clearly don’t do it - the people of the USA and the UK are being completely screwed over by their governments - you have Trump and Boris, I think that’s says it all really. You guys have shit pay, shit schools, shit healthcare, shit everything really - and yet your nations keep saying you’re number 1 in the world - talk about delusion. Just take covid - what a travesty that’s been for those two nations - 250,000 deaths combined and economies in complete ruins with its people not trusting its government. Keep doing what you’re doing - I’m sure there won’t be a civil war in the USA or that the UK won’t split up and have Northern Ireland and Scotland leaving.

[@adorabasilwinterpock6035]

wargent99 jesus christ who hurt you

[@Gnomgnash]

@wargent99 C'mon, point on the teddy bear, where did the man touch you?

[@0xCAFEF00D]

@wargent99 No the reason this happens is because KZbin throws anything mildly popular about Nordic countries at me through recommendations. At least when there's an international audience. I've seen channels that review military recruitment ads shown to me completely out of the blue. Countless 'look were eating the stinky fish' videos and videos on someone's experience using trains, describing the accommodations, price etc. A good recent example is three of my coworkers all got a recommendation for the langfocus channel when it covered Swedish. The only reason I know this is because it describes aspects of the language we've never thought about and wanted to share the next day at lunch. Also people from the US and UK tell me much more about how shitty their countries are than I tell them. As you should damn well know before doing the exact same thing, it's rude to complain like that. So I don't do it unless pressed.

[@thepickle5214]

true

[@MoLauer]

As holder of a strong Danish minority, Schleswig-Holstein has de-facto observer status in the Nordic Council. The same is true for the Baltic Countries.

[@PyrusFlameborn]

How do decisions made by the Nordic Council apply to observer members?

[@TheOsis181]

@@PyrusFlameborn Decision made in the council are not binding in anyway. They are more like strong suggestions that members can choose to follow on their own discretion

[@mgs1302]

Schleswig-Holstein nordic😂 If Denmark was'nt a nordic tribe the hole Schleswig were back in their homeland Germany🇩🇪 Greetings from Bavaria🔵⚪

[@MoLauer]

@@mgs1302 i don't think I can take bavarian answer serious in this matter...

[@vrenak]

@@mgs1302 The only reason south Schleswig is German is because Germans for centuries immigrated to the area and settled there, changing the demographics, from purely Danish to overwhelmingly German, so at the plebiscite they voted for Germany. NOT because it was always German, it never was, it was taken over by replacing locals.

[@pjacobsen1000]

I'm from Denmark, and this video taught me that The Nordic Council does a lot of talking and very little action. Just how we Nordics like it.

[@johneriksson9356]

så sant hej från Sverige

[@patu2175]

Jag tycker att vi här i Norden tycker om att saker fortsätter inte så snabbt. Hälsningar från Finland.

[@NyanGeneral]

isnt it usually the other way around in scandinavia though? people try to keep any social interactions to things meaningful, avoiding rubbish like small talk with strangers, and getting to the point?

[@redrhubarb9219]

The Nordic Council is a huge piece of dead weight, or as we call it in Norwegian: "Supperåd"

[@saxojon]

Talking is important in order to be aware that when you finally do act it is because it is needed and it is intentionally.

[@Asfaril]

"The nordic union was nothing new, going all the way back to the 1940s" - Kalmar Union (1397 to 1523) would like a word.

[@TheJibo99]

We also had a common currency until early 1900's..

[@lvoldum]

Yes, because all countries were in the Kalmar Union, Finland being a part of Sweden, and Iceland being a part of Denmark ;)

[@lvoldum]

@TheJibo99 Fun fact: the krone/krona was introduced in 1871 with exactly the same purpose as the Euro was introduced. The krone/krona however didn't hold up as common currency.

[@sgjoni]

@@lvoldum Iceland came into that marriage as a part of Norway... we just stayed with Denmark when Norway and Denmark broke up... better beer ;-)

[@lvoldum]

@Sigurður Eysteinsson Ást og virðing fyrir Ísland! 👍

[@Unknownmonkey13]

Holy shit, he actually pronounced Åland pretty damn close to correctly, what's happening to the world when people actually understand ÅÄÖ's pronounciation!?

[@helmuthitzig1654]

I know Ä and Ö but whats Å. Ive never seen this

[@Unknownmonkey13]

@@helmuthitzig1654 Å is the one he says in the video, Åland

[@verttikoo2052]

😱

[@ezlo688]

@@icebox1954 No, Å and Ä are separate letters. The last three letters of the Swedish alphabet is both Å, Ä and Ö. I am also pretty sure that Æ is more like the Norwegian/Danish version of Ä.

[@ezlo688]

@@icebox1954 Sorry to come with a correction once again, but as you can se when I mentioned the Swedish alphabet ending, Å and Ö is also separate letters. Ö is more like Ø in Norwegian or Danish. So all three languages basically have the same sounds represented, but with different symbols/letters. If I remember correctly Å could also be spelled as AA in older Swedish/Danish/Norwegian and it might still usually be considered as an acceptable spelling in Danish and Norwegian. I appreciate that you made the edit though and seem to strive to get the the information right :)

[@HedinnBjornsson]

Compared to the EU, the Nordic counsil works very slowly, but it means that it avoids the backlash against the integration that that the EU suffers regularily. It is an integration that is happening in the pace that the populations can handle.

[@AliothAncalagon]

If I look at the history of humanity that basically means no integration and no progress at all. There has never been any progress ever made without any backlash. Not even talking about the fact that there is such a thing as a retarded backlash you shouldn't kowtow to. Its only later generations that start to forget about this and cultivate the illusion that the progress was all well received, just because it has no downside from the modern point of view.

[@kmeanxneth]

and the Nordic Countries have a lot more in common with each other than do with, say, Spain, Italy, Greece and other EU Countries

[@_NeoImperia_]

@Aphrodite Ethereal you do realise no go zones don't exist right? It's a myth started by shitty American media trying to fear monger people.

[@freyjulundr]

@@kmeanxneth iceland sweden norway and denmark are literally the same ethnic people we shared everything back in the day simular is a strech almost identical is more like it vikings together forever :D

[@christophertran5120]

Estonia: One day...one day

[@SilverGamingFI]

@@davefred yes

Until then, you still have the baltic council

[@maple494]

ONE DAY!!!

[@kingnikolaj]

Latvia and lithuania will become Nordic way before Estonia... Just to mess with poor old Estonia

[@tomi9562]

Estonia is liie that little brother who wants to be with much more older peoples but isnt old yet to hangout with them :(

[@nieboniebieskie3502]

I am the only person who is surprised that the Nordic consul does not have a Nordic cross in the logo?

[@MrReedling]

He was actually able to pronounce the letter å. I have so much respect for him

What impressed me the most was that he got the draw on the letter just right. The word was spot on.

[@yngvildrthevoracious]

"It's nothing new, the first idea of it came in the 1940's". *Laughs in Kalmar Union*

[@johnniemikhail4675]

well, you mean the 1400s

[@gunnardahlgaard429]

Not an idea, actual a Kalmar Union vrs. 2.0., peaceful cooperation with sharing values. I. E., work acros borders for nordics without paperwork in forehand, all done and made possible within the fra work of the nordic cooperation.

[@dyst0pi465]

Sweden: you're on this council but we don't grant you the rank of master Estonia: This is outrageous! it's unfair, how can you be on the council and not be a master? Sweden: Take a Seat

[@Pano1]

little did sweden know, the council and the nordic republic shall eventually fall.

[@DenDave_]

1:07 Love the comment about Greenland's flag not having a cross in it, but is no one else annoyed that the vertical line of Sweden's cross doesnt line up with the crosses in the other flags?

[@cityuser]

I think that's just because the flags all have different proportions, which meant they had to be adjusted/stretched accordingly. Yeah, sorry. Denmark has 28:37, Norway has 8:11, Iceland has 18:25, Sweden has 5:8 and Finland has 11:18.

[@DaDunge]

Sweden's flag is really old, while not as old as Denmark's, it's not really Sweden's don't line up with the others as much as the others all chose the Danish design.

[@ogribiker8535]

LOL, it triggered my ocd as well !!!

[@blameyourself4489]

@@DaDunge As revenge, IKEA is now in yellow and blue colors all over the world. OH NO! :-)

[@heavyflamerheresy2581]

@@DaDunge finish cross is alot fatter thant the others.

[@DerDoMeN]

I did not know that they have a miniEU up there :) I really like the idea of such smaller areas that increase their cooperation even further - it's always a good idea to have hierarchical structures where one tier is already aligned as much as possible before moving to the higher tier and I do hope that they are using this structure in such way among other things.

[@matsgmichelsen]

I am a Norwegian and I believe that most Nordic people take a lot of what the Nordic Council does and provide for granted and thus perhaps does not appreciate it much as we should. It is a body without much formal power, but I believe it is a very important tool and forum for a group of closely connected countries to maintain that good and close relationship. That relationship and unity does not come for free and EU can't provide it. Beside that, only 50% of the NC members are members of the EU.

[@rehurekj]

0:20 cant help myself but why one of the options to vote for to be explained, CEFTA, states Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia and Poland& co( Visegrad) are members? Originally or at some point in the past they were members but since they joined EU the CEFTA lost all of those members from actual Central Europe and became more or less Western Balkan organisation.

[@Megalomaniakaal]

That might well be one of the points they might cover when talking about it?

[@rehurekj]

@@Megalomaniakaal that would be fine and necessary to explain the name but they are stated as members, not former members, its the same like if they included Finland, Denmark, UK, Austria, Sweden and Portugal as EFTA members.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

The Nordic Council system seems just like a lot of people meeting and talking. And there IS some truth in this. But the Nordic cooperation system is still interesting. Citizens of all these countries and dependent regions have for many decades been able to freely work, stay, live, and study across the borders, enjoying (with some minor exceptions) all the same rights as ordinary citizens when it comes to property ownership, social services, health services, etc. People even get some voting rights in their host countries. All this in spite of very different alignments to more major cooperation systems. After all, Norway and Iceland are not EU members, but both countries are Nato members. Sweden and Finland are both EU members, but not Nato members. Danmark is both, but the Faroes and Greenland are not EU members.

[@darkiee69]

Both Faroes and Greenland belongs to Denmark even if they have self rule in local matters.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

@@darkiee69 Yes, as noted: "dependent regions".

[@corpclarke]

At about 5.40 you say the Nordic Council members are part of the Schengen Area. But Faroe Islands and Greenland are not part of the Schengen Area. Edit: the freedom of movement between the Nordic countries is a result of the Nordic Passport Union and Greenland's open borders to other Nordic countries.

[@Apokalypse456]

Faroe islands and greenland are not part of the council.

[@corpclarke]

@@Apokalypse456 it says they are on The Nordic Council website.

[@Apokalypse456]

Okay, the video says that Denmark has 20 delegates, of which 2 each go to Greenland and the Faroes. that is all the knowledge i have on this. So, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have no delegates, but replace 4 danish ones. thats my understanding, doesnt make them council members. They are Union members though. A quick wikipedia check also shows Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway as Full members, and the others as associated members. Makes sense seeing as politically Greenland and the Faroes are a part of Denmark.

[@corpclarke]

@@Apokalypse456 They are members of the Nordic Council. Associate members yes, but members nonetheless, as opposed to France or The Canary Islands which are not members. The video does not get the Council membership details wrong. It only gets wrong their Schengen membership and implies that Nordic free movement comes from Schengen. It does not.

[@Apokalypse456]

okay.

[@DenDave_]

The Benelux would be interesting. In some ways they were the stepping stone towards forming the ECSC and later the European Union.

[@tmsupreme7763]

True

[@PyrusFlameborn]

The BeNeLux were already negotiating a custom's union in the Interwar period. Sadly those negotiations were interrupted by an inconvenience called WW2.

[@sirBrouwer]

@@PyrusFlameborn it was only a flesh wound.

[@emilekroth100]

As a general question to my fellow northerners, do you like the idea of a more integrated nordic union? Why or why not? btw, Hi frow Sweden!

[@duhni4551]

As a Finn i would rather see strong united Nordic countries instead of EU, not that i hate EU, i do support it, but as EU is not compatible with USA, we are not compatible with EU. We should form NU and just cooperate with EU. Not as federation but as NU, which we are naturally.

[@torhenryandreassen6144]

I really dislike the EU, to me it is a very undemocratic body that is not working for the common good of the majority of its members' citizens but rather in the interest of the wealthy and businesses - not to mention that it is undermining the great diversity we already have in Europe by trying to intregrate everyone into a European Identity rather than one owed to their local culture. The Nordic Union, however, is a way for us members to work together because we, due to a myriad of factors, have more or less the same priorities and ideals. Sovereignty must not be surrendered, we are all nation states brought forth by the will of the people, but the Nordic Union would be a good replacement for both the EU and the NATO - because to me these are organization designed by nations much stronger than Ours who seek to make us dependent on them, and I would much rather have to depend on the neighbour I know is my equal than having to choose between one of the school bullies. Cheers from Norway :)

[@Perfektum]

@@torhenryandreassen6144 well said

[@epa901]

As a Finn, I think it's best for us to be independent, but to have good co-operation like we have now. As we saw from Kalmar union, not everyone would be presented equally, since the rulers will always be more biased to their birthplace. I like what we have now, but if i'd do something differently, I would hope for a strong military alliance between us. It would be nice. We would be at least some kind of power in Europe and wouldn't have to bend our knees to countries that don't even care about us.

[@juliushakala5148]

As a Finn I would prefer leaving EU and have strong Union with other Nordic countries

[@rufioh]

Maybe cover the Baltic region?

[@thorsteinmortensen4399]

The Nordic pass union includes none Schengen countries and the id requirements are so much more lenient than Schengen requirements.

[@leisti]

On the contrary, all the Nordic passport union members are also Schengen members. Nordic citizens have extra mobility rights compared to standard Schengen area citizens.

[@thorsteinmortensen4399]

Yea you try doing that going to Faroe Islands or Greenland without a visa.

[@frbo9002]

In practice my experience is that the passport union only works between Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. I was forced to show my passport at the airport in Reykjavik, my Swedish driver's license was apparently not enough.

[@ulrikaandersson1463]

frbo9002 I did not have to show my passport in Iceland coming from Sweden. I did not have to show my drivers licence either.

[@vrenak]

@@frbo9002 It's probably because planes bring in people from all over the world to Reykjavik, so they want to be more strict. Try taking the ferry next time.

[@cheydinal5401]

Bad explanation: You keep making that long list of committees with standard "We're for good things" goals (combatting climate change, pro-gender-equality), without actually showing what policital power the Council has. Does it have a common budget? Are foreign policy or domestic policy decisions regularly actually coordinated by Nordic governments, through the council? Next time, don't just list goals and committees. Or if you do, please actually explicitely tell me whether the organization even has the power to implement any of these like at all, and if not, whether they are actually listened to or not

[@Nathan_Moor]

I'd definitely be a bigger video, but yeah. I agree that it would be a better one.

[@MannenFromNorth]

From what I have heard as a norwegian about them is that they have "feel good" debates and rewards, otherwise everything is done in third parties level, which is also filled with corruptions, especially in the research and out speech teams, as they get more alot of funding, but it can be cut out if the answers or results they are getting are not in line with their "feel good" debates. Again this is just stuff I have heard, but it really sounds like just a bunch of politicians wanking each other off.

[@IkeOkerekeNews]

Are you stupid?

[@andmos1001]

Cheydinal the Nordic council does not really have a say in law

[@bronzdragon]

That would have been nice to know, but this video doesn't really even touch on that, does it?

[@WolfyOfHonor]

Cover Baltics pls.

[@juliogorio9683]

Need to redesign their flags (baltic states) first that will look like nordic states. 😁

[@peanuts4723]

Someone: *Makes a video about Nordic countries* People from Nordic countries: *It's invasion time*

[@stianberg5645]

Do baltics, and then briefly a bit on the Nordic-Baltic format, which ties well inn with this!

[@canadaehxplained77]

I'd love to help you put together a video on the Arctic Council - and why EU states like the UK, France, and Germany have an interest in the Arctic region. I spent a few years working at that level before coming back to Canada!

[@baalfrog]

I think the idea is very much sound. Because even most nordics are part of EU, they have more say when they group up in issues that interest them, and the council can serve as a great platform to refine and better their plans, which they then can push as a unified block in EU decision making. There are also many conviniences that the Council provides, such as the Nordic pass union, with quite lax documentation requirements to ease travel even further than Scheneng might.

[@saihtame]

The flag you use for Greenland looks really wrong. The circle is way too small.

[@codyyh9421]

all those flags are wrong. every nordic flag has different aspect ratio

[@ze_rubenator]

All those flags are wildly wrong.

[@brucemcfarling7810]

I agree. They lack feet.

[@franklinclinton4539]

Most importantly it promotes Friendship, trust and co-operation between it's members

[@einargauti7534]

Your map that you show at 4:45 does not even have Iceland, thank you very much for that.

[@mikhaelganapolsky755]

Could you make videos about the European Council, Council of the EU, Court of Justice of the EU, European Central Bank? Like, how does it work? How the people who sit there are elected?

[@DarkDutch007]

can you from here on out always put flags on the blue-ish background like in 1:00 ? cause on white backgrounds some look weird like 3:25

[@a1990hussain]

The Nordic Union sounds like a healthier interdependent relationship than the UK's devolved assemblies system. Maybe there's something we could learn here.

[@frankmcnally5993]

The UK is different, it's an island.

[@lookingforsomething]

Well yes, they are originally independent countries, and also the Nordic culture is more social/communal, which results in a very different more mutually respectful system of peers.

[@ilianceroni]

Well, it’s also about history. The UK was united in a monarchy, meaning one central authority. The Nordic Council is not really a single country, it’s kind a confederation, like EU or the US before civil war (now it’s a federation). The consequences are clearly different, were the nordic countries came together as peer, in the UK the “kingdoms” get power from a central figure. Of course current days UK created process of decentralisation (also known as “devolution”), but the laws were created in a different context, making this process more difficult.

[@cityuser]

@@frankmcnally5993 lol

[@jacquesswyngedouw5992]

Ilian Ceroni Be aware that some of the Nordic countries used to be one country in the past (Norway used to be a part of Danmark for a while, such as the bigger expand of Sweden during its Empire period...) so in fact not so different to the UK.

[@mattw9764]

Point is: we can have internationalism and localism that work well together, if we structure democracy to achieve it. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

[@jezusbloodie]

Benelux next please! Fun fact, it almost happened that the German Bundesstaat Nordrhein-Westfalen had joined the Benelux. The economies were (and are evenomore so) very interconnected, although NRW and Benelux didn't form a union, there is very deep interconnection, the Euregio (the border region between the two) is a shining example of what it now means to be in the EU. I wonder what we would have called it tho, the BeNoWeNeLux? BeNeNoWeLux? BeNeNRWLux?

[@theconqueringram5295]

Seems like the Nordic Council is a pretty cool institution.

[@QALibrary]

@TLDR Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark & Iceland been working on a project (I think it was a report study started in about the 1970s but formally started in the 1980s) this project was a seamless and none touching cross border trade of physical goods ie an e-boarder between each country... after spending hundreds of millions the project was restated in 2000s and they now spent a few hundreds of millions more...any only a very small percentage of it works... truck still need to stop and have loads and paperwork checked - from a truck driving friend from Norway only one website form part just about works after all this time and money spent.

[@padishahemperor708]

Visegrád 4 group next 🇵🇱🇨🇿🇭🇺🇸🇰 😊

[@tobiasL1991]

Yeah I really hope benelux doesn't win next time, it's just really not that interesting...

[@LiveFreeOrDieDH]

@@tobiasL1991 I'm scrolling through comments and the VERY NEXT one says "Benelux would be interesting" and has 30 likes. I find this amusing 😄

[@tobiasL1991]

@@LiveFreeOrDieDH Well maybe they want a history lesson because Benelux took more or less the same steps as the EU did, with a border agreement, an economic union and such, but while there is closer cooperation between Benelux members right now, most of it's former tasks are on the EU level. So currently it's not very impactful.

[@Yersinia]

Yes please!

[@larstarjeibennitt1479]

Good work

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

The Nordic Council, a smart approach to create an common interest group within the EU and associated countries. Far smarter than the British approach to butting heads with the EU culminating in Brexit - the synonym for Idiocracy and Economic Self Mutilation.

[@XGD5layer]

Minor note here: The Nordic Council did exist for decades before the members entered the EU.

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

I know that it was created in 1952/53 and formalised in 1962. And maybe my wording was not chosen wise enough. My point though was the smarter approach by the Nordic countries also to maintain the council past the joining of the Union by members of the council and even deepened the relationship amongst each other. They used a none confronting style and did face up to their responsibilities instead of blaming all bad on EU and taking credit for all good in a sense of entitlement.

[@appleslover]

1:07 Same 😂😂

[@appleslover]

@CharlyTDM07 when did it become a Danish territory though? Amd why Danish not British, Norwegian or German?

[@hood_avatar380]

danm norwegian and i think the nordic council is a good way to know more about our brothers love from norge

[@mcgeorge]

hopefully soon there will be a new member of the council as they have said Scotland would be a welcome member

[@edvardfremstad2371]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Domihork]

Me, a Czech: "Oh ok... So V4 wasn't even on the list of options? How dare you!" *hears about all the cool things the Nordic council is doing* Me, a Czech who knows how much V4 actually sucks: "You know what? I don't think we need a video about V4"

[@Artur-hg1qg]

It is funny how Scotland is more welcome than Estonia.

[@ranacker]

Well, they kinda have a cross on their flag, so...

[@thebluebrain8114]

what is the nordic-baltic 8 ?

[@worldwidewonders681]

0:22 this is why first past the post doesn’t work…

[@alanreid9385]

Maybe Scotland could join, since the Shetland islands were part of Norway 700 odd years ago. First things first, Scotland should get out of the union with England.

[@ze_rubenator]

Video starts at 0:50.

[@kf9346]

As a Canadian I think it's important to have smaller regional international bodies like this in addition to larger one s like the EU. 1) The unique socio-political voice of the Nordics needs amplifying; 2) It gives a stage to consider Arctic- specific issues by Arctic countries; and 3) Greenland and Greenlandic Inuit have more influence and a greater voice on matters in at the Nordic Council rather than if the same issues are discussed at the EU, UN or a larger gathering of nations.

[@Jsdo1980]

Just a note on the flags: you have given Denmark a thick cross and Sweden a thin cross, while it should be the other way around.

[@gael9270]

I'm not sure to get how powerful is the Nordic Council. It's only chatting between parliament members and funding some projects, from what I understand. Though maybe I misunderstand

[@hamstsorkxxor]

It is not really meant to help the nordic countries project power, as that function is fulfilled by the EU. Rather, the nordic council works to harmonize the relations between its members.

[@markusr353]

The Nordic Council had a common labour market and free movement way before the EEC/EU, and before they became EU members (Norway still isn't). It is pretty powerful for the individuals who can easily look for work in the neighbouring countries when they can't find a job at home.

[@DarkHarlequin]

SATW has prepared me for this video since 2010!

[@Robert_H.]

I love the Nordic countries so much that as a German I am considering moving there. Denmark and Sweden still have to fight for me where I want to go. Who likes gravitational waves and lasers? Then I am your guy :D

[@Ugapiku]

It always comes down to the fish...

[@nicolasmarazuela1010]

The one and true nordic union was the mighty Calmar Union!

[@ranacker]

Kalmar*

[@suissais4732]

No it wasnt

[@carlcramer9269]

A Nordic Union, as a concept, is much older than the 1940s. Its first great failure was when the other Nordic countries didn't join Denmark in its war against Prussia and Austria in 1864 - and it had been building for a long time before that.

[@bandie9101]

last time i was this early the Nordic Council was Kalmar Union :)

[@whynotsa6866]

Makes me wonder why that didn't work out so well...

[@sirgreggorygroda]

@@whynotsa6866 German money payed for wasa to rebel against the Danish rulers. There was also some mismanagement by the Danish rulers, like a massacre of Swedish rebellious nobels in Stockholm.

[@DaDunge]

@@whynotsa6866 Because they had different ideas about what they were getting into. Sweden figured the kings would be chosen individually by each country and the union only continue as long as they kept electing the same kings, the danes thought that they would elect a kind together and the union last forever. The thing is that the Norwegian nobles had been wiped out in the plague so there were Danish nobles in Norway which meant they vastly outnumbered the Swedes, giving the Swedes no say in the matter under that model.

[@DaDunge]

@@sirgreggorygroda Money he was meant to repay, they even went to war with him trying to get him to repay those loans. Also Vasa Wasa is a brand of hard bread.

[@tommybrunstad1986]

Erik Raude around year 1000 was king of Grenland. His son Leif Erikson discovered Amerika or Vine land as they called it.

[@KelticStingray]

As a recent convert the scottish independence Nd with family links to Norway it would be nice to see scotlamd one day be a member or observer state.

[@g0lanu]

Iceland is not in the EU, but a member of NATO and Finland is not in NATO but in the EU, so having the council makes sense to maintain an ease of movement and trade between these places, plus other security byproducts of this arrangement. But otherwise, the EU moves at the rate of the overall average which is significantly lower, so it's only natural that these countries would have needs or ideas that the EU won't be able to address for many years before they can do so individually (but coordinated like this).

[@liberalegypt]

Imagine Scandinavia+Baltic+Benelux

[@Craetor177]

I'M GENUINELY STILL TRIGGERED BY THE LACK OF A CROSS ON GREENLAND'S FLAG

[@duhni4551]

Funny, cross is the one thing that doesn't belong to Nordics. =) You guys might be the only part of Nordics that actually are still Nordics.

[@thomasmortensen4470]

Fun fact Scotland was invitet to the nordic council as a obsever but they chose not to show up...

[@marco.nascimento]

The organization is quite interesting as an alternative for how slow things change in European Union, I could see another small group of countries with similar ideals working together to reach some goals more rapidly. It would be nice, with topics mentioned in the video, like gender equality, digitalization, and climate change. And since all those countries are neighbors and share so much culture, it perfectly makes sense.

[@oleeide9763]

You forget to mention that we have in practoce had a common work marked since 1954 with revision in 1983, that in practice made it possible to travel and work al over the nordic region without even having a passport. Back in the beginning of the nighties after the bank crisis in Norway, i took advantage of this my selv, went to Sweden and worked as an untrained aid at a hospital for demented elderly, my first passport I didnt have before quite a few years later. Just thought it was relevant as to the video..

[@dandeduck]

You should publish wallpapers with your diagrams, I LOVE them. (e.g. world's major alliences and eu alliances)

[@hurri7720]

Very free movement of people between rhe Nordic countries was of course there long before Schengen. It was all once a union and Finland was part of Sweden, and for a while Norway a "part" of Sweden. And there were many wars between Sweden, Denmark and Norway ( a very popular "sport" among Kings) but not with Finland, that was left to the Russians to take care of. It's always nice to meet other Nordics elsewhere in the world too, we have lots in common.

[@stuspawton]

And here's looking forward to Scotland hopefully joining the Nordic council after independence

[@duhni4551]

Alrighty then, we start preparing our boats so we can raid and annex Scotland again. Only this time we come bearing gifts instead of axe, like good beer and vodka =D

[@mistabionerd8813]

Thunberg comments about the Nordic nations is an emotive baseless one. When you delve into the stats, the Nordic countries produce far less pollution, consume fewer resources per capita than other western nations. Sure they use more than developing or 3rd world countries, but nobody wants to live in those countries

[@TonTos.Tomahawk]

Your full of 💩💩💩💩 Finland spews out just as much as a big developing country I live here. So shut up know nothing

[@edwinwallberg6135]

@@TonTos.Tomahawk He said we use more tham developing nations. What are you complaining about?

[@peeweegunz1678]

who cares what some hysterical teen has to say, the fact that anyone takes her serious is insane to me.

[@TonTos.Tomahawk]

@@peeweegunz1678 absolutely correct those where my comments from the start ,and 2nd if you where not around in the 80s 90s 70s then you have no knowledge of climate anything 000000000000 .but that's why they chose her 25 and under know nothing of climate except for what they see today and then told by the elite industrial complex that oh no tempiture has risen in last decade ya did that in the 80s 1993 blazing in vegas but happens all the time ,very unfortunate MK ultra youth today. SEMPER FI.

[@nikolaitoxvaerd]

I live in Denmark and has never heard of this

[@Teddyboy33]

Then you need to wake up :)

[@larsedvardjohansen3408]

uhm,, that swane icon.. that were repeated trough the video.. just means .. "approvd by nor to be safe for the enviroment"..

[@Temo990]

It would have been interesting to know if the council is solemly discussing poltics or if the council has actually power to make laws like the EU.

[@sveinstmobekken2175]

It does not make laws, each of the countries have lawmaking parliaments who does that. But they give strong advice.

[@johnguslen9315]

As a mantra throughout watching this video, I´m internally hearing "BUREAUCRACY AND NO ACTION" John, Sweden, identifying as a member of the committee for the intercommunion of committees

[@jennatolls689]

Estonia: Can I into Nordic?

[@roboten98]

Nordics: Put a cross on your flag and we'll see. Lol

[@jennatolls689]

@@roboten98 Switzerland: So I am in Nordic?

[@Julianna.Domina]

I'M early, YOU'RE early, SHE'S early, is there anyone here who isn't early?

[@BirdEgg123]

I cum too early :(

[@kharalee41]

@@BirdEgg123 I-

[@bobkirby2603]

What is this about Canada, New Zealand, Australia and UK signing an agreement, is it trade or does it go further.

[@himfromscandinavian5354]

What does Canada, New Zealand, Australia and UK have to do with this? nothing, this is about the nordic council. Cheers!

[@jandmath]

It’s kind of annoying that these kind of videos so seldom get the proportions of the Norwegian flag correct. The tone of the blue color is also wrong. Makes the flag look so tame.

[@TILR]

You should do a video on the sovereign order of Malta (separate from the republic of Malta), the country with no territory should still get a country with shoes icon

[@anderschristiansolbergjens4432]

From an R&D perspective the nordic council has several programs that help get environmental project off the ground, which often leads to parallel projects running on national, nordic and eu level. This does make a difference in fast tracking new green technology to the market even if they don't have legislative power

[@haripetrov1289]

I mean.... when the competition is heavily regulated and soon will be outright banned.... sure the green technologies will succeed.... Electric cars as an example will succeed if policies such as the banning of internal combustion engine cars by 2035 is upheld and will be for the future.

[@Hession0Drasha]

Pretty much the best place to live in the world :)

[@meneither3834]

I'm pretty sure the concept of a Nordic union is older than from the 1940s. I mean the Kalmar union was a thing.

[@maddoxgreene7419]

Those are different things

[@MatsRappe]

It has long been a dream among some people and there are several associations that have long worked for it. Unfortunately, they tend to have many neo-Nazi members.

[@Kanelbullah]

Kalmar union is far way back. But there was Scandinavian movement in the middle of the 19th century. But it died when Sweden failed to help denmark in the was against prussia and austria in Schleswig-Holstein.

[@joelthorstensson2772]

The concept that the nordic people should not be separated by any border is not really a new one, swedes have commuted to work in norway since way before this "border" thing was a fad. Swedes, danes, norwegians, finns etc etc have always had it easy going into any of the other countries, we've been able to work and live in each others countries way before the ECSC and EU, it, along with BeNeLux, were the inspiration for the EU. I can't remember the last time I had to show my passport to a police officer when crossing the border. Even before sweden, denmark, finland joined the EU and freedom of movement due to schengen, the showing of ones passport was basically just a formality

[@Kanelbullah]

@@joelthorstensson2772 at the same I'm not to keen for further integration.

[@RonenK-id4ww]

estonia is crying in the corner

[@cuongpham6218]

I'm just curious, why are Estonians so desperate to be Nordic anyway?

[@evir3808]

@@cuongpham6218 They are not. Just some teenagers once started to make memes and some others catched this "trend".

[@jainamaden156]

@@cuongpham6218 Russia

[@tomi9562]

@@cuongpham6218 its just a meme

[@cuongpham6218]

@@tomi9562 The way I see it, it's more than a meme. I have seen a fair share of Estonians on Quora who insist on their Nordic identity, even going as far as giving comparisons with Nordic countries just to prove their point lol

[@ez9566]

Question: How were flags invented? Did the people just randomly invent the concept and everyone copied it or something?

[@Wasserfeld.]

Benelux next, please. Would be good if you could get round to the British-Irish Council. I have a hunch most people have no idea it exists.

[@ez9566]

I actually think the flag of greenland looks very good

[@lovfro]

It is representative of the arctic winter and summer with day long darkness/light. Red and white was chosen to symbolise the historical tie to Denmark. I believe it was back in '89 when Greenland got more autonomy from the Danish parliament for the first time with their own national assembly.

[@null090909]

For Norway, the Council is a comfortable alternative to EU membership. No need to talk to strangers. No need to take real actions. It's like talking about the weather with your neighbors.

[@niallmcintyre4542]

When Scotland is an independent country again it should apply to join!

[@hasse102]

You are welcome. In fact they spoke a nordic language on Shetland islands until the end of the 1800.

[@stefanocapparelli4997]

V4, Benelux, Baltic council too,...

[@plushiie_]

It's just like a good old family dinner :p

[@psammiad]

Literally never heard of Åland. Apparently it's a group of autonomous Swedish-speaking islands which are part of Finland, and just off the Finnish coast.

[@cityuser]

You know, it's pretty weird. They're basically Swedish, but since Finland doesn't want to release it, they're instead an autonomous region of Finland. The largest island, and its capital, are actually closer to the Swedish coast. Their flag is just the Swedish flag, but with a smaller red cross in the middle. In my opinion, this arrangement in some ways has distanced Åland from both Sweden and Finland. However, their identity lies much closer to Sweden regardless. If any finns are reading this, it's time to let go. Hand over Åland. It's best for everyone.

[@mrgentleman6434]

cityuser As an autonomous region of Finland, they do have certain benefits which they would lose if they became a part of Sweden. Finland also has more respect for Swedish as it's an official language than Sweden has to Finnish. Åland should be able to choose for themselves which of the two they want to be part of and asking for "Finland to hand Åland over" sounds unnecessary

[@Kathkere]

@@cityuser Sweden could've pressed the issue but chose not to (although I do not have the sources at hand so can't expound on it more than that). Their flag is pretty old and the red cross is supposed to symbolize Finland. Unlike other nations, Swedes are not upset that Åland belongs to Finland. It's kinda quirky, and the Ålanders seem happy enough with the arrangement so it's very much a non-issue. I don't think Åland wants to return to Sweden either, although 100 years ago they probably would've.

[@TheOsis181]

@@Kathkere well Sweden fid press the issue back in the day but League of Nations ruled in the favor of Finland because geographically the islands that comprise Åland are a continuous archipelago from the Finland Proper region and in a few thousand years when Finland's landmass rises from the sea would form a contiguous landmass.

[@MrAapasuo]

@@cityuser League of nations had a ruling over this you know. Finland also offered an "exchange" that if Åland was given to sweden then Finland would raise the question of Tornio valley area which was mostly inhabited by relative folk of finnish people. Even today it still has large population of Meänkieli speaking folk, a relative of finnish language. turns out Sweden didnt want Finland raising that question all that baddly

[@santiagogomez171]

Why did you put Russia in the EU section

[@hyunjinki1995]

Estonia? Nordic? I don’t think so For me they more into Baltic

[@bocbinsgames6745]

1:00 S T R E T C H flags

[@cokrullebol]

Awhhh man. Benalux almost got explained!

[@gogledhol]

I wish the UK became an observer state of the council.

[@himfromscandinavian5354]

Will never happen, only nordic countries

[@Tingletonttu]

@@himfromscandinavian5354 Baltic countries have observer status, as do Sami.

[@felipec.6296]

The Netherlands could join...they have a lot in common with Scandinavians, especially Danes and Norwegians. Germanic roots

[@000Dragon50000]

Finland being included in this is kind of hilarious since they're not nordic.

[@thespaceman4808]

finland is nordic, finland however is not scandinavian.