Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-709/ The co-operation programme fleshes out the Nordic Council of Ministers’ action plan for Vision 2030 and its 12 goals and describes what Nordic co-operation on working life will seek to achieve by 2024. The Nordic Council of Ministers is committed to labour markets that match the requirements of the green transition and progress toward digitalisation and that support freedom of movement in the Nordic Region. The Nordic models for working life are based to a large extent on gender equality, social security and dialogue between the social partners. However, the Nordic labour markets also face significant changes as a result of, for example, new technology and the digitalisation of workplaces, demographic trends and new forms of employment. The co-operation programme identifies the challenges faced and looks at how best Nordic co-operation can help address them.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-719/ The Nordic Council of Ministers for Health and Social Affairs’ (MR-S) co-operation programme for 2022–2024 will generate knowledge and exchange information about shared challenges in the field of health and welfare throughout the Nordic Region. The main purpose is to generate initiatives and solutions that will contribute to the development of policy and guarantee the sustainability of the Nordic welfare societies at local, regional, national and Nordic levels at a time of limited resources.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-731/ The Nordic energy ministers present a new Nordic energy policy co-operation programme for the period 2022–2024. The Nordic Region wants to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030, and that is also the overall vision for co-operation on energy. A green transition of the Nordic societies will not be possible without a substantial green energy transition. As the Nordic energy systems are closely linked, working together on joint initiatives will lead to a green transition that is more cost-effective and socially sustainable than if the countries were each to achieve the goals individually. In 2020, the Nordic Council of Ministers for Energy Policy (MR-E) adopted seven focus areas as input into the action plan for Our Vision 2030. These will structure Nordic energy co-operation during the period covered by the programme and be at the heart of all of the work: - The green transition of the energy sector - Closer collaboration on research to aid the green transition - Nordic co-operation in the electricity market - Energy efficiency, technology and behavioural change - Working together on EU/EEA-related energy questions - Social acceptance of new energy plants and the green transition - The green transition of the transport sector.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2023-501/ This research report is part of a project examining how to increase labour force participation among vulnerable groups (young people, seniors, immigrants, and disabled people) in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this report is to provide a description of the vulnerable groups in the Nordic labour markets and analyse differences in labour force participation among these groups. We find that no country outshines all the others regarding labour force participation for these vulnerable groups. This highlights the fact that cross-country learning and collaboration can be fruitful in the future. In the forthcoming phases of this project, we will identify relevant barriers that lead to labour market exclusion and develop a method to group people, according to these barriers. The aim is to formulate policy recommendations to improve the labour market attachment among vulnerable groups.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-737/ A Sustainable Arctic – the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Arctic Co-operation Programme 2022–2024 – is the ninth programme of its kind. The Nordic Council of Ministers has a vision of the Nordic Region being the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030. By focusing on a green, competitive and socially sustainable Region, the Nordic countries will seek to show the way to a sustainable future. In the Arctic, they will work together to develop knowledge, build expertise about developments and identify opportunities for the region and its people.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2023-043/ The Nordic countries are facing labour shortages. Yet, integrating migrants into the labour market remains a challenge, especially for non-EU-born citizens and refugee women. Employers play a central role in supporting integration. This report explores Nordic employers' perceptions of hiring low-skilled migrants. It highlights motivations, benefits, and challenges based on literature and interviews.The employers in this study believe long-term advantages outweigh initial challenges. Benefits include access to a larger labour pool, and improved public image. Common challenges are legal hurdles, communication challenges and limited language skills.The study finds that reducing language requirements and collaborating with the public sector, NGOs and staffing agencies are effective strategies. And while wage subsidies positively impact employment, the awareness among employers is limited.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-712/ In an international perspective the Nordic countries have long been progressive in the LGBTI area, but despite the fact that some legislation is in place, there are still many challenges to address before LGBTI people can obtain equal opportunities and rights. In 2020, the Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality initiated a formal co-operation programme under the Nordic Council of Ministers on equal treatment and equal rights for LGBTI people in the Nordic region. This text is a supplement to the Nordic Co-operation Programme for Gender Equality 2019-2022. The supplement governs the Nordic co-operation in the LGBTI area, and describes the most important priorities until the end of the programme period, 31 December 2022.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2023-538/ This report is the third in a research project examining how to increase labour market participation among vulnerable groups in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this report is partly to deepen our understanding of the prevalence of employment barriers among vulnerable groups and partly to group these individuals according to the employment barriers they face. In the report we show that: 1. Individuals with no or weak labour market attachment typically face a complex set of employment barriers. 2. It is possible to group the vulnerable individuals in the Nordic countries into 8 distinct data-driven target groups that share similar employment barriers. 3. Traditional demographic target groups (i.e., young people, seniors, etc.) share common barriers, which challenge their distinct categorisation. These empirical findings demonstrate that future employment policies may derive greater benefits by focusing on the specific employment barriers faced by individuals rather than relying on broad demographic categories as a shorthand for the unique challenges experienced by individuals.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2023-513/ This report is the second report in a research project examining how to increase labour market participation among vulnerable groups in the Nordic countries. In this report we develop a framework over employment barriers that vulnerable groups face in the nordic countries, based on an extensive targeted literature review. The purpose of the framework is twofold. First, we hope it can be a tool for practitioners to identify and address the broad range of barriers to employment that vulnerable groups potentially face. Second, the framework will be useful in future phases of this project, when we will operationalise and measure the prevalence of the barriers among vulnerable groups in the Nordic countries and analyse relevant and promising policies to help individuals with certain set of barriers.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-724/ In 2019, the Nordic prime ministers adopted a vision for the Nordic Region to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by the year 2030. The Nordic Council of Ministers was tasked with steering Nordic co-operation towards delivering this vision. The Nordic Council of Ministers is following a special action plan in its efforts relating to the vision for the period 2021 to 2024. Now, after almost two years, a mid-point evaluation has been produced. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine during the period, the Nordic Council of Ministers has delivered concrete results and made an impact. The activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers are being steered towards supporting the Nordic countries as well as possible in their realisation of the vision. Efforts relating to the green transition have been bolstered by way of DKK 120 million in additional funding thanks to a budget redistribution in the period 2021 to 2024. The mid-point evaluation was approved by the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation in September 2022.