The Minister of Social Affaires´ speech at the Conference EU Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Wellbeing,Oslo27.10.03

Mr. Chairman, Ministers, Ambassadors, Colleagues

Ladies and Gentlemen

Norway attaches great importance to co-operation with our neighbouring areas in the health and social field, and we are honoured to see so many important actors gathered here today, knowing we share the same aims and values when establishing this partnership.

In special I feel free to mention the need to emphasize children and young people as a main target group. It is of great importance, an obligation I dare say, to pay special attention to the plight of children who are especially vulnerable, e.g. orphans, street children, disabled children and others in need of special care. At the same time, and to underline my points; to help them we also have to focus on their parents and their family situation. Children are deeply dependent on their parents and the family’s wellbeing. It is therefore just as important to offer preventive health-care, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, vaccination programmes and measures to combat lifestyle-related diseases as it is to create social activities for children and young people such as youth centres and to provide cultural initiatives. Within the framework of the Partnership, I hope special emphasis will be given to focus on the living conditions of children and youth in our regions, especially in the fields of social affairs, health and education. A cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach where health and social sector are co-ordinated and complementary is necessary and strongly recommended. I am confident that the members of the Committe of Senior Representatives that will be appointed to implement and monitor our future actions, will pay attention to these challenges.

I will also underline the fact that we all are seriously affected by the drug abuse problems. They require not only national, global and regional attention but subregional attention and cooperation as well. The Nordic cooperation in this field dates back to 1970. It is on high time to expand this kind of cooperation to also comprise the Northern Dimension.

An additional aim is to create a platform for broader and closer contacts between Norway and the other countries in the Partnership and place great emphasis on strategically important sectors such as environment, health, education, children and youth and crime prevention.

For Norway it is also important to establish effective cooperation in the areas of law, justice and home affairs, and police collaboration. Full implementation and enforcement of Community legislation in these areas is essential for building the mutual confidence between the parties that is required. Some of the problems this poses are assured of technical assistance and expertise. A number of the countries taking part in the Partnership have expressed a desire to cooperate with Norway in this area. The already existing police co-operation within the Baltic Sea Task Force functions well, and represents a good example of how concrete co-operation can be carried out. Norway fully participates in this work and will support further developments. In this connection, the Letter of Intent, signed by the Ministers for Narcotic Drug Policy in the Nordic and the Baltic countries in Lund last September, is of relevance and worth mentioning.

Where drugs are available, it is not only necessary to combat drug related crime. Prevention and rehabilitation is also needed. Hopefully Norway can contribute in this field as well.

Norway has for several years been actively involved in co-operation with Russia and the other Northern Dimension Partners through the Nordic, the Baltic and the Barents co-operation.

The first Barents Health Co-operation programme was initiated and adopted in 1999. Four weeks ago, the Barents Council adopted a renewed Co-operation Programme on Health and Related Social Issues in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region 2004 - 2007. This will be a central component of the partnership.

In April 2000, at the Summit of the Baltic Sea States, a Task Force on Communicable Disease Control was established. Its mandate expires next summer, and I believe that the many initiatives, networks and projects must be carried forward also after the expiration of the current Task Force mandate. Norway has contributed some 14 million Euro to these programmes.

I want to draw your attention to two new financial instruments. From 1 ^st> of May 2004, the European Union will comprise 28 countries. Norway and these 28 countries have settled a new EEA agreement. This agreement establish two new financing instruments, aiming at reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. They offer possibilities to strengthen our co-operation with the accession countries in health and social policy.

The financial possibilities are substantial. Norway will become a large financial contributer to the new EU member states. We can think long-term and we can think widely. In the Northern Dimension area, Poland will be the main beneficiary state, along with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. We have an opportunity to put health and social policy high on the agenda.

The new financial instruments will in the future replace direct Norwegian bilateral project funding to the countries I mentioned. At the same time our co-operation with Russia will continue with bilateral funding.

When establishing this partnership we all take on quite a challenge. Having chaired the Barents and Baltic health co-operation some years, we know that there is a lot of concrete work to be done, from the practicalities in the running of co-operation structures, to the political processes and policy development. We offer our support to the chair of the Partnership in this. We will positively consider contributions to the establishment and running of the partnership, be it to host meetings, support a possible secretarial function through secondments or otherwise, or the participation of our professionals in expert groups and projects. We expect other founding partners to likewise.

A year ago, in Joensuu, Finland launched the idea to establish the ND partnership. The Norwegian Prime Minister, Bondevik, addressed the conference, announced Norway’s commitment to the idea and invited to this conference.

We support with pleasure the Swedish offer to summon the chairmanship for the first two year of the partnership.

In conclusion, let me state that Norway supports the establishment of the partnership. We are strongly committed to the work ahead of us, and our expectations are high!