8.4.2025
Professor Elina Pirjatanniemi to lead evaluation of Nordic cooperation agreement
The Nordic governments have jointly appointed Elina Pirjatanniemi, Professor of Law at Åbo Akademi University, to lead an evaluation of the legal implications of a potential revision of the Helsinki Treaty.
Last autumn, the Nordic Council called on the governments in the region to update the treaty by adding new areas of cooperation and examining the contractual status of Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland.
“For over 60 years, the Helsinki Treaty has been a cornerstone of Nordic cooperation. It is an honor to contribute to a process that aims to strengthen it even further. I am also pleased that the expertise we have at Åbo Akademi University is being recognized,” says Pirjatanniemi.
The aim is to present the report to the Nordic governments in early 2026, after which they will decide whether and how to proceed.
Signed in Helsinki on 23 March 1962, the Helsinki Treaty forms the formal basis for cooperation between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden in areas such as legislation, culture, education, and social affairs.