Nordic Defence Materiel Agreement enters into force

The Nordic Defence Materiel Cooperation entered into force on Thursday, said an official press release.

The Contracting Parties are Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. This Agreement will revise and implement the Nordic Agreement in the Defence Materiel Area, signed in 2001, within the framework of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) that started in 2009.

By acting together, the Nordic countries can strengthen security in their own region and also increase their influence in international issues relating to the promotion of security.

In practice, the Defence Materiel Agreement means, for example, joint product development and joint procurements, which allow for avoiding extra costs and overlapping procurements.

The agreed arrangement aims at creating a political and legal framework for expanding and deepening defence materiel cooperation. The Agreement is applicable both under normal circumstances and in potential crises. The objective is to enhance cooperation between Nordic industries and authorities in the field of defence and security.

The agreed arrangement will be implemented within the framework of the EU Defence and Security Procurement Directive and the EU Intra-Community Transfer (ICT) Directive for defence-related products. The agreed arrangement can also be applied to bilateral cooperation with Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Deepening of cooperation is enabled through annexes to the Agreement, with each Party deciding on a case-by-case basis whether it will participate in them.

An Annex concerning Nordic joint procurements of defence materiel, which was signed in Helsinki on 9 May 2016, will enter into force next. Annexes concerning military security of supply and export control of defence equipment are also under preparation.