Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8)
Nordic–Baltic cooperation (Nordic-Baltic 8)
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countries in the cooperation framework
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a cooperation agreement was concluded
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a cooperation report was prepared
What is NB8?
Nordic–Baltic cooperation, or NB8, is a regional cooperation format which, since 1992, has brought together five Nordic and three Baltic states (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) to discuss current issues of regional and international importance in an informal setting. In 2000, on the initiative of then Estonian Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves, it was decided that this format of cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic states would be referred to by the unifying name Nordic–Baltic Eight (NB8).
How is NB8 cooperation organised?
Nordic-Baltic co-operation (NB8) is an informal co-operation format composed of like-minded countries and has no permanent separate structure or organisation.
The format’s day-to-day work is coordinated each year by one of the eight partner countries, which sets the priorities and draws up the work programme for its chairmanship year. In 2025, Denmark will hold the NB8 chairmanship. As of 1 January 2026, Estonia will take over the chairmanship.
1989
First contacts between the Nordic Council and Baltic parliamentarians.
1991
Official Nordic–Baltic parliamentary co-operation begins.
Nordic Council attends the inaugural Baltic Assembly meeting in Tallinn, and the Nordic Council of Ministers opens offices in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius.
1992
Co-operation agreement between the Nordic Council and the Baltic Assembly.
The regional format becomes known as “5+3” (five Nordic countries and three Baltic States).
30 August 2000
Name “Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8)” is adopted.
Foreign ministers in Middelfart (Denmark) agree to rename the “5+3” format to NB8 and broaden co-operation.
2003
Launch of e-PINE (Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe).
NB8 and United States foreign ministry political directors co-operate on security, healthy societies and vibrant economies.
May 2004
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania become EU members
informal NB6 coordination on EU matters begins.
August 2010
NB8 Wise Men Report is completed.
The Birkavs–Gade report proposes 38 ways to deepen co-operation, including foreign policy dialogue, civil and cyber security, defence, energy and the NB8 “brand”.
17 August 2010
Nordic-Baltic agreement on cross-border financial stability.
Finance ministries, central banks and financial supervisors sign an agreement to improve information sharing and crisis management in regional banking.
30 August 2011
Memorandum on posting diplomats at each other’s missions.
NB8 foreign ministers sign an MoU enabling joint and flexible diplomatic representation worldwide.
2014
Estonia coordinates NB8 – “Baltic Sea Year”.
Focus on cyber co-operation, the Eastern Partnership, energy and security, while also coordinating Baltic Co-operation and the Council of the Baltic Sea States.
2020
Estonia coordinates NB8 again and chairs the Baltic Council of Ministers.
Priorities include regional security, Eastern Partnership, transatlantic relations, cyber co-operation, regional connectivity, digital issues, climate, environment, culture and health.
2023–2025
Recent NB8 coordinating countries.
Latvia (2023), Sweden (2024) and Denmark (2025) coordinate NB8 and prepare annual co-operation reports.
2026
Estonia becomes NB8 coordinating country again.
Estonia coordinates NB8 for the 2026 calendar year, while also holding the presidency of the Baltic Council of Ministers and the Baltic Assembly.
Meetings and levels of cooperation
Over the years, a number of regular official and high-level meetings have been established across many different fields. At the political level, the main formats of cooperation are occasional leaders’ meetings at prime minister level, as well as regular annual meetings and joint visits by foreign ministers (such meetings have been held since 1993). The foreign ministries cooperate very closely – regular NB8 coordination meetings are held between almost all of their different departments. Cooperation also works well between our bilateral embassies and our missions to international organisations. NB8 defence ministers also meet on a regular basis, and additional meetings have taken place between other ministers as well.
Parliamentary cooperation and the Nordic Council
NB8 parliamentary co-operation has intensified significantly in recent years and has become an important instrument for strengthening the political cohesion of the Nordic and Baltic countries. The co-operation is based on long-standing partnerships, but its scope has expanded as the parliamentary role of NB8 has grown.
The Speakers of the NB8 parliaments meet once a year and also conduct joint visits, which enhance the region’s international visibility. The NB8 countries co-operate closely in international parliamentary assemblies, where positions are regularly coordinated. Active interaction also takes place at the level of national parliamentary committees, in particular on foreign affairs, defence and EU matters. Regular meetings help to shape common approaches and support the substantive strengthening of the NB8 parliamentary dimension.
Partnership formats
e-PINE – Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe
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NB8 co-operation with the United States takes place within the framework of the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE), initiated by the United States in 2003. e-PINE developed out of regular NB8+US meetings, whose main objective was to jointly promote values based on democratic principles in the region and its immediate neighbourhood (Moldova, Ukraine, the South Caucasus and Belarus).
NB8 “plus” format co-operation
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NB8 co-operation also includes numerous high-level “plus” meetings as well as working-level “plus plus” format meetings. Over time, NB8+ format meetings have, for example, included Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The so-called “plus plus” format involves, in addition to the NB8 core countries, several other states, depending on the topic under discussion. The flexibility of the NB8 format makes it possible to organise plus-format meetings according to how many partners, and which ones, the NB8 countries consider necessary at any given time.
International cooperation
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In addition, the NB8 countries co-operate closely in international organisations, including in the European Union (as NB6), NATO, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the World Bank, the IMF and others.
NB8 cooperation report
In August 2010, the NB8 cooperation report (also known as the Birkavs–Gade Report or the NB8 Wise Men Report) was completed, providing concrete guidelines for strengthening cooperation among the eight countries. The idea for the report was initiated by Latvia, which coordinated NB8 cooperation in 2010, and it was prepared by former Latvian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Valdis Birkavs and former Danish Defence Minister Søren Gade. The report sets out specific recommendations for improving cooperation, covering foreign policy dialogue, cooperation between diplomatic missions, civil protection, defence cooperation, energy and the NB8 brand.
Estonia’s NB8 chairmanship in 2026 and deepening NB8 cooperation
The desire for broader cooperation is shared across the region – a closer partnership between the Nordic and Baltic countries is not just an opportunity, but a necessity. It increases the region’s political weight and economic strength and enhances security.
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Together we are a significant geopolitical actor: as a regional economic bloc, the Nordic–Baltic Eight is comparable to a major power – 10th in the world and 5th in Europe in terms of total GDP –
a unique, highly integrated area of 33 million people with a shared democratic value base that values innovation and digitalisation.
Estonia’s goal during its NB8 chairmanship is to consolidate close coordination within the region and to make NB8 the main instrument through which we advance our objectives.
We aim to strengthen the region’s unity and visibility and to broaden cooperation across different sectors in order to deepen cohesion, enhance the region’s competitiveness and increase its overall resilience. We see growing international interest in cooperating with the NB8 countries, and to this end we organise meetings in various “plus formats”. The most recent NB8+Weimar Triangle foreign ministers’ meeting took place in Denmark in 2025.
Three main objectives of Estonia’s chairmanship
NB8 will be consolidated as a platform for close political coordination and will become the main instrument through which we implement our political objectives.
A more united and visible NB8 – we seek to strengthen its common identity and enhance NB8’s visibility both in the Euro-Atlantic area and globally.
Broadening sectoral NB8 cooperation and strengthening the region’s competitiveness by prioritising digital, defence, education, cultural and economic cooperation.
Flickr fotogalerii
NB8 Meetings 2026 (as of 14.01.26)
| Date | Event | Location | Coordinator | Status T/C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | ||||
| 27.01 | NB8 Presidency handover ceremony | Tallinn | MFA Estonia | |
| 26–28.01 | NB8 journalists visit to Estonia | Estonia | MFA Estonia | |
| February | ||||
| 20.02 | NB+PL Ministers responsible for Communications | Tallinn | Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs | |
| March | ||||
| 25–26.03 | Aurora Forum | London | ||
| April | ||||
| 29–30.04 | NB8 Foreign Ministers´ meeting | Kuressaare | MFA Estonia | |
| May | ||||
| May | NB8 Ministers of Science & Education meeting | Tartu | Ministry of Education | |
| June | ||||
| 09.06 | NB8 Prime Ministers’ Meeting | Tallinn Statehood H |
MFA Estonia | TBC |
| 8–11.06 | NB8 Foreign Ministers´ visit | USA | MFA Estonia | TBC |
| September | ||||
| 11–12.09 | NB8 Foreign Ministers’ visit to Ukraine | Kyiv | MFA Estonia | |
| November | ||||
| Nov | NB8 Ministers of Culture meeting | TBC | Ministry of Culture | |
| NB8 Foreign Ministers´ visit | Africa/South Africa | MFA Estonia | TBC | |
| December | ||||
| NB8 Secretary Generals meeting | Tallinn | MFA Estonia | ||