Joint statement by the Nordic and Baltic Foreign Ministers

On 16 March, the Nordic and Baltic countries' Foreign Ministers and Norway's State Secretary decided to help their citizens in their return home.

Nordic-Baltic Foreign Ministers meeting on 16 March 2020, video conference

Joint statement

The Foreign Ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and the State Secretary of Norway discussed over the video conference today the response to the situation caused by the spread of COVID-19 corona virus.

The Ministers and State Secretaries emphasized the need to coordinate and co-operate closely and

• stressed the resolve to work together to ensure transit for EU and EEA citizens and permanent residents who are returning home, if necessary by establishing transit corridors;
• decided to establish a network of consular directors to exchange information, best practices and possible practical measures to help citizens and permanent residents of their countries returning home;
• acknowledged the impact on economies and stressed the importance of free movement of goods, including medical equipment, and keeping cargo corridors open to ensure that the internal market keeps functioning.