Nordred – cooperation between rescue services
Nordred is a Nordic rescue service cooperation between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The purpose of Nordred is to promote collaboration within the rescue services between countries in various ways, both with respect to operational cooperation in rescue operations but also to develop the rescue services.
Framework agreement for the Nordred cooperation
There is a special framework agreement to form the basis of the cooperation. The framework agreement was signed in 1989 and became effective for Sweden in 1992. Iceland joined in 2001.
The framework agreement enables cooperation between responsible authorities in the Nordic countries with the aim to facilitate mutual assistance with peacetime accidents and to accelerate the deployment of responders and equipment.
The purpose of the agreement is to prevent or limit injuries to persons, property, or the environment in the event of accidents and imminent danger of accidents.
Through the agreement, the Nordic countries undertake to assist one another in connection with an accident or imminent danger of an accident to the extent possible.
Requesting assistance from authorities in other countries
According to Section 3 of the framework agreement, an authority in a contracting State who is responsible for taking measures to prevent or limit injuries to persons or property or the environment in case of accidents, may request assistance directly from the relevant authority in another contracting State. The authority receiving such request for assistance will then determine whether this may be provided.
The assisting State is entitled to compensation from the requesting State for the cost of the measures taken.
The agreement has been incorporated into Swedish law through stipulations set out in Chapter 9 of the Civil Protection Act (Lag (2003:778) om skydd mot olyckor LSO). According to this, the Government, a municipality, or a government agency responsible for rescue services, to the extent set out in agreements entered into between Sweden and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, or Norway, may request assistance from or provide assistance to other Nordic authorities for rescue operations.
Agreement between neighbouring municipalities in different countries
A great number of cross-border regional and municipal agreements between municipalities in Sweden and municipalities in Finland, Norway, and Denmark have been concluded in connection with the Nordred agreement.
In the so-called ‘Haga’ declaration from responsible Ministers in 2009, there is a Nordic agreement on developing the cooperation.