Timed to coincide with the main session of the Nordic Council, Swedish historian Gunnar Wetterberg's proposal to unite the five states of northern Europe under one symbolic monarch, was launched by Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter on October 27. Although it has failed to achieve unanimous support, it has caused a stir in the national press. There is no doubt that a Nordic Union would have brilliant prospects -- but it has to happen first. The five Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland Norway, and Sweden -- have a total population of more than 25 million. In 2006, their combined GDP was more than 1,200 billion dollars (or 800 billion euros), making the Nordic region the tenth ranked economy in the world, just behind Canada and Spain but well ahead of Brazil and Russia. If a Nordic Union is going to happen, it has to happen now. The economic crisis has highlighted the need for reinforced political co-operation and monitoring, and the importance of participation in high-level decision making bodies, where our individual countries could not hope to achieve a level of influence that could be exerted by the region. All of the Nordic economies could benefit from greater integration with neighbouring countries. As it stands, they are often overly dependent on one or two market sectors. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Finland found itself in difficulty. Today, it is Sweden and its car industry, which is under pressure. If every country continues to cope on its own, similar problems will inevitably arise in the future. Finland continues to rely heavily on Nokia and the forestry industry, while Norway has an equally fragile industrial base. A Nordic Union would provide the stability of larger more diverse economy and offer the region's young people a wider range of career development possibilities.
Timed to coincide with the main session of the Nordic Council, Swedish historian Gunnar Wetterberg's proposal to unite the five states of northern Europe under one symbolic monarch, was launched by Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter on October 27. Although it has failed to achieve unanimous support, it has caused a stir in the national press.
There is no doubt that a Nordic Union would have brilliant prospects -- but it has to happen first. The five Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland Norway, and Sweden -- have a total population of more than 25 million. In 2006, their combined GDP was more than 1,200 billion dollars (or 800 billion euros), making the Nordic region the tenth ranked economy in the world, just behind Canada and Spain but well ahead of Brazil and Russia.
If a Nordic Union is going to happen, it has to happen now. The economic crisis has highlighted the need for reinforced political co-operation and monitoring, and the importance of participation in high-level decision making bodies, where our individual countries could not hope to achieve a level of influence that could be exerted by the region. All of the Nordic economies could benefit from greater integration with neighbouring countries. As it stands, they are often overly dependent on one or two market sectors. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Finland found itself in difficulty. Today, it is Sweden and its car industry, which is under pressure. If every country continues to cope on its own, similar problems will inevitably arise in the future. Finland continues to rely heavily on Nokia and the forestry industry, while Norway has an equally fragile industrial base. A Nordic Union would provide the stability of larger more diverse economy and offer the region's young people a wider range of career development possibilities.
Nokia Siemens may eliminate 7 percent to 9 percent of its 64,000 positions, the Espoo, Finland-based company said in a statement. The company aims to save 500 million euros ($732 million) in operating expenses annually by the end of 2011. Chief Executive Officer Rajeev Suri, named to lead Nokia Siemens in September, will combine five units into three as he struggles to stem eroding market share. Nokia wrote down the value of the business last quarter as the venture's revenue for base stations and other gear fell 20 percent because of declining demand amid price competition from Ericsson AB and Huawei Technologies Co. Nokia Siemens had a third-quarter operating loss of 53 million euros. "To generate higher profits they need to cut even more costs and they need for sales to improve," said Mats Nystroem, a Stockholm-based analyst at SEB Enskilda.... The [Nokia Siemens] joint venture started in 2007 and completed a 15 percent reduction of its initial workforce at the end of last year. Nokia Siemens's market share fell to 20 percent in the second quarter from 26 percent a year earlier. Ericsson led with 32 percent. Nokia Siemens posted losses of more than 1.6 billion euros in the previous two years.
Chief Executive Officer Rajeev Suri, named to lead Nokia Siemens in September, will combine five units into three as he struggles to stem eroding market share. Nokia wrote down the value of the business last quarter as the venture's revenue for base stations and other gear fell 20 percent because of declining demand amid price competition from Ericsson AB and Huawei Technologies Co. Nokia Siemens had a third-quarter operating loss of 53 million euros.
"To generate higher profits they need to cut even more costs and they need for sales to improve," said Mats Nystroem, a Stockholm-based analyst at SEB Enskilda....
The [Nokia Siemens] joint venture started in 2007 and completed a 15 percent reduction of its initial workforce at the end of last year. Nokia Siemens's market share fell to 20 percent in the second quarter from 26 percent a year earlier. Ericsson led with 32 percent. Nokia Siemens posted losses of more than 1.6 billion euros in the previous two years.
