Contact
Stensberggata 27
0170 Oslo
Norway
Name: Kyösti Lempa
Phone: +47 94886536
Email: kyosti.lempa@nordforsk.org
Terms of Reference
The Joint Committee of the Natural Science Research Councils in the Nordic Countries (hereafter referred to as NOS‐N) is a co‐operative body within the natural sciences with representation from research councils in Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland, and from NordForsk.
The Members of NOS‐N
1) Academy of Finland (Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering)
2) The Independent Research Fund Denmark | Natural Sciences (Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond | Natur og Univers)
3) The Research Council of Norway (Norges Forskningsråd)
4) The Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet)
5) The Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS)
(These are also referred to as the Participating Country/Countries)
6) NordForsk
The NOS‐N members are individually designated as the Party and collectively as the Parties. In matters of national representation and/or voting, all Parties except for NordForsk, are individually designated as the Participating Country and collectively as the Participating Countries.
Associate Members of NOS‐N: 1) The Nordic Council of Ministers
Background
NOS‐N was established by the (former) organisations Statens Naturvidenskabelige Forskningsråd in Denmark; Natur‐vetenskapliga forskningsrådet in Sweden; the Valtion luonnontieteellinen toimikunta in Finland; and Rådet for Naturvitenskapelig Forskning in Norway in 1967. Iceland became a member of NOS‐N in 1987. From 2006, NOS‐N has been represented by the Participating Countries listed above. NordForsk became a member in 2011.
§1
The objective of NOS‐N is to promote natural science research and research based on the natural sciences in the Nordic countries by cooperation and coordination based on continuous and mutual exchange of information.
§2
It shall be the special task of NOS‐N to:
I. Provide on a mutual basis and by detailed reports, the successive developments in each Participating Country and at the Nordic level within the area of interest of NOS‐N, information on studies and projects at various stages of planning and to bring up for consideration questions that require joint action.
II. Set up, when necessary, committees and working groups for matters that require preparatory work.
III. Work for the objective of NOS‐N to the extent that means are allocated and authorisation is granted by the Parties in terms of allocations or other forms of financing.
§3
The Parties shall appoint one to three members each to NOS‐N from among their members of the board of directors and/or administrative management staff. These members shall constitute the representation of each Party in NOS‐N. The representative(s) of each Party may as granted and with the mandate on behalf of the respective Participating Country or NordForsk, bring forward any matter to NOS‐N within the area of interest of NOS‐N. NOS‐N shall strive to make decisions by consensus. If consensus is not achieved, each Party has one vote. Decisions are taken by simple majority. By an even vote, the committee Chairman´s vote will be decisive. On a vote relating to a certain matter brought forward by any Party/Parties, the representatives shall only have the right to vote, when the matter at issue is affecting their respective country or organisation.
§4
The Committee shall elect the Chairman for a term of office of two (‐2‐) years. The chairmanship shall circulate among the Participating Countries in the following order: Denmark – Sweden – Norway – Iceland – Finland.
§5
NOS‐N shall arrange two meetings per year. Extraordinary meetings may be summoned on the request of the Chairman.
§6
After a decision by the Chairman, representatives from other research councils (or the equivalent) of the Participating Countries or from research councils outside the Nordic countries, may be co‐opted to meetings of NOS‐N. Furthermore, after a decision by the Chairman, special experts may be called in to meetings of NOS‐N.
§7
Unless otherwise stated, each Party shall pay expenses for travel, fees and the like for its members and experts. If not anything else is agreed, participation of representatives from other research councils (or the equivalent) of the Participating Countries or from research councils outside the Nordic countries are at their own cost. The expenses for special experts, not specifically representing any Party but co‐opted to an extraordinary meeting, are covered by the NOS‐N budget.
§8
NOS‐N shall be managed by a secretariat. The NOS‐N secretariat (hereafter referred to as the Secretariat) shall consist of an executive secretary. The Secretariat shall either be hosted by NordForsk, if agreed upon by the Parties, or circulate among the Participating Countries for a period
of two (‐2‐) years in accordance with §4. The costs for the activity of the Secretariat includes secretarial and meeting costs and shall be divided
among the Parties. The Parties´ shares shall be determined in agreement between the Parties. The costs shall, unless otherwise agreed, be divided among the Parties according to the country key used by NordForsk.
§9
The Secretariat shall follow developments within areas of interest for NOS‐N and shall propose the measures, which are called for by such developments. It shall moreover be incumbent upon the Secretariat to execute the decisions of NOS‐N and to ensure that incoming matters are duly brought up for discussion and decision at the meetings of NOS‐N.
§10
Amendments to these Terms of Reference shall be determined by the Parties.