The Nordic Council of Ministers, formed in 1971, is the forum for Nordic governmental co-operation. Overall responsibility for the Nordic Council of Ministers lies with the respective Prime Ministers. In practice, responsibility is delegated to the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation (MR-SAM) and to the Nordic Committee for Co-operation (NSK), which co-ordinates the day-to-day work of the official political Nordic co-operation.
Despite its name the Nordic Council of Ministers consists, in fact, of several individual councils of ministers (MR). Most of the Nordic ministers for specific policy areas meet in a council of ministers a couple of times a year.
The Chairmanship of the Council of Ministers, which is held for a period of one year, rotates between the five Nordic countries. Decisions made in the Council of Ministers are unanimous.