Nordic consumer organizations, government agencies and authorities have collaborated on educational issues since the 1960s. Over the last ten years, collaboration in the sector of consumer education has been extended to the Baltic States. Consumer agencies in Nordic countries and Estonia have a common task when it comes to promoting consumer education in schools. Nordic-Estonian Consumer Education group is established in 2007 as an informal cooperation group. The main purpose of the NE-group is to promote consumer education, co-ordinate projects and create bi-lateral networks (universities and state authorities) within the field of consumer education. The actions of the group are based on the document: Teaching Consumer Competences, a Strategy for Consumer Education. The strategy is designed to enhance consumer education and the teaching of consumer competences and to help curriculum planners, educators, teachers and trainers. It also has the aim of encouraging development of competences and learning environments.
Following persons are behind the actions of Nordic- Estonian Consumer Education group:
Estonia: Hanna Turetski, Consumer Protection Board of Estonia Finland: Taina Mäntylä, Consumer Agency of Finland Norway: Ole-Erik Yrvin, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion Sweden: Malin Lindquist Skogar, Consumer Agency of Sweden
The Norwegian Ministry of Children and Equality will arrange in cooperation with the Nordic-Estonian working group a Conference on Consumer Education in Hamar Norway 17th -18th of October 2012. The theme will be sustainable consumption.
Consumer Agency of Finland will arrange in cooperation with the Nordic-Estonian working group and Finnish National Board of Education a Conference on Consumer Education in Helsinki 29th-30th of November 2012. The theme will be commercial media. The Conference programmes will be published later.