The Nordic dream of becoming what we already are
AlcoholRebecka Öberg, European Policy Officer, Movendi Sweden Published 4 Feb 2026
As a new year begins, aspirations fill the air, with new goals, new habits, and new ways of becoming slightly better than before. Against this backdrop, the alcohol-policy ambitions in Sweden and Finland to “become more like the rest of Europe” feel particularly topical. In both countries, governments have begun framing proposed reforms as steps toward a more relaxed and socially vibrant “European” drinking culture. But what does it truly mean to become more “European”? In this article, Rebecka Öberg argues that the idea carries far less substance than it initially appears. Three observations, in particular, make this clear.
As a first example, not all of Europe fits the lively, colorful picture that the political idea of “Europe” evokes. In Finnish and Swedish debates, the idea tends to conjure images of balmy evening terraces, wine bars spilling onto narrow streets, and a carefree approach to drinking. Yet in, for example, the Baltic states, governments are currently moving in the opposite direction: reducing opening hours, curbing marketing, and introducing stricter rules to protect young people.
If “Europe” truly represented a coherent policy destination, Sweden and Finland would need to recognize Tallinn and Vilnius alongside Paris and Barcelona. That they do not suggests that “Europe,” in Finnish and Swedish political discourse, is less a geographic description and more a crafted ideal.
Nordic ideas travelling South
A second point concerns the direction of inspiration. While Finland and Sweden speak of catching up with Europe, several European countries are increasingly looking northward for guidance. Ireland, for example, has introduced marketing restrictions rooted in long-standing Nordic principles, and Scotland has drawn on Nordic evidence when discussing alcohol advertisement during sporting events. Even Germany has recently highlighted the Nordic retail model with genuine curiosity on public television. When European countries are turning to the Nordics for ideas, the notion that the Nordic countries must “become more European” appears logically inverted.
Not outside of Europe, but within it
Finally, a third reason why the imperative to “become more like Europe” carries little substance lies in Europe’s own geography. Sweden and Finland, together with Norway and Iceland, constitute a substantial portion of Northern Europe in terms of both territory and political weight. The Nordic region is not a small or isolated corner of the continent; it represents a significant share of Europe’s social, economic and institutional landscape. To suggest that these countries should “become Europe” overlooks the fact that they already form an integral part of it. If the Nordic region constitutes a large and influential slice of Europe, then Europe cannot meaningfully serve as an external point of arrival.
A European model worth trusting
In the end, the aspiration to “become more European” says little about Europe. Instead, it reflects a lack of political self-esteem in acknowledging the value of existing Nordic achievements. The Nordic countries already stand on firm ground: they generate knowledge, influence continental debates, and shape standards far beyond their borders. Recognizing this does not prevent improving Finnish and Swedish alcohol policy, but it does place such aspirations within a more realistic frame. As with personal New Year’s resolutions, progress often begins not by imitating a distant ideal, but by recognizing and building on the strengths one already possesses.
The article is written by
Rebecka Öberg, European Policy Officer, Movendi Sweden
on the request of PopNAD
