The inter-governmental Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) includes Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the European Commission. The chair of the Сouncil rotates in two-year intervals between Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Sweden held the chairmanship in the period 2009-2011, and was followed by Norway (2011-2013). The council has eight observer states: Canada, France, German
y, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the USA. Between the biannual BEAC meetings, work is organized by the Committe of Senior Officials (CSO), a body which consists of civil servants representing the six member countries' governments, as well as the European Commission. Russian chairmanship comes into effect on October 15, 2015.
