Photo: Max Englund from left, Senior Adviser in European Affairs, North Sweden European Office, Hanna Honkamäkilä, Secretary General of NRPP Preparation for Eastern and Northern Finland, Dr Jorge Núñez Ferrer, Director for Cohesion Policy and EU Budget, CPMR, Tiina Rajala, Development Director, Katja Sukuvaara, Head of International Affairs and Laura Kelhä, Regional Development Manager at the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. Representatives of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia participated in the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026 in Brussels on 12-14 October. Organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the European Committee of the Regions, the event is Europe's largest annual event on regional and urban policy. This year's theme was strong regions, a strong Europe. The key message of the event was that strong regions are the basis for the success of Europe as a whole. Different European regions face different challenges, ranging from geopolitical changes and demographic trends to skills shortages and securing services. Therefore, the solutions must also take into account the different starting points and needs of the regions. During the week, representatives of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia participated in several events that looked at the regions and their future from different perspectives. The discussions highlighted the importance of multilevel governance and the need for regional involvement in the preparation of the new programming period. Experiences of effective cooperation models at national and regional level were also heard. - European cooperation is built on trust between regions and people. By participating, we make our voices heard when we meet European decision-makers, participate in debates, build relationships and promote interests. During the Week of Regions and Cities, we find and meet partners, learn from each other’s solutions and build joint projects that bring knowledge, investment and jobs to the regions. At the same time, we can explain how the strengths of the northern regions strengthen the competitiveness, security of supply and safety of Europe as a whole," says Development Director Tiina Rajala. In addition to the event programme itself, the Baltic Sea Region Directors Network met at the EU office in Eastern and Northern Finland on Wednesday 13 October 2026. The network brings together regional development leaders from Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia and Germany. The topic of discussion was smart specialisation and interregional cooperation to promote it. European networks offer North Ostrobothnia the opportunity to both highlight the region's perspectives and learn from the experiences of other regions. Rachel Lancry, Head of Unit of the European Committee of the Regions' Committee on Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER), also attended the meeting. Rachel...

The eighth application period for sustainable urban development of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for the 2021-2027 programming period closed on 9 October 2026. During the application period, 12 new applications were received by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The applications applied for funding from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia totalling approximately 1,685 M€. Decisions on applications for positive follow-up will be delivered in November 2026. Project selections are made by the City of Oulu's evaluation team. The next application period for sustainable urban development projects will take place in spring 2027. Approximately EUR 1,500,000 in funding will be applied for at the time

The Northern Food Economy Strategy and Development Days gathered in Oulu from 6 to 7 October 2026 a wide range of actors in food economy, research, education and development to discuss the future of the sector and common development priorities. The aim of the event was to bring together actors in the field to build a shared vision of the future of the food economy in Northern Ostrobothnia and more broadly in Northern Finland. The first day of the workshop focused on food strategy work in Northern Ostrobothnia. The day started with two introductory speeches: Research Director Tuomas Kuhmonen from the University of Turku focused his speech on the food system of the future, highlighting the views of young people in particular. After Kuhmonen, Elina Ovaskainen, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, spoke out about the national food strategy (2040) and gave tips to support the provincial work. After the introductory speeches, Regional Development Manager Laura Kelhä from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia presented the preliminary results of the operator interviews conducted in Northern Ostrobothnia. Based on these presentations, the workshop work focused on identifying changes in the operating environment, the region's strengths and future development priorities. Participants from different parts of the food system were present on both days. The discussion was lively, constructive and rewarding. During the workshop discussions, a wide range of views emerged on issues such as competence, competitiveness, security of supply, innovations, the future of primary production, processing and strengthening cooperation. Participants provided valuable insight to support strategy work. I feel that the days were very successful. We have had excellent cooperation with women of the earth and household, and by joining forces we can achieve more. It has been gratifying to see how actively different actors have participated in the strategy work. This reinforces the idea that the topic is important and there is a need for a strategy," says Laura Kelhä, Regional Development Manager. On the second day, the focus was on network work and the construction of practical development measures. The programme of the day focused on cooperation in the northern food and natural products sector, heard about the experiences of the Agri-Food cluster in North Savo and discussed the organisation of the development network and future objectives in relation to regional, national and European food strategies. The strategy work will now continue with the analysis of extensive data and the work of the North Ostrobothnia Food Economics Working Group. During the autumn, the draft strategy will be refined by means of a broader operator survey, after which the draft to be prepared will be placed on a round of comments and opinions. Strategy work and its different stages are described in the various channels of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia.

The twelfth application period for projects (ERDF) of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for the 2021-2027 programming period ended on 30 September 2026. During the application period, 78 new applications were received by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The applications applied for funding from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia totalling approximately EUR 13,966 million. Decisions on applications for positive follow-up will be delivered in November 2026. The next application period for new ERDF projects will run from June to September 2027. The funding to be applied for at that time is estimated at EUR 3,000,000. In addition, the application period for JTF projects will be implemented in early February-March 2027. Approximately EUR 2.500.000 in JTF funding is being applied for. The timetables and contents of the application periods will be specified after the granting powers have been confirmed in early 2027.

Are you preparing a project application for the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia's Municipalities implementing the green transition application (ERDF)? Are there any challenges in the structure of the application, in the measures considered or, for example, in considering the results of a lump-sum project that you would like guidance on? Or has it been a while since the last project was prepared? The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia organises project sparring for applicants and opportunities to present projects in October. The purpose of the project clinics is to support the preparation of the project "Municipalities as implementers of the green transition". Two types of project preparation support are available: project sparring and project presentation. Participating in a project sparring or presentation does not guarantee a positive progress in the subsequent evaluation of applications. 1. PROJECTS - Monday 5.10. and Friday 16.10. Project sparring on the 5th of October focuses on projects that are still looking in their direction. This may be, for example, a reflection on the objectives and outputs of a lump sum project, the suitability of a project idea for an open call, or any other question related to project planning for which the applicant wishes to receive sparring. The project clinic works especially for applicants who have a period of time since the previous project or, for example, who are less familiar with the ERDF as a financial instrument. Sparring works in such a way that the project operator(s) book for 30 minutes from the Regional Development Manager (the already booked times will be updated on the page). Sparring is arranged through Teams. The actors present to the Association's experts the background information and the idea of the project as it currently stands. Therefore, the project can still be very raw and guidance can be obtained, for example, for choosing a cost model or for supporting the planning of the outputs of a lump sum-type project. However, it is a good idea to prepare for sparring by considering questions in advance and preparing a preliminary proposal to highlight the theme and content of the project. This allows you to get the most out of your limited time. The proposal does not need to be submitted in advance. Available times: Monday 5.10. at 12.00-12.30 Monday 5.10. at 12.45-13.15. Monday 5.10. at 13.30-14.00 Monday 5.10. at 14.15-14.45. Monday 5 October from 15:00 to 15:30. Friday 16.10. 12.45-13.15 Friday 16.10. 13.30-14.00 2. PROJECTS - Tuesday 20.10. and Monday 26.10. Project presentations aim at presenting more ready-made project ideas and getting feedback. The project presentation is suitable for projects that have already been prepared further and want feedback on the project idea as well as possible last-minute comments to support the finalisation of the project application. The appointments are booked from the Regional Development Manager (the appointments already booked will be updated on the page). This is a pre-existing model in the union. Instructions…

The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region is applying for project funding from the EU's Regional and Structural Policy Programme Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 for specific objective 2.1 Promoting energy efficiency measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the call aims at municipality-based projects that develop and pilot local solutions and operating models to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In projects, a municipality, a community of municipalities or a region made up of several municipalities can act as a development and experimental environment for the green transition and bring together companies, residents, research and education organisations and other stakeholders in the region. The call encourages the development and implementation of new practices, technologies and solutions that improve energy efficiency or slow down climate change, as well as the increase of related know-how in municipal organisations. The projects can strengthen municipalities' competence and capacity to act in promoting the green transition, for example by developing operating models for energy efficiency and emissions assessment, sustainable public procurement practices, and by strengthening municipalities' climate and energy efficiency work. The aim is to improve, for example, the capacity of municipalities to utilise comparable emission data and to assess the emission reduction potential, costs and benefits of different measures to support decision-making. Concrete development and piloting measures and a clear description of the results to be achieved are requested from the projects. Projects can also carry out various studies to support municipalities’ capacity to contribute to the green transition. More information about applying for funding from this link  

Wednesday 14.10.2026 from 9.00 to 15.00 Venue: Hotel Lasaretti, Aurora Hall, Kasarmintie 13 B, Oulu Registration for the Northern Ostrobothnia Tourism Forum 2026 The most important tourism seminar in Northern Ostrobothnia will be held again in October - sign up! The event brings together tourism companies, developers and decision-makers to hear and discuss current topics and future opportunities in the field. This year's themes are the permanent impact of the title year on the region, the importance of events for tourism, and the role of artificial intelligence and responsibility in the sustainable and competitive development of tourism. Programme 8.00 Morning coffee and registration 9.00 Introduction to the event 9.05 Opening remarks Kristiina Hietasaari, Senior Director, Visit Finland 9.30 Keynote - Heritage of the European Capital of Culture Year Suvi Innilä, Turku 800 Project Director, City of Turku Innilä has served as Project Manager and Programme Director for the European Capital of Culture year 2011 and as Programme Manager for the centenary of Finland's independence. 9.50 Commentary and discussion 10.30 Break 10.50 Development of events in Kuusamo Niina Kukka, event manager, Ruka-Kuusamo Tourism Regional Assembly 11.05 Building a successful event, the significance of international tourism and the year of the Capital of Culture Oulu, Syöte and Kalajoki 11.45 Lunch, self-sufficient 13.00 Investments and accessibility development accelerated by the Year of Culture Oulu Chamber of Commerce and BusinessOulu 13.30 Artificial intelligence is changing tourism: What is worth doing now? Ville Niemijärvi, Artificial Intelligence Specialist, Senior Consultant, Flowhouse 14.00 Comment: YT Anderson, Visit Northern Finland 14.10 The situation and future of tourism funding Saija Tikkanen, Specialist in International Affairs, Regional Assembly of Oulu Region Pasi Loukasmäki, Head of Finance Unit, Vitality Centre 14.30 Oulu2026 End of the Capital of Culture year highlights Samu Forsblom, Programme Director, Oulu Cultural Foundation 14.45 Visit Northern Finland Current and closing words Y.T. Anderson, CEO, Visit Northern Finland Oy 15.00 Changes to the programme are possible. We will complete the speeches during the autumn. The event will be held at Hotel Lasaret in Oulu, but you can also participate remotely via stream. For the participants of the event, an accommodation quota is reserved from the hotel for a special price156 €/night/2hh. Reservations for rooms from the quota for 13-15 October must be made by 14 September at the latest using the reservation code "42402 Business Oulu 13.-15.10.2026". Reservations directly to the hotel by phone or e-mail: tel. +358 20 757 4701, lasaretti@lasaretti.com. Due to the limited capacity of the facilities, student groups are welcomed to follow the event via stream. Welcome to network, inspire and develop tourism together! The event is organized by BusinessOulu, Oulu Chamber of Commerce, Visit Northern Finland Oy and Northern Ostrobothnia…

The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, in cooperation in cooperation in cooperation with the City of Oulu, is launching an ERDF project application for the implementation of the ecosystem agreement between the State and the City of Oulu. The content of the Oulu ecosystem agreement consists of the strategic focus areas and spearhead programmes of the Oulu Innovation Alliance for 2021-2027. The application round is open 1.9. – 9.10.2026. Priority axis 1 is open for this call. Innovative Finland and its specific objectives 1.1: Improving research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies, 1.2: Exploiting the benefits of digitalisation for citizens, businesses and public administrations and 1.3: Improving the growth and competitiveness of SMEs and Axis 2: Carbon-neutral Finland and its specific objectives 2.1: Promoting energy efficiency measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and 2.3: Promoting the transition to a circular economy. In the project application process, the maximum amount of ERDF funding for sustainable urban development is 800,000 euros. ERDF applications must be submitted to the authority via the EURA2021 system. More information about applying from this link.

The ERDF call for applications for the 2021-2027 programming period of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region is open until 30 September 2026! In this call for applications, ERDF applications will be accepted in accordance in cooperation in cooperation with the following specific objectives: 1.1. Improving research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies 2.3. Promoting the transition to a circular economy 3.1. Developing regional and local accessibility A total of EUR 2 820 000 is planned to be used to finance incoming projects. The maximum contribution requested (ERDF+Member State) is 70 % development project and up to 70 % the total cost of the investment project. Before preparing your application, you should read more about the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme document and the contents of the above-mentioned specific objectives. Projects financed under Specific Objective 1.1 must also be in line in cooperation in cooperation with the Northern Ostrobothnia Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021-2025. The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region's ERDF project selection emphasises the promotion of development targets in accordance in cooperation in cooperation with the regional programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2026-2029 and the regional implementation plan for security of supply and comprehensive security. In addition, the assessment of applications under priority axis two focuses on their suitability as a project under the Northern Ostrobothnia Climate Roadmap 2021-2030. You can access the call for applications here: EURA 2021: The 12th call for applications of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region ERDF 4.5.-30.9.2026 The material of the call for applications organised in May can be found here: More information on the current call for applications is available from the contact persons of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region:  Jarkko Kärkimaa, Development Specialist, tel. +358 50 520 6670 Aki Lappalainen, Development Specialist, tel. +358 40 502 1851 Heikki Laukkanen, Development Specialist, tel. +358 50 918 0035 Katarina Timisjärvi, Development Specialist, tel. +358 40 685 4025 Laura Kelhä, Development Manager, tel. +358 40 685 4016 (especially project presentations)

In May, the Payment Officers of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region familiarised themselves in cooperation in cooperation with various projects during on-the-spot verifications. On the left is Miehonsuo research environment and researcher Maarit Liimatainen (LUKE). On the right, Leo Aho, Project Manager at the Brahe School of Technology and Services, and Mari Väänänen, Payment Officer at the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has launched on-site verifications for 2026. This year, Payment Officers will visit around 20 different ERDF or JTF project sites in the region. Control extends to 15% of all ERDF and JTF projects co-financed by the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region for the 2021-2027 programming period. In addition, verifications may be carried out for projects that have received national funding. The verification is carried out under the guidance of a Payment Officer, and a regional development expert supervising the project is also present. The projects to be audited are selected on the basis of different criteria. A selection of different projects will be sought for verification: the main or partial implementers of group projects, single operator projects, projects of different sizes and types. In addition, as a rule, large projects in cooperation in cooperation with public support exceeding EUR 800 000 are always audited. The main objective of the visit is to ensure that the project has been implemented in accordance in cooperation in cooperation with the project plan and decision. The verification covers, among other things, the correctness of procurements and the costs incurred. For example, in the case of projects using unit costs for salaries, the basis for calculating the hourly rate is checked. – The on-the-spot visits supplement the checks carried out in connection in cooperation in cooperation with the payment application. At the same time, it is worth treating it as a guidance visit, where you can also ask questions to us," says Mari Väänänen, Payment Officer. The visit will also often discuss the results of the project and communication-related issues. In terms of communication, the most important are, for example, the EU symbols found in materials, materials and premises, as well as the logo of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. They give visibility to the activities carried out in the projects. In addition, the verification reviews the performance indicators defined in the project plan and their implementation during the project. Traceability is essential from the point of view of the indicators in order to ensure that the result is actually produced. In addition to the indicators, often to the surprise of the project operator, the horizontal principles defined in the project plan are also reviewed. Continuity of development activities after the project is also discussed. It would be a good idea to prepare for the visit by compiling the project documents together and by considering, for example, the project's indicator data and horizontal principles in advance. In addition, for smooth verification, it would be most useful to have people who are genuinely implementing the project and who are able to answer the questions raised. – A helpful and open mind is also important. Verification…