Press releases

The North Ostrobothnia Regional Cooperation Group met for the first time in 2026. On Thursday 12 February 2026, the agenda included an overview of the recently adopted preparation process and priorities for the provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia (2026-2029), a presentation on Leader in Northern Ostrobothnia, and a progress report on business subsidies in Northern Ostrobothnia in 2025. In addition, the regional cooperation group discussed two ESF+ project applications at its meeting. A positive opinion for two projects The Provincial Cooperation Group supported two projects at its meeting. The main objective of Diakonia University of Applied Sciences Ltd, Auta Lasta ry and Cultural Cooperative ILME's Second Story project is to promote the professional competence of child protection workers. This is achieved by using the second story method. In addition, the project organises various art workshops that strengthen children's and young people's self-expression. The project is aimed especially at professionals working in foster care in child welfare and at employees of mental health services in the wellbeing services area. The total cost of the project is 639…

The Centre for Vitality in Northern Finland will open a continuous call for applications for business subsidies on 2 June 2026. Enterprise development grants can be applied for projects supporting priority axis 1: Innovative Finland with specific objectives 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 and priority axis 2: Carbon-neutral Finland with specific objectives 2.1., 2.2. and 2.3. Approximately EUR 15 million of ERDF funding can be allocated. In addition, the Secretariat received for information the 2025 annual review of the companies and operating environment development grants of the Northern Ostrobothnia Vitality Centre. The Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat did not support projects to be funded under the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme The Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat discussed only one project at its meeting and received a negative opinion. The project is presented in the minutes of the Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat. Next meeting Next meeting of the secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group…

The Regional Government of Northern Ostrobothnia met for its first meeting of the spring season on 19 January in Oulu. At the beginning of the meeting, Director General Jaana Korhonen presented the activities of the Northern Finland Vitality Centre. Response to the Board of Governors' Initiative: In Northern Ostrobothnia, the living conditions of migratory fish have been improved. The ongoing process of changing fishing obligations in Iijoki largely determines the direction and responsibilities of the measures to be taken in Iijoki. Organisations other than the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia are primarily responsible for the measures related to the fishing routes of the Oulujoki River. Bypassing and dismantling smaller power plants is always done on a case-by-case basis and requires area-based activity. In practice, increasing the role of the Regional Council would require an increase in project funding, matching municipal funding and human resources. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia contributes to the implementation of the EU Restoration Regulation and the Water Framework Directive. However, practical measures are largely implemented by other actors and…

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia will open the next JTF call in early 2026 and the ERDF call in late spring 2026 (ending after the summer holidays). The exact dates will be specified later. In Northern Ostrobothnia, the fifth call for applications for research and development projects for SMEs and the use of new technology has applied for grants for seven projects for a total of EUR 747 547. A total of EUR 29 104 372 has been applied for business development grants from JTF funding in 28 applications and a total of EUR 37 81 996 from ERDF funding in 138 applications. The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group supported eight projects to be funded under the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group discussed ten projects at its meeting, eight of which received a favourable opinion. The projects are presented in the minutes of the Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat. Next meeting Provincial…

The Regional Government of Northern Ostrobothnia convened its last meeting of the autumn season on 16 December in Oulu. The Provincial Government approved the report on internal control and risk management and the equality and non-discrimination plan of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The report on internal control and risk management for 2025 The report on internal control for 2025 was approved. Internal auditing is carried out in accordance with the annual audit plan approved by the Regional Director. Each year, the provincial government is notified of the previous year's internal audit report on the audits carried out, the audit findings and recommendations for the development of operations. The findings and actions taken in the areas of responsibility's internal control and risk management have been discussed in the Executive Board meetings on a third-year basis. No significant internal control weaknesses have been identified in the past period.  Contract management has been developed by starting to review existing contracts and by updating contract monitoring and metadata. In 2025 there will be …

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met on 8 December 2025 for its last meeting of the autumn season in Oulunsalo. The Regional Council approved the provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia for 2026-2029, the strategy of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for 2025-2029 and the budget for 2026. New provincial programme: Northern Ostrobothnia – our province! The objectives of the provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2026-2029 answer the question of what results and impacts the region wants to achieve during the programming period. The three main strategic themes for the coming years are 1. Sustainable competitiveness, regenerative investment and innovation; 2. Welfare and regional resilies in a changing world and 3. High quality and attractive environment. The new priorities of the regional programme commit the actors to take responsibility for the results and their effectiveness. The current EU Structural Funds period ends with the provincial programme’s mandate 2026-2029. During the regional programme period, capacity will be created to cope with the challenges of the future and Northern Ostrobothnia will be able to…

A Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027: The upcoming calls and application status MYRS reviewed the upcoming calls for projects. The ELY Centre for Northern Finland will open an ESF+ funding call for specific objective 4.1 as the EURA information system allows it. The JTF's call for applications for promoting employment and skills will also be opened at the beginning of the year. In the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, the JTF funding call will be opened in early 2026, and the ERDF call is expected to open in late spring 2026. Operating environment development grant application in Northern Ostrobothnia 1.9. – On 31 October 2025, nine applications for approximately EUR 1.9 million were received. By the end of October, one application for support of EUR 90 300 has been received for the ongoing JTF application for restoration and reuse. By the end of September, 17 applications for JTF projects, related to employment and skills, were received in Northern Ostrobothnia. They applied for a total of EUR 4 550 945.…

The Regional Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met in Oulu on 17 November. This is an announcement of the meeting's decisions. The minutes will be published at the following address: The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia's strategy 2025-2029 proceeds to the provincial council's consideration The strategic framework approved by the provincial council has been translated into key results and measures, indicators and strategic capabilities during the spring and autumn. The strategic goals and the concrete measures implementing them are implemented through the Union's operational and financial planning. The provincial government proposes to the provincial council that it approves the strategy of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia 2025-2029.  The proposal for a provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia for the years 2026-2029 to be discussed by the provincial council The new provincial programme emphasises the vision of the direction of the region's development developed through an inclusive process. The objectives of the programme answer the question of what results and impacts the region wants to achieve during the programming period. the Provincial Program the New …

The Regional Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met in Oulu on 27 October. This is an announcement of the meeting's decisions. The minutes will be published at the following address: agendas and minutes of the institutions Link to agenda: Agenda 27.10.2025 Please find enclosed the decisions of the meeting: The Regional Council of North Ostrobothnia's Strategy 2025-2029 The Regional Council of North Ostrobothnia's Strategy 2025-2029 will be submitted for approval to the last meeting of the Regional Council in 2025. The new strategy has been taken into account in the preparation of the budget 2026 and the economic plan 2027-2028 of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. Decision of the provincial government: An update on the strategy 2025-2029 of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia was noted. The principles of the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council's activities in the international organisation CPMR International activities are a strategic priority of the North Ostrobothnia Regional Council. Membership of the CPMR is a way to implement this priority. The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) is a member organisation of 150 provinces founded in 1973. The federation works with CPMR…

Performance agreement for Northern Finland's vitality centres 2026 The vitality centres will start operating on 1 January 2026 and performance agreements will be drawn up for them for 2026-2027. The performance agreements take into account the joint strategy document for the vitality centres 2026-2027, the government budget proposal for 2026, the fiscal plan and the budget proposals of the administrative sectors, which will be finalised in autumn and based on the Government Programme. During the next government term, the strategic performance agreements of the vitality centres will normally be drawn up for four years. The Kainuu Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) and the North Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) participate in the drafting of the performance agreement of the Centre for Vitality in Northern Finland. The performance agreements will be completed in December 2025 and they will be signed with the new management of the vitality centres in February 2026. The provincial cooperation group was presented with the draft performance agreement of the Northern Finland Vitality Centre and it was noted. A Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027: Regional financing plan for 2026 The Act on Regional Development and the Implementation of the Regional and Structural Policy of the European Union (756/2021,…