Press releases

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,…

The renewed and competent call for applications for the Finland 2021-2027 programme, as well as the application situation in the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, is currently open for the trans-regional ERDF project call for Eastern and Northern Finland for specific objective 2.3. The application period ends on 30 November 2025. The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group supports six projects to be funded from the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme The Secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group discussed seven projects at its meeting. Of these, it advocates the funding of six projects. One project received a negative decision. The projects are presented in the minutes of the Provincial Cooperation Group Secretariat. The next meeting of the secretariat of the Provincial Cooperation Group will be held on 16 October 2025 at 9 a.m. Additional information: Regional Development Specialist Heikki Laukkanen, 050 918 0035  

The Regional Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met in Oulu on 22 September. The meeting was the first meeting of the provincial government elected by the provincial council in September. 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 22.9.2025 Please find enclosed the decisions of the meeting: Attendance and speaking rights at meetings of the Provincial Government The Provincial Government granted the right to attend and speak at meetings of the Provincial Government for the duration of its term of office to the Heads of Division of the Joint Municipal Authority, the Head of Communications and Administration, the Service Coordinator and the Protocol Controller appointed by the Provincial Government, unless it is one of the above. The Provincial Government appointed an Administrative Director as the Provincial Government's Protocol Keeper for the term of office of the institution, with the Head of Communications and Administration and the Head of Administrative Development as his deputies. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the entrepreneurs of Northern Ostrobothnia have prepared a vitality pledge for 2025, which will contribute to the advancement of companies, communities and ….

The highest decision-making regional council of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met in Oulu on 8 September. It elected the Presidents of the Provincial Council and the members of the Provincial Government and the Audit Board. Senja Kovaniemi (centre) from Liminka was elected as the chairperson of the provincial council. Sanna Laine (sd.) from Kempele was appointed as the first vice-chair, Jouni Jussinniemi (left) from Pyhäjärvi as the second vice-chair, and Juha Koskela (centre) from Ylivieska as the third vice-chair. The central task of the council is to decide on the strategic guidelines, plans, operational programmes and regional land use plans that guide the development of the county. These include, for example, the approval of the provincial programme and the provincial plan. In addition, the Regional Council annually reviews and approves the budget and financial plan of the Regional Council of North Ostrobothnia, and steers the allocation of resources by setting targets for the activities of the budget year. The Board of Governors approves the Association's financial statements and the report of the Board of Directors, which assesses the achievement of the objectives set by the Board of Governors.…

The call for applications for the operating environment development grant of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Northern Ostrobothnia (ELY Centre) in Northern Finland is open from 1 September to 31 October 2025. In the Northern Ostrobothnia, Lapland and Kainuu call, a total of EUR 1.1 million can be awarded for specific objectives 2.2 and 2.3. A maximum of EUR 620 000 of funding may be allocated to Specific Objective 2.2. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia has received eight applications for the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme by 5 June 2025. Nearly EUR 1.8 million has been applied for support in applications submitted to the JTF continuous application process related to employment and skills. The application period for business development grants from the North Ostrobothnia ELY Centre in North Ostrobothnia is open from 13 January to 30 November 2025. By the end of June, a total of 57 applications for business development grants have been received. … of the grants applied for

The Regional Government of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia met on 18 August 2025 for its first meeting in autumn. The meeting was the last meeting of the current provincial government. The provincial council will elect a new provincial government on 8 September 2025. 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 18.8.2025 Please find enclosed the decisions of the meeting: The Provincial Government took note of the report of the President of the Provincial Government on the evaluation and target discussion that had taken place. The objectives for 2025 were to clarify the role of the Regional Council, develop advocacy work, promote the well-being of the personnel and clarify the management system. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia's Economic and Operational Plan 2026-2028 and Budget 2026 The Regional Government approved the strategic objectives, measures and indicators for 2026 and a 1.6 per cent increase in the budget's financial framework for 2026. The proposal for an Economic and Action Plan for 2026-2028 will be discussed…

At its meeting on 12 June 2025, the North Ostrobothnia Region Cooperation Group discussed the financing of three projects in preparation for the North Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. The second issue was the preparation of the provincial programme for Northern Ostrobothnia 2026-2029. Almost EUR 1.7 million of funding The Cooperation Group gave a favourable opinion to all three projects under discussion.  Their total funding amounts to EUR 1 678 917. The projects and their implementing entities are as follows: River Valley Joint Municipal Authority for Education, Centria University of Applied Sciences Ltd and University of Oulu: The path of ideas to innovation, Ostrobothnian growth platform (OPTIONAL) / (JTF). The requested aid amount is EUR 364 442. Helsinki Deaconess Institute Foundation sr and Oulun Ev.lut Parish Union: The power of change from diversity (ESF+). The requested aid amount is EUR 564 405. University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences Ltd and North Ostrobothnia Welfare Area: MetaHealthVerse - Renewing virtual training…