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12.10.2026
The food future of the region was envisioned at the Nordic Food Economy Strategy and Development Days

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.

02.10.2026
The Twelfth Application Period for Structural Fund Projects of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has closed on 30 September 2026

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.

24.09.2026
Project sparring to support the call for projects "Municipalities as implementers of the green transition" in October

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…

09.09.2026
Ingredients for growth visible – labour demand has not revived

Recent economic data do not come as a big surprise. The turnover of industries continues to grow steadily, but the number of employees has not started to increase. In several clusters, such as ICT, the number of employees is on a downward trend. Only in the metal cluster has the labour force increased moderately. Recruitment is increasingly affected by general uncertainty and technological developments. However, the growth in turnover in the industries is so strong that employment is likely to improve. The big question is when and where is it going to happen? However, excessive credit for the long-term positive impact of major projects on labour demand may be unrealistic. The situation of the ICT cluster, which is important for Oulu, is challenging. Revenue is increasing, but personnel is in a relatively strong decline. The ICT cluster has been characterized by strong monthly turnover fluctuations, in April the growth from the previous year was 12.1 per cent, but in May came down by 5.9 per cent. The impact of AI can be seen in the demand for the cluster's workforce, at least indirectly. Companies closely monitor the development and deployment of AI and anticipate the need for workforce in relation to it. The trump card of the future is 6G mobile technology, the developer of which Oulu plays a key role globally. Construction has been active for several semesters. From 2025, net sales increased by 2.3 per cent and the number of employees decreased by the same amount. Residential construction is still quiet, but some new projects have started. The growth in net sales has come from the construction of industry, tourism and the public sector. Oulu hotel projects and later data centers will significantly increase construction. In the case of data centres, the key issue is how much local companies have access to it, and what is the capacity of the area's earthworks The electricity and energy cluster and the metal cluster are growing strongly. The growth of both from 2025 is in the order of 10%. In the metal cluster, the number of employees has also increased. Net sales growth has been more moderate in wholesale and retail trade and tourism, where the number of personnel has been decreasing. The year-on-year change in the wood and furniture industry was as much as 13.8 per cent and there was also an increase in the number of personnel. In all clusters, seasonality is high, especially in construction. In digital services, Finland's service sector is less developed than in the peer countries, which is also visible in Northern Ostrobothnia. The use of services is still difficult for many in our culture. Jobs in trade and services are important, especially for young people. The growth of many industries also depends on the development of digital services,…

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