07.04.2025
Eastern and Northern Finland together towards a sustainable Europe
The publication “Together for a Sustainable Europe”, carried out jointly by the Regional Councils of Eastern and Northern Finland, highlights the region’s strengths, development challenges and the importance of EU regional and structural policy funding for the region. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of developments in the region and how its competitiveness has been strengthened in the EU funding period 2014-2020 and recommendations on how to strengthen it in the next programming period.
The publication shows that EU funding has been a key driver of regional development, but long-term support is also needed for future challenges. Few settlements, long distances and cold climates bring permanent structural challenges to the area.
The publication presents the results of the recently completed previous programming period (2014-2020) from different provinces. During that period, more than 6,200 development and investment projects were carried out in Eastern and Northern Finland, receiving approximately EUR 1.3 billion in EU structural fund support. These projects created almost 9 000 new jobs in the region and strengthened the conditions for sustainable economic growth and innovation.
It is also significant that EU funding has attracted more than EUR 1 billion of private funding to the region, compared to EUR 1.6 billion for the whole country. This shows that investments in regional and structural policy have boosted both business and research.
The major areas of Eastern and Northern Finland include Lapland, North Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, North Savo, North Karelia and South Savo. The region covers more than 60% of Finland's territory and is a key player in forest bioeconomy, tourism, renewable energy production and innovation activities, among other things.
Together for a sustainable Europe - Eastern and Northern Finland
Together towards a sustainable Europe – East & North Finland
040 6854033
