15.12.2025
Cohesion policy: balanced growth for Finland as a whole
The Advisory Board for Eastern and Northern Finland thanks the Government for its clear statement that:
identify the territorial orientation of cohesion policy, the predictability of funding and the sparsely populated northern regions;
the importance of specific funding for inhabited areas (NSPA).[1]
We consider it important that Finland defends these principles in the financing negotiations. At the same time, we present
the following clarifications and concrete actions for the Government, the EU Parliament and the Commission to:
The national and regional partnership plan strengthens the development of the entire EU and Finnish regions.
Cohesion policy must be based on multilevel governance and partnership. East and North
The Finnish Advisory Board supports the Commission’s proposal to Parliament in November 2025 to supplement the NRP Regulation COM (2025) 565 final/2 so that the principles of the rule of law and
The EU human rights document will be accompanied by partnership and multi-level governance.
Provincial federations must have a clear responsibility for the EU's 2028-2034 shared management programmes
planning, decision-making and implementation. Regional councils are responsible for the Regional Development Act
§17 [2] on the strategic framework for regional development. Regional councils cannot be involved only in ensuring the acceptability of the National and Regional Partnership Plan.
The regional councils must be an equal and effective partner alongside the national
the preparation of the plan and their leading role in the regional preparation of the programme.
The Partnership Plan shall include not only national and sectoral, but also regional:
Chapters (chapter). At present, regional figures are only an opportunity for a partnership plan.
We propose a relevant amendment to Article 21 of the EU Regulation COM (2025) 565 final/2, worded as follows:
‘where appropriate’ is deleted[3].
Finland must aim for a level comparable to the current level, EUR 500 million for the entire programming period.
NSPA funding (at current prices). NSPA support is based on Finland's Treaty of Accession to the EU and
Article 174 TFEU. The Advisory Board for Eastern and Northern Finland agrees with the Government's position, which
NSPA special funding should continue to be secured. We present the northern sparsely populated
the inclusion of regions in the EU Regulation COM (2025) 565 final/2 as a basis for allocating funds in order to safeguard:
The obligations of Finland as far as possible in terms of cohesion and the Accession Treaty.
Helsinki, 10 December 2025
Advisory Board for Eastern and Northern Finland
[1] Government U-letter U 53/2025 https://www.eduskunta.fi/EN/vaski/Book/Pages/U_53+2025.aspx
[2] Act on Territorial Development and the Implementation of the Regional and Structural Policy of the European Union https://www.finlex.fi/en/legislation/harvest collection/2021/756
[3] NRP Regulation COM (2025) 565 final/2, Article 21, Chapter 2, last sentence. ‘The Partnership Plan shall contain national, sectoral and, where appropriate, regional chapters.’
