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The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region requests proposals for the organisation work of Northern Ostrobothnia in 2025. Proposals can be submitted between 1 and 26 September 2024. This year's theme is Youth, Future and Hope. An organizational act does not have to be an isolated act; it can be understood and interpreted more broadly. In the selection of the organizational act of the year, the emphasis is on the crossing of borders and impact, as well as the role of volunteering in the Regional Assembly's operations. The applicant must be a registered local Regional Assembly. The Regional Assembly that won the organizational act of the year will receive 1,000 euros to support its activities. The decision on the organisation of the year is made by the Regional Board of Northern Ostrobothnia. Proposals for the organisation work of the year will be submitted by 26.9.2025 at 15.00 using an electronic form: LINK The Organisational Act of the Year 2025 will be announced at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia on 4 November 2025. The prize is now awarded for the seventh time. Additional information: Ilpo Tapaninen, Development Manager, Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, tel. +358 50 301…

Does your company or organisation have an innovative technology solution that could meet the current challenges of rural areas? The first open pilot call of the SMART ERA project offers a unique opportunity to get involved in the development of new solutions. In Northern Ostrobothnia, two pilots will be carried out, as described in the Applicant's Guide: Smart Economy Service Platform – AI-Assisted Conceptualization of Rural Businesses Based on Deep Local Knowledge – AI-Assisted Rural Business Development Service Selected implementers will be offered up to €60,000 per challenge and access to a nine-month support programme in cooperation with expertise, networks and international visibility. The SMART ERA project will implement a total of 11 technology pilots to address the innovation needs of rural areas. The project serve ass in six European pilot areas, one of which is Northern Ostrobothnia.…

In 2023, the decline of clusters is slowly receding and some sectors are also showing a recovery. For example, the wood and furniture industry has been the most positive in the business cycle data up to the end of May. The cluster's net sales and number of employees have been growing since the end of 2024. However, the figures for 2021 are still around 10% lower. The wood and furniture cluster also has a clear connection to construction, the downturn of which seems to have come to a halt. In uncertain times, the moderate growth of tourism will continue and it is expected that growth will not stop due to significant investments in tourism centres and Oulu. If some of Lapland's tourist flows turn to Northern Ostrobothnia, the growth may be even faster. The turnover of ICT and metal clusters has been very lively in the early part of the year, but…

The regional ERDF call for applications for this and Northern Finland (excluding Kainuu) is open from 2 June to 12 December 2025. The call for applications will be held on Thursday 28 August from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. (Teams). No pre-registration, welcome!   Link

The Northern Security and Economic Forum will be held on Thursday 21.8.2025 in the Pohjankartano Hall in Oulu. The event will be organised for the third time and will bring together decision-makers from state organisations, municipalities, cities and universities, representatives of stakeholders in overall security and business leaders in Oulu. The theme for 2025 is Northern Resilience and 300 participants are expected to attend the event. The City of Oulu will produce the event and its partners are the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region and the University of Oulu. "The City of Oulu wants to be actively involved in building a strong, safe and crisis-proof Finland. It is great to see that the Oulu Security Forum has become a significant and interesting place for discussion and meeting. This year's theme is resilience, the ability to be flexible and adapt to current changes. We are delighted to be able to host a discussion where…

The Organisational Advisory Board of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region visited Pyhäjärvi on 14.8.2025 to get acquainted in cooperation with the Regional Assembly activities and the cooperation between the city and the Regional Assemblys. In Pyhäjärvi, organisations are involved in building everyday well-being, strengthening security of supply and creating a sense of community – and the model of cooperation has also been recognised at the regional level. There are as many as 126 registered Regional Assemblys operating in the city, whose activities extend to a wide range of areas of life. The Advisory Board of Regional Assemblys has drawn up guidelines for municipalities on organizational work, the key principles of which include: - the appointment and resourcing of organizational contact persons, - the provision of free and accessible facilities for activities of general interest, - clear and co-developed assistance processes, - the participation of organisations in the development of welfare plans and services, and - a joint cooperation document that brings together the rules of the game. During the visit, it was found that Pyhäjärvi implements these instructions…

Northern Ostrobothnia is preparing a climate change adaptation plan - get involved! What specific features of Northern Ostrobothnia or your organisation should be taken into account in the climate change adaptation plan currently being drawn up? Which actions best support practical adaptation work and preparedness? The Finnish Environment Institute and the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region are organising four events in cooperation with the same content, in which the priorities and special features of the region's adaptation are defined. The aim is to identify challenges and opportunities, strengthen regional cooperation and build networks to promote a climate-resilient future. The events are aimed at public, private and third sector stakeholders in Northern Ostrobothnia. The programme shall: -expert presentations on adaptation work at different levels of government -the latest research on the effects of climate change in the region -group work and discussion Events will be held in the presence of events, and participants will be offered lunch and coffee.There will be 30 places per event, and registration…

  The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has joined the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance, ESRA. ESRA is a collaboration of 36 European regions, which identified to identify and help remove obstacles to the strategic development of the sector by improving the legislative framework, promoting public and private investments, supporting knowledge sharing and the creation and maintenance of strong and sustainable value chains. The second General Assembly of ESRA was held in Brussels on 3 July. In this context, Regional Assembly of Oulu Region’s membership was confirmed. The meeting was held at the premises of the EU Committee of the Regions, and the…

  The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has joined the European Semiconductor Regions Alliance (ESMA). ESRA is a collaboration of 36 European regions that aims to identify and help remove obstacles to the strategic development of the sector by improving the legislative framework, promoting public and private investment, supporting knowledge sharing and the creation and maintenance of strong and sustainable value chains. The second annual meeting of the ESFA was held in Brussels on 3 July. In this context, Northern Ostrobothnia's membership was sealed. The meeting was held at the premises of the EU Committee of the Regions and opened by Kata Tüttő, Hungarian President of the Committee of the Regions. Speaking at the meeting, Pierre Chastanet, Head of Microelectronics and Photonics Industry Unit, DG Connect, European Commission, stressed that the COVID-19 era revealed the EU's …

Figure: The European Union Instrument aims to support defence industrial production in the EU through joint procurement, in cooperation with a focus on specified capabilities. The objective of the instrument is to strengthen European defence readiness by increasing production capacity, accelerating the availability of defence equipment and filling existing capability gaps. It is part of the Commission's ReArm Europe plan, which aims to support Member States in joint procurement and strengthen the EU's ability to respond more effectively to security threats. Through SAFE, the EU can provide long-term loans to Member States based on these project plans. Joint procurements are also open to Ukraine and EEA/EFTA countries, provided that at least one EU country uses a SAFE loan for the project in question. SAFE entered into force on 29 May. Further information: Information from the Regional Assembly