news

During the autumn, three commission meetings of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) will be held in Finland. The series will be launched by the Committee on Regional Policy (COTER), which will meet in Oulu from 17 to 18 September. The Oulu meeting approves the Committee's recommendations on the reform of the EU's cohesion policy. The importance of the opinion is underlined by the fact that it was prepared by the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Vasco Cordeiro, together with the President of the COTER Commission, Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca. Other opinions on the agenda include interregional cooperation, civil protection in border regions and the role of cohesion policy in addressing demographic challenges. "After the start of the new EU mandate, we are taking a deeper look at the EU's next multiannual financial framework and the future of cohesion policy. From the perspective of municipalities and regions, it is important that the Structural Funds continue to support regional development in such a way that, for example, … in Eastern and Northern Finland:

Funding was requested for AKKE projects that focus on supporting regional RDI activities. Projects funded under this call should meet at least one of the following criteria: - the project supports research, development and innovation activities of SMEs and thus improves the innovation capacity of SMEs - the project strengthens the innovation ecosystem of the region - the project expands the number of parties involved in RDI activities The maximum amount available to fund projects received in the application round is EUR 448 000. The total number of project applications was 14 and the total amount requested was approximately EUR 950 000.

The regional directors of regional theatre regions in Lapland, North Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and North Karelia express their deep concern about the cuts in funding for culture included in the Ministry of Finance's budget proposal. The regional leaders fear that the cuts will weaken regional theatre operations in particular, which will ensure the regionally equitable accessibility of culture over long distances in Finland. "If the activity of regional theatre is reduced, well over half of Finland's territory will be left without a domestic professional theatre. This threatens equal access to the fundamental rights of culture and centralises Finnish culture away from the heartlands of Eastern and Northern Finland," the regional leaders state. The regional leaders remind that the Government wants to invest in the vitality of both eastern and northern Finland through special programmes. "Culture is an indispensable part of the vitality and regional economy of our major region. In addition, the accessibility of culture is important for the well-being of the population in the region. We expect the government of the country to reconsider the cuts, so that the Eastern …

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia invites proposals for the organisation work of Northern Ostrobothnia for 2024. Proposals can be submitted between 1 and 30 September 2024. This year’s theme is ‘Broader than Whole – Cross-Border Cooperation’. 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 association's operations. The applicant must be a registered local association. The association 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 Government of Northern Ostrobothnia. Proposals for the Organisational Act of the Year 2024 will be made by 3 p.m. on 30 September 2024 using the electronic form LINKS The Organisational Act of the Year 2024 will be published at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia on 5 November 2024. The prize is now awarded for the sixth time. Additional information: Ilpo Tapaninen, Strategy Manager,…

The Northern Ostrobothnia Digital Wellbeing Network is an open cooperation platform for all actors interested in digital well-being and its development in Northern Ostrobothnia. The network brings together actors from all over the region to develop digital well-being, inclusion and digital support. The Digital Wellbeing Network shares information, experiences and good practices, solves challenges related to the theme and finds new partners. The network meets regularly about every month. The meetings discuss issues related to the theme from different perspectives and share topical information related to digital well-being. Network meetings to be held in autumn 2024: · Digital competence of professionals and digital competence of vulnerable residents, Pohde digital services and POP-Digi Care Guarantee project Thu 26 September 2024, 14-15 Join the meeting here · Results of municipal development work and projects, City of Oulu and the rest of the municipality /…

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia opens the eighth round of applications for ERDF projects from the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 EU Regional and Structural Policy Programme. The application round is open from 1 September to 30 November 2024. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia finances European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) measures. This call will fund projects under specific objectives 1.1., 1.3., 2.1., 2.2. and 2.3. Before preparing your application, you should read more about the Renewable and Skilled Finland 2021-2027 programme document and the contents of the above-mentioned specific objectives. An amount of EUR 14,240,000 is planned to be used to finance the projects received in the application round. The maximum amount of funding requested (ERDF and State) is 80% development project and up to 70% the total cost of the investment project. A separate ERDF application round is also open until 31 August 2024. For more information on the application rounds, click here.

Region Norrbotten visited Council of Oulu Region on Monday and Tuesday. We hade joint meeting on current matters in Region Norrbotten and Oulu Region. We discussed especially about logisticsal cross-border connections, cohesion policy and industrial policy of the European Union. Starting international daily train traffic between Oulu and Haaparanta The electrification of the Laurila-Tornio-Haaparanta line will be completed at the turn of 2024-2025. The Council of Oulu region has proposed to the Finnish government that the 2025 budget should include funding to start international daily train traffic between Oulu and Haaparanta.  2.1 million euro should be allocated to the state…

Region Norrbotten visited the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region on Monday and Tuesday. We held a joint meeting on topical issues in Norrbotten and Northern Ostrobothnia. In particular, we discussed logistical cross-border links, cohesion policy and the industrial policy of the European Union. The start of international daily train traffic between Oulu and Haparanda The electrification of the Laurila-Tornio-Haaparanta line will be completed at the turn of 2024-2025. The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has proposed to the Finnish Government that funding be included in the 2025 budget to enable international daily train traffic between Oulu and Haparanda. The purchase agreement of the Ministry of Transport and Communications should be allocated EUR 2.1 million to the state budget as of 2025. Opening up passenger traffic across the border would enable the development of tourism, and the rail connection would also serve the working area of the Bothnian Arc. The European Capital of Culture 2026 in Oulu and the region would also greatly benefit from a better train connection to Sweden.…

The update of the climate road map for Northern Ostrobothnia was approved by the Provincial Government on 19 August 2024. The goal of North Ostrobothnia's climate work remains the same: Towards carbon-neutral Northern Ostrobothnia! The work on updating the climate road map started in 2023.  In the update, the original policies and measures of the climate road map will not change. In order to maintain the message of Climate Roadmap 1.0 and the large amount of data, the updated 2.0 version contains the structure and content of the original Roadmap. The changes concern updates of data, such as greenhouse gas emissions; The latest figures are presented. Greenhouse gas emissions from the burden sharing sector in the county have decreased 11 % from 2018 to 2022.  New information on key themes, such as energy and land use, has been added to the road map. The cultural theme has been raised in the context of the top 7 theme. The views of young people, organisations and the Education and Research Cooperation Group have been consulted. Four Municipal Climate Plan workshops were organised for municipalities.  Multiple …

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia proposes the repair of the Ylivieska southern overpass to the state budget for next year. The Regional Council sent a statement letter to the Ministry of Transport, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency and the representatives of the Oulu constituency on Thursday 15 August 2024. It is hoped that the statement will awaken decision-makers and officials to notice the importance of a small project to the north, which is central to rail traffic. The cost estimate for the bridge project over Highway 27 is EUR 13.7 million, and it has been involved in the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency's investment project for years. – Renovation of the overpass is a small project in terms of costs but has a significant impact. The current bridge is weight-restricted and cannot withstand heavy special transports," says Jussi Rämet, Regional Director of Northern Ostrobothnia. Renovation of the bridge is of great importance, especially for the business life in Northern Finland. It improves the prerequisites for business and the functionality of special transports, as well as …