news

The second round of applications for ERDF projects for the 2021-2027 programming period of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia ended on 28 February 2022. Only specific objectives 1.3, 2.2 and 3.1 were open in the closed call. By the deadline, 35 applications were received by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. A majority of 22 applications were for SME growth and competitiveness under Specific Objective 1.3. Six applications were received under Specific Objective 2.2 and seven under Specific Objective 3.1. The applications sought funding from the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia totalling approximately EUR 11.23 million. The next call for applications for the 2021-2027 programming period is planned to open in March/April 2023 and is a JTF-funded call for projects under Axis 7. Check out this link to JTF funding.

Speaking at an organisation event on 21 February 2022, Member of Parliament Katja Hänninen encouraged organisations to engage in long-term, systematic and active advocacy work. In order to be effective, organisations need to take into account some key issues. It's good to be on time with your goals. It is worth following what matters are coming up for preparation and actively highlighting important points of view for your organisation. It is good to find out who the responsible persons are and target the message to them. Katja Hänninen encouraged politicians to contact them boldly and offer them valuable expert help from organisations. The advocacy work is made more effective when the background work has been done well and things have been summarised as well-founded top goals in an easily understandable form. There are plenty of different advocacy and communication channels and it is good to use them in a variety of ways. ‘ Social …

 The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has introduced an electronic recruitment tool, the nationwide Kuntarekry.fi service. The service includes a recruitment system and visibility on a job advertisement website specialising in the municipal sector www.kuntarekry.fi The purpose of the implementation of the service is to improve both job search and the processing of applications. In the future, jobseekers will be able to submit an electronic job application to the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, receive information about the latest jobs via email and share information about the job vacancies of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, for example on social media. From the supervisor's point of view, electronic job application forms clarify and speed up the processing of applications and harmonise the organisation's recruitment communications.

The provinces of Eastern and Northern Finland have joined forces in response to the new threats facing the whole of Finland in a changed security situation. Eastern and Northern Finland needs investments in transport infrastructure and the main grid, which will speed up investments in the green transition, among other things. The counties have drawn up common Government Programme objectives to influence the vitality of the entire eastern and northern borders, especially the eastern border and northern regions. The aim is to improve the regional transport infrastructure and allocate EU funding fairly. There is a risk that a vitality vacuum in the east and north would drive the whole of Finland to the ever-increasing security challenges. Pentti Mäkinen, Regional Director of Etelä-Savo, points out that security of supply is built under normal conditions. According to Mäkinen, investments in Eastern and Northern Finland increase national security and are part of international crisis management. – It is up to us to do the whole of Finland.…

On 14 February 2023, a trans-European TEN-T conference was held in Warsaw, Poland, to discuss extensively the requirements for the development of logistics chains and the impact of the European security situation on the core network corridors. The essential function of the trans-European core network is to link European transport flows in both the north and south directions, as well as in the east and west directions. The Swedish Minister of Transport Andreas Carlson emphasised that Finland's and Sweden's membership of NATO places new demands on the northern areas of the core network and the importance of public-private cooperation in the development of the network. In his speech, Marius Skuodis, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications, stressed the importance of alternative routes and the importance of the military mobility perspective. The conference focused extensively on the integration of Ukraine and Moldova into the European transport network. The European Commission's proposal links Ukraine to the core network corridors to secure grain transport. Presentation by the Commission on Ukrainian…

Two new chairpersons from Northern Ostrobothnia have been elected to the working groups of the Baltic Sea Commission. The Board of Directors of the Baltic Sea Commission made the election for positions of trust at a meeting held in Brussels from 1 to 2 February 2023. Sari Nurro, a member of the Regional Executive of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, was elected Chairman of the Maritime Working Group. Prior to his election as Chairman, Nurro has served as a member of the Maritime Working Group. Jari Leathernen from Haapajärvi, member of the Regional Council of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, was elected Chairman of the Arctic Stakeholder Group. Jouni Jussinniemi and Rami Rauhalla were former members of the Commission's working groups. Jussinniemi is in the Working Group on Transport and the Working Group on Energy and Climate in Peace. The working groups formulate and prepare views on the Baltic Sea Commission's policies in its fields of activity.   The Baltic Sea Commission of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) is the central forum for international cooperation of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The Baltic Sea Commission's areas of activity are transport policy, maritime policy,…

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia requests offers from artists and creative professionals for the implementation of six art pilots in the municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia. The pilots will be carried out during 2023 and will involve a total of 29 municipalities.   The pilot projects are created by the municipalities themselves and based on their own needs. The unifying idea in the pilots is to increase the visibility of art and culture in municipalities and the everyday lives of residents, and to create life, joy and opportunities for participation in municipalities with the help of art. The themes of the pilots emphasise nature and sustainability, everyday environments and the home region, experientialism and experimentality. Topics range from documenting the swinging culture to discussing the relationship with nature and working in an art laboratory. There is a lot of variation.  ‘The range of art forms suitable for the implementation of pilots is as wide as their themes and themes…

TEAMS briefing on JTF funding for Northern Ostrobothnia on Friday 27 January 2023, 12:00 - 14:00 Presentation of JTF and the Just Transition Plan for Northern Ostrobothnia o JTF funding instruments of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia o JTF funding instruments of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Northern Ostrobothnia o Application periods and application Presentations of the event The event was organised by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Northern Ostrobothnia in cooperation with the European Direct Information Point for Northern Ostrobothnia. CONTACT Katarina Timisjärvi, katarina.timisjarvi()pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi, +358 40 685 4025 Päivi Jaakola, paivi.jaakola()ely-keskus.fi, +358 295 038 225

The Regional Council of North Ostrobothnia and the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of North Ostrobothnia will organise an information event for representatives of the technical work of the municipalities of North Ostrobothnia on the possibilities of EU funding for the financing of transport infrastructure and wood and biomass terminals on Friday 3 February 2023 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Through the teams, we will organise an information event lasting approximately one hour, in which we will tell about the possibilities of programme funding in the financing of the above-mentioned investment projects. We have sent all representatives of the technical function of the municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia, primarily the technical function managers, a team invitation to the event. The material will be delivered to those invited, and the material will be available on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia under the subtitle training materials. Here's a link to the info session starting at 2 p.m. Aki Lappalainen Regional Development Specialist tel. 040 502 1851

Welcome to the North Ostrobothnia Skills Needs Survey. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment under the Finnish National Agency for Education have agreed on practical foresight cooperation. The aim is to examine the region's competence needs from the perspective of professional sectors. The region's perspective on the future of professional fields and skills shortages can be obtained by answering a national survey conducted by JOTPA. The Northern Ostrobothnia Cooperation Group on Education and Research has discussed the most important areas of the region that need answers. Other sectors can also be well addressed. When answering more than one field, you have to start the survey from the beginning. Main sectors in Northern Ostrobothnia: ICT Social Services and Health Care Metals Forests Construction Education Hospitality Survey can be found HERE. Please respond to the survey by Monday, 6 February 2023. Every answer is important. Thank you for your time! You can also submit a survey in your own networks. Northern Ostrobothnia results…