Ministers Väyrynen and Björling to visit Tornio River valley

Press release 158/2009
5 June, 2009

Accompanied by Sweden’s Minister for Trade Ewa Björling, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will visit Tornio River valley on 9-10 June. During the visit, the ministers will visit the areas of Pajala, Kolari and Haparanda-Tornio.

In Pajala, the ministers will get acquainted with the plans of a Canadian-Norwegian mining company Northland resources for establishment of an iron ore mine, and extensions of mining projects in Pajala and Kolari. According to an extensive project plan, the establishment of a mine would create as many as 20,000 new jobs in the Tornio River valley within the next few years. The ministers will also familiarise themselves with the ‘Meänmaa’ project, being implemented in the cross-border region, and discuss with representatives of local municipalities in Kolari about promotion of cooperation projects crossing the border of Sweden and Finland.

On 10 June, the ministers will visit Tornio, where the representatives of the cities of Haparanda and Tornio will present border area cooperation in the Tornio River valley region. In Tornio, the programme will also include a visit to the Outokumpu steel plant.

During the visit, the ministers will also discuss topical trade policy issues, such as the financial crisis, current situation of the WTO negotiations, and obstacles of cross-border cooperation. Minister Björling will also go over the trade policy agenda of the forthcoming Swedish EU Presidency.

Additional information: Advisor to the Minister Päivi Nevala, tel. +358 40 753 4375, and Counsellor Hans Ottelin, tel. +358 40 569 5302