The Government approved a proposal for EU Cross-Border Cooperation programmes to be implemented in the border areas of Finland and Russia
Press release 219/2008
13 June, 2008
The Government approved on 12 June a proposal to be made to the European Commission on Cross-Border Cooperation programmes for 2007-2013, to be implemented in the border areas of Finland and Russia. Part of the co-financing for these programmes comes from the Cross-Border Cooperation within European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI-CBC).
The programmes are: "Karelia", covering on the Finnish side of the border Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and North Karelia, as well as Lapland and Northern Savo as so called adjacent areas; "South-Eastern Finland – Russia”, covering in Finland South Karelia, Southern Savo and Kymenlaakso Region, as well as Northern Savo, Päijät Häme and Eastern Uusimaa as adjacent areas; and "Kolarctic" covering Lapland, and Northern Ostrobothnia as an adjacent area in Finland. Regions from Sweden and Norway are also involved in the Kolarctic programme.
The programme proposals have been prepared in cooperation between the regional and central administration authorities of Finland and Russia and, in the case of Kolarctic programme, also the authorities of Sweden and Norway on the basis of the needs jointly identified by the regions.
The general programme targets include the promotion of economic and social development, addressing common challenges, effective and safe borders, and direct contacts between the citizens.
The financing of the programmes consists of EU co-financing, co-financing from the own resources of participating countries, and self-financing of individual programmes. The combined EU financing for all three programmes is approximately EUR 87 million, and Finland’s estimated national co-financing amounts to approximately EUR 37 million.
The participating countries and regions have appointed the following bodies as programme managing authorities: the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia for the Karelia Programme, the Regional Council of South Karelia for the South-Eastern Finland – Russia Programme, and the Regional Council of Lapland for the Kolarctic Programme.
The management of the programmes is based on equality between the participating countries and regions. The decisions on the projects selected as recipients of financing are made by the Joint Monitoring Committee. The Monitoring Committee makes its decisions on the basis of proposals made by the Selection Committees representing egional and local level organisations.
The ENPI-CBC programmes will replace the former co-financing programmes implemented in the regions along the external borders of the EU, including the TACIS Programme directed to Russia, and similar Interreg programmes implemented in EU States.
The programmes will be introduced to the European Commission for approval after the participating states, including Russia, have approved them for their part. The intention is to have the programmes launched before the end of 2008. In Finland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for national coordination of all ENPI programmes. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy also participates in the coordination of ENPI-CBC programmes.
Additional information: Ministerial Adviser Petri Haapalainen, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, tel. +358 40 592 2667, and First Secretary Kim Kuivalainen, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 724 7137