NSPA Forum, 22 September in Kuopio
The NSPA Forum in Kuopio focuses on the next EU funding period and the opportunities that it brings to the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas. Attendees are actors from the EU institutions and the NSPA region.
The Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA) network cordially invites you to the NSPA yearly Forum organized this year in Kuopio, Finland on 22 September 2011. The Kuopio Forum focuses on the next EU funding period and the opportunities that it brings to the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas.
Registration to NSPA Forum in Kuopio
The 14 NSPA regions of northern parts of Finland, Norway and Sweden have many common defining factors such as high-level research and innovation capacity, raw materials and modern societal structures. Hinders also exist: sparse population, harsh climate and long distances. The Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA) also has a population density of only 4.9 inhabitants per km2, something that cannot be found in any other part of the European Union.
The NSPA network shares common circumstances and objectives and works together to raise awareness of the region in the EU institutions, to influence EU policies and to provide a platform for best practise exchange.
The NSPA Forum in Kuopio is a place to share ideas and best practises and also to define common objectives and goals for the future.
We look forward to meeting you in Kuopio!
DRAFT PROGRAMME
Venue: Hotel Scandic Kuopio
Thursday, 22 Sept
moderator: Riikka Railimo, Director of East Finland EU Office
09.30 Registration
10.00 Opening words and welcome to Pohjois-Savo in East Finland
Mr Jussi Huttunen, Region Mayor, Pohjois-Savo region
10.15 Introduction to Northern Sparsely Populated Areas
Mr. Kari Aalto, Director of North Finland EU Office
10.30 Keynote speech + discussion
Future of regional policy in the EU
Mr Alain Roggeri, Head of Unit - REGIO H.2 (Estonia, Finland and Latvia) European Commission - DG REGIO
11.30 How to promote the NSPA in a national setting
Mr Jussi Yli-Lahti, Director Regional Development, Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy
12.15 Lunch
13.30 Defining NSPA: grand opportunities and challenges
- Natural resources
Mr Risto Pietilä, Regional Director, Geological Survey of Finland (tbc)
- Research and development
Ms Susan Holmberg, PhD Political Science, Mid Sweden University
- Demographic change and social innovation
Mr Kimmo Niiranen, Regional Officer, Regional Council of North Karelia
- Cross-border cooperation
Mr Rune Bakkevoll, Special Advisor, North Norway European Office
14.30 Coffee break
14.45 NSPA position paper on the future of structural funds
+ NSPA - the way forward: general discussion
Mr. Erik Bergqvist, Chairman of the Board of Region Västerbotten
16.00 European Parliament and regional policy
MEP Riikka Manner, member of the Regional Development Committee
16.30 Comments from DG REGIO
Mr Alain Roggeri, Head of Unit - REGIO H.2 (Estonia, Finland and Latvia), European Commission - DG REGIO
16.50 Welcome to the next NSPA Forum in Mid Sweden
Mrs. Åsa Möller, Chair, County Council of Västernorrland
17.00 Concluding remarks
Ms Riitta Koskinen, Director Regional DEvelopment, Regional Council Etelä-Savo
19.00 Evening programme (Kuopio city reception)