The Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA) network wishes to welcome you to the NSPA Forum of 2024, from 12th to 13th of September. This year’s event will take place in Bodø, the first European Capital of Culture north of the Arctic Circle.
The NSPA Steering Committee visited Brussels 12.-13.3.2024. The programme included meetings hosted by The East & North Finland EU Office, The North Sweden EU Office, and The North Norway European Office as well as visits to DG Regio, DG Grow, DG Environment, and NATO.
On the 14th of December 2023, we gathered in the capital of North Karelia, Joensuu, for the annual NSPA forum. This year, the forum’s main topics were EU cohesion policy as well as the effects of the geopoltitical situation, security plans, infrastructure, and transport plans on the regions. We also received an update on the project “Support to the implementation capacity of sustainable green development in the European Arctic Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA)” implemented by the OECD. Finally, we held a fruitful workshop on the future of NSPA. Across the various presentations, discussions, and events of the forum, a few central themes emerged: finding new ways of co-operation, promoting a unified voice, as well as fostering resilience and flexibility.