Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the newly published EU Arctic Strategy, sustainability perspectives on the green transition and land use, security and resilience, the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF, 2028–2034), and the National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP). A cross-cutting theme throughout the event was the role of local populations in planning for the future and serving as the foundation for resilience.

The forum was hosted by the Regional Council of Lapland, which is the 2026 Chair of the regions of East and North Finland. Hannu Takkula, Regional Governor of Lapland, and Jonas Andersson, current Chair of the NSPA Network, opened the forum and welcomed participants to Tornio. Takkula highlighted the strategic importance of the entire NSPA area for Europe, emphasising the opportunities the region offers and the crucial role of EU funding in realising them, while also noting the area's unique circumstances. He stressed that a stronger Europe cannot be built by weakening its regions. Andersson, in turn, underscored the importance of cooperation among NSPA stakeholders and the need to secure the NSPA special allocation in the upcoming programming period.

This NSPA Forum 2026 event report covers:

• The new EU Arctic Strategy
• The EU’s upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034)
• Local communities as the foundation of resilience
• Arctic security in an era of polycrisis
• Harmonising the green transition with sustainable land use

The EU Arctic Strategy as a Key Theme at the Forum

Miguel Roncero, officer for International Relations on Arctic and Ocean Governance at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), presented the Arctic Strategy and its significance from the Commission’s perspective. He emphasised Arctic cooperation and its active role in Europe’s current operational environment.

According to the NSPA Network, the new EU Arctic Strategy recognizes the importance of the European Arctic and highlights the role of northern regions in the EU’s Arctic engagement as well as in strengthening investments in the area. The NSPA Steering Committee has prepared a statement on EU Arctic Strategy.

“The Arctic has never been merely a periphery, but it has now become more important than ever. The NSPA regions must continue their dialogue with both the Commission and other Member States to get their message across,” Miguel Roncero stated.

According to Kalle Kankaanpää, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, it was encouraging to see that many non-Arctic EU countries were also interested in investing in the Arctic region. Cooperation helps stakeholders learn from each other’s practices while also raising awareness of the needs and current developments in the Arctic.

“The Arctic Strategy and its contents must also be brought to the attention of national decision-makers,” Kankaanpää added.

In her address, Päivi Ekdahl, Director of Regional Development at the Regional Council of Lapland, examined the Arctic Strategy from the perspective of the NSPA area. She highlighted the role of the NSPA regions in advancing the EU’s strategic autonomy, security, and climate objectives. Ekdahl also underlined the importance of EU Cohesion Policy and its financial instruments in strengthening sustainable development, investments, and cross-border cooperation in the northern regions.

A Strong Need for Arctic Research

Several presentations at the event highlighted the vital role of research and research networks in the Arctic.

According to Kalle Kankaanpää, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, it was welcomed that the new EU Arctic Strategy places strong emphasis on research. The strategy highlights research infrastructures, international cooperation, and the coordination of European arctic research.

A practical example of research cooperation was presented at the forum by Kirsi Latola, one of the leaders of the Arctic Six university network in Norway, Sweden and Finland. The Arctic Six provides research-based expertise to support decision-making, connects experts, and organizes thematic calls to address emerging research needs.

Tanja Joona, Professor of Sustainability Science at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland and Programme Director of the ARCTIC programme, also stressed that policy implementation requires consulting researchers. Researchers understand the interconnectedness of security, justice, sustainable use of natural resources, community consultation, and good governance in the Arctic. Therefore, Arctic researchers must be given a systematic role in decision-making processes before potential conflicts arise, she stated.

Negotiations on the Next Multiannual Financial Framework Intensify –Securing the NSPA Special Allocation is essential

Kari Aalto, Director of the East and North Finland EU Office, shed light on the negotiations for the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) from the perspective of the NSPA regions, describing the discussions challenging. He emphasized that Finland and Sweden must defend NSPA funding in the EU negotiations and ensure that the specific characteristics of northern sparsely populated areas are considered in the next financial period as well. The NSPA funding target is EUR 500 million for the entire programming period. So far, earmarked NSPA support has not yet been secured.

The European Parliament’s baseline proposal includes an amendment on earmarked funding for the NSPA regions, and the NSPA Network has urged the Council of the European Union to align with Parliament’s position in the interinstitutional negotiations. Preserving and strengthening the NSPA allocation is essential to ensure that commitments made to the northern regions are fulfilled and that the EU maintains its capacity to invest in the development of its own Arctic regions.

Elsi Katainen (Renew Europe), Member of the European Parliament and lead rapporteur of the AGRI Committee on the NRPP package, spoke on the first day of the conference about the strategic importance of the NSPA regions for Europe and the need for continued support to guarantee long-term development.

“For its part, the EU must ensure that the NSPA special allocation is included in the next programming period. We must view cohesion funding as an investment in Europe’s Arctic Member States,” Katainen stated.

Hanna Honkamäkilä, Secretary-General for the East and North Finland NRPP preparation, stressed the importance of incorporating the regional perspective into Finland’s national programme preparation, describing the negotiations as still ongoing. The regions of East and North Finland continue to actively advance their objective of securing an earmarked NSPA allocation of EUR 500 million for the upcoming programming period.

Competitiveness Supporting Cohesion Funding

Discussions during the NSPA Forum demonstrated once again that Europe’s strength depends on the strength of all its regions. The Arctic is an integral part of Europe’s future, crisis resilience, and competitiveness.

Unna Löppönen, Senior Advisor at the East and North Finland EU Office, presented the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) in the upcoming MFF from the perspective of northern sparsely populated areas. Her presentation highlighted the opportunities the ECF offers to the NSPA regions, as the fund accounts for 21% of the current budget proposal.

The NSPA Network calls for an inclusive approach that unlocks the potential of northern and sparsely populated areas. Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and strategic autonomy depend on harnessing the full innovation potential of its regions and empowering regional and local authorities to support industrial scale-up and investments.

Actors in the NSPA regions are well-positioned to succeed in competitive funding calls focused on proposal quality. The NSPA areas boast numerous hubs of expertise and cooperation networks, and the Smart Specialisation Strategy provides a strong framework for this.

Vibrant Local Communities serve as the Foundation for Resilience

A cross-cutting theme throughout the forum was the importance of consulting and engaging local populations in the Arctic and northern sparsely populated areas.

The side programme and speeches focusing on local communities prompted participants to reflect on the Arctic’s diverse population, its history, and its crisis resilience in changing circumstances. Discussions raised a fundamental question: for whom are we building a better Arctic future, if not for the region’s youth and the people living there?

The programme included a visit to the Museum of Torne Valley, whose exhibition focused on the culture and history of the Torne Valley on both sides of the Swedish and Finnish border. In addition, participants were given a presentation on the Kvens, who migrated from the Torne Valley to Northern Norway during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Vilma Ohrankämmen, Project Manager at the Joint Municipal Authority of East Lapland, gave topical project example of cooperation and introduced the international Interreg Aurora-funded ACCESS project, which focuses on the capacity of local actors to respond to changes in their environment. The project has aimed to strengthen operational capacity, deepen cooperation, and raise awareness of preparedness.

The project has revealed that the future vision for the Arctic is also defined through soft values. The core question should be whether people want to build their futures in the region. Ultimately, it is the people who are the most critical infrastructure, and a secure border is an inhabited and vibrant one.

Culture Drives Regional Attractiveness

The city of Oulu is the European Capital of Culture 2026. At the forum, Piia Rantala-Korhonen, CEO of the Oulu Culture Foundation, shared insights into the ongoing Capital of Culture year, its events, and lessons learned. According to her, in addition to successful events, the year has driven broad regional development. Among other things, it has brought new skills and audiences to the city and surrounding areas, increased volunteering and spaces for cultural activities, fostered regional and international cooperation networks, and broadened the funding base.

“A job and a home alone are not enough to commit people to a region. Without culture, people will look elsewhere to live. That is why culture is truly vital in the Arctic as well,” Piia Rantala-Korhonen stated in her presentation.

The Era of Polycrisis Challenges Arctic Security

At the conference, NATO expert Johannes Puukki and Professor Tanja Joona from the University of Lapland gave presentations focusing on Arctic security. Several speakers at the Forum described the current geopolitical circumstances as ‘polycrisis’, since we have multiple simultaneous challenges concerning, for example, climate change and risks it possesses, security and hybrid threats.

In herpresentation, Joona examined the EU Arctic Strategy from the perspective of potential security investments. According to her, it is essential that the strategy mentions numerous opportunities for strengthening security and security of supply, such as digital and transport connections. However, an opportunity is not the same as a funded project, she pointed out. Infrastructure is an integral part of security, and it requires long-term financing.

“Instead of short-sighted, standalone projects, we need long-term strategic funding models and solutions; without them, we will be lost. This broader picture must be firmly taken into account when implementing the EU’s Arctic Strategy at the national level,” Tanja Joona stated.

Johannes Puukki discussed NATO’s activities in the Arctic region. In a rapidly changing geopolitical environment, the security and resilience of the Arctic have moved increasingly to the forefront. Puukki also highlighted the role of regional actors in advancing security.

He also introduced NATO’s recently published 2026 Resilience Baseline Requirements report, which emphasises the development of transport and communication networks, ensuring dual-use capabilities, and safeguarding the continuity of civil society and governance through self-sufficiency in energy and other critical resources. These priorities are closely aligned with the objectives of the NSPA regions, and Puukki encouraged regional actors to familiarize themselves with the report and utilize its conclusions to support policy measures.

Markus Lundgren, Project Manager at the Region Norrbotten, delivered a project presentation on stable, long-term cross-border cooperation through the Northern Cross-Regional Collaboration (NCRC) project. Led by Region Norrbotten, the project involves the Regional Council of Lapland alongside the counties of Troms, Finnmark, and Nordland. The objective of the cooperation has been to strengthen the institutional capacity, strategic coordination, and long-term political commitment of the participating regions.

The Green Transition Requires Balancing Land-Use Needs

The green transition is a shared objective for the EU as well as for Norway, Sweden and Finland on a national level. Arctic regions and their ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change, which underscores the urgency of emission reductions and the green transition. However, implementing the transition also requires reconciling diverse land-use interests, including those of industry, renewable energy production, nature conservation, forestry, and indigenous peoples.

At the conference, this theme was explored in a panel discussion. The panelists were Ritva Isomäki, Manager of Environment and Natural Resources at the Council of Oulu Region; Jaana Sorvali, Associate Professor at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke); Kirsi Johansson, Head of Nature and Closed Mines at Outokumpu; and Rickard Carstedt, Regional Councilor and Chair of the Regional Development Committee at Region Västerbotten. The discussion was moderated by Tiina Paakkari, Senior Advisor at the East and North Finland EU Office.

The panel stressed the importance of careful coordination, planning, and implementation of cumulative land-use interests. Regional cooperation is a prerequisite for sustainable land use. Social acceptability is enhanced when actors build trust and visibility within local communities. According to the panelists, it is essential that green transition investments support regional vitality and create value and benefits for the local population.

Strengthening Cooperation Creates a More Sustainable Mining and Minerals Sector

Unna Löppönen, Senior Advisor at the East and North Finland EU Office, presented the Experimentation Journey development model, in which the regions of East and North Finland updated their mining and minerals strategy with the aim of strengthening the circular economy within the sector. The project was coordinated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN).

The implementation of the project also supported the ongoing update of the East and North Finland Mineral Action Plan, helping the regions define future guidelines for the mining and minerals sector in alignment with the EU’s strategic priorities. The action plan brings together all seven regions, leveraging their complementary expertise and smart specialization on a broader scale. At its best, coordinated inter-regional action can enhance sustainability and responsibility in the mining and minerals sector while accelerating a just green transition.

Towards the Next NSPA Forum

In his closing remarks, Jukka Kujala, Mayor of Tornio, summarised the unique circumstances of the NSPA area, where local municipalities and cities play a key role in developing regional vitality, promoting competitiveness, and strengthening attraction and retention.

Nils Sørheim Nilsen, Director of the North Norway European Office, welcomed participants to next year’s NSPA Forum 2027 in Kirkenes, Norway, to be held on 27–28 October 2027.

The 2026 forum was hosted by the Regional Council of Lapland, with support from the East and North Finland EU Office. Thank you to all participants and speakers for their insightful presentations, discussions, and new initiatives. Cooperation across the NSPA regions continues closely towards shared goals.