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BARENTS 2010 STRATEGY AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BARENTS REGION Esko Lotvonen Executive director Regional Council of Lapland Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Need for clear strategy and priorities • First 10 years of Barents cooperation were making the basis for European northernmost cooperation region • Barents region has been widening geographically • During 10 years very much did changed in different regions of Barents • There were also great changes in European and global perspectives Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Light from the North • Barents region is abundant of natural resourcies • Many of these are increasing there relevance and importance • Energy, minerals, timber, fish,.. • Arctic nature more attractive product for turism Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Growth possibilities in all regions • good thing is that future possibilities covers the whole of Barents region • North West Russia – oil and gas, minerals, forestry,.. • North Sweden – minerals, commercial service (IKEA),.. • North Finland – turism, ict, minerals,.. • North Norway – oil and gas, fish,… Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Structures in chance • globalisation has its impacts in Barents region • modern technology gives possibilities for industry and service sector • cold climate technology is a growth sector • settlement structure is more centralized • population has been decreasing Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Challencies for Barents region (1) • creating a functional cooperation area is not an easy task • wide area with unsufficient transport network is a problem • different languages and cultures in practicalities create obstacles • more bilateral than multilateral cooperation Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Challencies for Barents region (2) • engagement and support of national level • cooperation between different levels of national adminstration • cooperation between different sectors in national and regional level • insufficient cooperation structures Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Challencies for Barents region (3) • sustainable environmental development • possibilities for private sector as a stakeholder • the role of regional SMEs in development activities • to secure and develop the culture of indegenious people • development of social dimension Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Roadmap ahead • prioritize – focus • take use of strengtnesses - create special knowhow • sector programmes under implementation (oil- and gas, turism, forestry, mining and minerals, ict, transport) • effective, permanent organisational structures • real engagement needed • strong youth dimension Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Need for Northern policies • national states should prepare their stronger strategies for northern regions • EU together with different stakeholders should develop and implement active Northern Dimension –policy • different national and international financing resources and programmes have to be develop and used to reach the goals of Barents region • the new European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument is important for us Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B Future has to be done • Good future for Barents region will not come automatically • It has to done ! • Let us do it ! • THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENSION ! Strategies & actions for macro-regions BSR INTERREG III B