WELCOME TO LAPLAND ! Rovaniemi 10.8.2007 Regional Mayor Mr. Esko Lotvonen

1. CoR Coter Seminar Kiruna 14.12.2009 Esko Lotvonen Region Mayor Regional Council of Lapland WELCOME TO LAPLAND! Rovaniemi 10.8.2007 Regional Mayor Mr. Esko Lotvonen

2. FACTS OF LAPLAND • Northernmost county of Finland and the EU • Total area about 100 000 km2 • share of Finlands total area ~30% • about the same size with Hungary • Population about 183 000 • share of Finlands population 3,4 % • Population density under 2 inhabitants/km2 • Finland 16,8 inhabitants/km2 • Lapland is an international area bordered • by Sweden, Norway and Russia • • international business (industrial production, • tourism, mines) • •international tourists Population (2008)

3. CHALLENGES AND POTENTIALS OF LAPLAND • Challenges • peripherality, long distances • harsh climate - extremely low population density- small size and number of cities • depopulation, quick ageing of population- still high unemployment • shortageof local and regional capital • information society structures • Potentials • natural resources (mining, forestry, energy) • special features of arctic nature • experience industry & tourism • Barents Cooperation and logistics • use of new technology, cold climate and winter technology) • modern and highquality industry (steel, forest sector)

4. Strenghts • unique nature • natural products: berries, herbs, mushrooms etc. • - snow and ice • - 4 seasons • - cold climate research • car & tyre testing • minerals and metals: gold, nickel etc. • high technology know-how

6. Laplands status in structural fund programmes in years 1995-2013 (territorial cohesion) • Objective 6 in years 1995-1999 for sparse populated areas. Integrated programme with all funds included. Accepted in Accession Treaty of Finland, Sweden and Austria. EU - 23,4 MEuro/year • Objective 1 in years 2000-2006. Integrated programme. All funds included. Criteria was sparce population. EU – 25,5 MEuro/year • Objective 2 in years 2007-2013. Employment and Competitiveness -programme covering only ERDF. With special financial sum to very sparse population (35 euroa/inh). EU – 15,8 MEuro/year (+ app. 4,4 Meuro ESF, RDF)

7. Strong emphasis to business development • Economical development in Lapland was severe after Finnish economical crise of 1990-1993 • We lost about 25 % out of our jobs in Lapland • There was a great need to strengthen SME-sector and create competent labour force • State was withdrawing from Lapland as employer and service provider • Objective 6/1/2 -status has secured our regional development ! Value added for whole of EU !

8. Main development figures in years 1995-2007 in Lapland • Unemployment rate decreased from 26 % to 12 % • Employment rate increased from 55 % to 62 % (+ 7 %) • Number of Jobs increased from 65 343 to 71 571(+ 6 228) • Compared to the growth of public services private service jobs increased 4,3 times (in private services + 6000 jobs, in public services + 1500 jobs; 2007 private services 24700 jobs, public services 22 700 jobs )

13. Four NUTS II -areas: • Northern Finland • Central Osrtobotnia, Oulu region and Lapland • Eastern Finland • Etelä- ja Pohjois-Savo, Pohjois-Karjala ja Kainuu • Western Finland • Satakunta, Pirkanmaa, Keski-Suomi, Etelä-Pohjanmaa ja Pohjanmaa • Southern Finland • Uusimaa, Itä-Uusimaa, Kymenlaakso, Etelä-Karjala, Päijät-Häme, Kanta-Häme ja Varsinais-Suomi

14. ERDF-operational programmes, priorities: 1. Business development 2. Enhancement of innovation activities and networking, strenghtening of competence structures 3. Improvement of regional accessibility and operative environment 4.Technical support (4 % out of public funding) - 75 % of funding to goals of Lissabon strategy

15. Successful examples to overcome periferality with programme activities • Applications of new Technology in Health and Social Care • Distance Teaching and Learning • Compact Tourism Resorts with Synergy Effects

16. TEL LAPPI – Districtinformationtechnologysystem for the Lapland Health CareDistrict in 2001 - 2007UULA – New models of services in Health and Social Care using technology for the Lapland Area in 2008 - 2010 Sirpa Liimatta projectmanager

17. Regional infrastructure in TEL LAPPI 2004 - 2007 Digital pictures and archive 2003 - 2004 Electronic referral-feedback 2002 - 2003 Emergency medical care 2002 - 2006 Data security 2001 - 2002 Video conferencing system El ec tron i c pat I ent record sy s tem 17

18. Regional infrastructure in UULA 2009 - 2010 Coordinate the work in Lapland to join the National Archive of Health Information (KanTa) 2009 - 2010 Counselling and appointmentservices via internet for the citizens 2008 - 2009 Video consultations and servicesfor the citizens via video 18

19. IP video conferencingsystem 19

20. Video Consultation Services + - • Spare time • Getting to the specialized doctor more quickly • Multi-professional treatment • Training (beginner-master) • Questions of responsibilities • Minimal use – no routine • Benefits are not immediately visible • Resources – change of work culture • Technical problems 20

21. Training through Video Consultation • + • Knowledge/skill • Regional action hasdeveloped • Goodlecturereparations- • Technicalproblems • Interaction • Regional training • Training for doctors who are specialising • Multi-professional meetings 21

22. Electronic Referral and Feedback • InauguratedNovember 2003 • Involvesallmunicipalities and allspecialisedfields • Fourdifferentelectronicpatientrecordsystems (Effica, Esko, Mediatri, Pegasos) + • Handling of referrals and feedback speededup • Patienthistoryalmostcompletelyelectronic • Possibility to change a referral into a consultation 22

23. The Need of Distance Teaching and Learning in Lapland The educational institutes in Lapland are quite small-sized, distances between them are long, selection of subjects is quite narrow and the amount of potential students seems to be smaller in the future (small age groups). These create great challenges for the institutions. - One way to manage the challenging situation is to utilize technological opportunities, like ICT.

24. Financed themes of distance teaching and learnig Three main themes have been: I) equipment needed for connections II) educational material and research III) training for teachers and students on how to use the systems of distance learning - Each of the themes have to be managed or the others can not be utilized.

25. TOURISM STRATEGY • • Tourism is crucial for the welfare of Lapland • Integrated tourism planning covers all issues and levels affecting tourism resorts • Water supply and sewage handling are important • Development focus on biggest resorts • Close co-operation with surrounding rural area • Secure accessibility and compact housing taking into account climate change challenges • Boosting international tourism demand • Develop low seasons • Public-private sector partnership and project coordination

28. …RAW MATERIALS FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

31. Territorial cooperation ENPI Kolarctic CBC 2009-2016

32. Priorities • Economic and social development (40%) • 2. Common challenges(25%) • 3. People to people cooperation and identity building (25%) • Technical assistance (10%)

34. Oil and gas activities

35. New Cohesion policy for European North in 2014-2020 • Objective 2-type of programme structure has to be secured to EU Northern Sparsely Areas as continuation of former Objective 6/1/2 –status on the basis of territorial cohesion in Lisboa aggrement ! • Continuation of existing Interreg A,B and ENPI CBC programmes in European North is important ! • EU Makro Regional Strategy for European North (from NW Russia to Island) compared to Baltic Sea Strategy as guiding document, should be worked out ! It would contain the European Arctic Dimension.

36. Thank you for attention!