Project description in brief

The project has been initiated by the Barents Regional Council and follows up an evaluation of regional co-operation in the Barents Region 1993-2000.

The Barents region consists of thirteen regions and many different ethnic groups in four countries, which have a lot of common problems. Differences in culture, legal framework, etc create problems and hamper fruitful co-operation. Almost all parts of the region are losing population and it is alarming that the young generation is leaving the region. There are many organised co-operation activities and several programmes financed by the EU (Interreg, Tacis), the Nordic Council of Ministers and national aid organisations. However, all of them lack sufficient data for preparing long-term programmes for co-operation.

The main goal of this project is to develop a strategy and action plan for future co-operation within the Barents region. In parallel with the development of the strategy and action plan, a number of work packages will be undertaken. These work packages will interact and serve as input to the plan. Successful work packages will also be given priority in the next phase of Barents co-operation. The project activities are organised in these five work packages:

1. Development of a strategy and action plan, to which all the other work packages will contribute. A special focus in this work package will be put on information and youth perspective.
2. Work package on industrial development; specific problems for the development of the industry in the region with special focus on forestry, minerals and offshore/oil & gas.
3. Work package on higher education and research with the aim to create networks and projects.
4. Work package on the environment with special focus on water quality and biodiversity.
5. Work package on transport and infrastructure, with special attention to co-ordinating with the Interreg project on a sustainable transport system in the Barents region.

Results
The expected outcome of the five work packages are:

• A strategy and action plan for the Barents region up to 2010, including elements from the other work packages as well as the information strategy and youth perspective.
• The creation of cross-border industrial co-operation projects in key economic sectors, such as forestry, minerals and offshore fishing.
• Suggestions on how to improve education and research co-operation in the Barents region for selected areas, and how to present at least five new co-operation projects.
• Action plan based on analysis of the environmental situation in the Barents region regarding water quality and biodiversity as a base for future improvement.
• New operational networks in the area of transport and infrastructure.

Implementation
The Barents region consists of 13 member regions. Each of the Nordic regions will have responsibility for one work package and will create project teams with members from two other Nordic regions and two Russian regions. Each work package has its own plan and activities. The co-ordination will be made in work package 1.

Partners and financial contributors
The counties of Västerbotten (lead partner) and Norrbotten; regional councils of Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu; regional administrations of Nordland, Troms, Finnmark. The Russian partners are: the republics of Karelia and Komi; Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions; Nenets autonomous district. The project is partly financed by Interreg III B Baltic Sea.

The project application can be downloaded in the Documents  section.