Regional Council of Kainuu is responsible for the general regional policy planning and programmes within the Kainuu. These programmes focus development activities in the region to the strategic themes considering the development and vitality of the region.  Regional development activities are carried out in cooperation with regional stakeholders and also international cooperation plays an important part in the process.

Regional Development Unit

Pursuant to the Act on regional development, regional councils serve as regional development authorities. The Regional Council of Kainuu is responsible for the general regional policy planning and programmes within the Kainuu region and in part also for the implementation of the programmes and the international connections involved.

The main task regarding regional development is to draw up regional development plans and to coordinate regional development measures of its member local authorities and those of State regional administrative authorities. The plans and programmes of regional councils have mandatory legal consequences. Local and national government authorities must take account of the council’s plans and programmes in their own operative and other action.

An important part of regional development responsibilities is planning the national policies as well as the EU structural and cohesion policies and coordinating their implementation in the Kainuu region. The Regional Council of Kainuu co-operates with other regional councils in various fields.

International co-operation, including co-operation with the neighbouring regions, is important for Kainuu. The Regional Council of Kainuu is also involved in the initiation, planning and monitoring of international projects and actively participates the projects of other organisations in the region.

Also the Europe Direct Information Centre operates under the Regional Development unit of Regional Council of Kainuu.

Regional Programmes and Regional Development Funding

The Kainuu Regional Plan until 2040 is a long-term plan articulating the vision for the future livelihoods, services and regional structure in Kainuu and setting out the region’s objectives.  The Regional Plan directs in the use of areas, and on the regional programme, steering functional development measures.  The Kainuu Regional Programme 2022- 2025 confirmed for four years at a time contains tangible objectives and measures of Development, as well as the list of essential projects to reach the goals. The above mentioned two documents have been combined to one document that is referred to as the Kainuu Programme.

The Implementation Plan of the regional programme is drawn up annually to detail the implementation and financing of Kainuu Regional Programme.

An important part of regional development responsibilities is planning the national policies as well as the EU structural and cohesion policies and managing and coordinating their implementation for the Kainuu region. This includes participation in taking and implementing financing decisions concerning national and EU projects. The Regional Council of Kainuu acts as the intermediary body in allocating Regional development funds, as well as European Regional Development Funds and corresponding national funding in Kainuu. In addition, small-scale financing can also be applied for from the budget funds of the Regional Council of Kainuu.

Funds are directed to measures supporting the regional development plans mentioned above, additional guidelines are also applied as allocating EU funds.

Key Factors of our Success

Securing the supply of skilled labor is quite important for the success  of Kainuu at the moment. We need various kinds of education and training, but also work-related migration to Kainuu from both other regions in Finland and from abroad. Employing students and encouraging g the return migration of young people who have moved away to study for a profession, raising the employment rate more and more and improving teleworking opportunities are all part of our plans.

Business investments, especially in the key business sectors, such as the technology industry, bioeconomy, tourism and mining are important. Export companies and raising the degree of processing support the sustainable growth of regional economy in Kainuu.

Tourists, attracted by Kainuu’s nature, sports and recreation opportunities and rich culture, are an important factor for Kainuu’s regional income and vitality.

In Kainuu, we work hard to make our visitors feel welcome and return to the area again and again.
We welcome all new residents and development partners to the region!

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