CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS The situation of regions with geographical characteristics:

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The situation of regions with geographical characteristics:

Sparsely populated regions and regions in demographic decline

Kent Ögren, County Councillor of Norrbotten

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Norrbotten makes up one quarter of the area of Sweden. The region has a population of around 255,000 in an area as large as Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands combined. Norrbotten has 2,6 inhabitants/km2. The EU average is 116.

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS CoR Coter Conference on

REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The North of Europé in a Global Perspective

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Taking advantage of the territory

Arvidsjaur and Arjeplog is the hub of car and car component testing. The world’s leading car manufacturers come here to test products in an extreme climate. The car testing sector is growing at a rate of 15-25 per cent annually.The Vidsel Base, which extends for scores of kilometres across the inland districts, provides excellent conditions for military proving operations.

The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi is one of Europe's bestknown tourist attractions, drawing visitors from all over the world. Half a million ice-glasses a year are made.Tourism in Norrbotten is steadily growing: today the tourism sector in Norrbotten employs about 2,600 people.

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Our needs

Creating a constant development of multi level governance.

Enlarging functional regions by more effective communications and infrastructural improvements.

Developing methods for sharing good practice in the field of service.

Realising the Lisbon strategy within the framework of cohesion policy and other policy measures taken at EU level with a continued focus on areas defined by geographical characteristics – for example, geographically and demographically exposed regions with sparsely populated areas and long distances.

A sustainable exploitation of our bio-and wind energy potential as well as other renewable energy sources.

Forestry, agriculture, fisheries and mining are important industries with great potential for further sustainable exploitation.

Methods and solutions within the field of eHealth and distance-spanning technologies.

Our contributions

CoR Coter Conference on REGIONAL POLICY IN REGIONS WITH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS

©:

Lars

Thulin

Thank you for your attention and welcome back to Norrbotten!