Helsinki EU Office

Helsinki-Uusimaa calls for a place-based approach in the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation #FP10. 🏙️🔬   Helsinki-Uusimaa's position on the next 🇪🇺 R&I framework programme brings forth the objectives of the region’s #RDI actors. The Regional Council gathered views from the region’s RDI actors and prepared its recommendations in cooperation with the Helsinki EU Office.   – As #Draghi puts it, the EU is facing an existential challenge. If we are to thrive amidst the increasing global competition, we must invest more in impactful RDI activities. Helsinki-Uusimaa's position is an important contribution to the debate on the future of the EU framework programme for research and innovation, and now is exactly the right time to pass these messages forward in Brussels, comments Rosa Kotoaro, Deputy Director of Helsinki EU Office and Senior Advisor on EU R&I policy. The Helsinki-Uusimaa Region offers the following key recommendations to ensure the Framework Programme’s success and maximise its impact: 💡Ensure a strong budget and harness the entire R&I value chain 💡Foster excellence and open competition in funding calls 💡Promote place-based innovation ecosystems and collaboration 💡Support the advancement and implementation of the green and digital transitions 💡Invest in health and wellbeing 💡Enhance synergies with other programmes 💡Focus on successful implementation of the EU Missions Read the recommendations from Helsinki-Uusimaa 👇 https://lnkd.in/da5id4nR

Looking for practical examples for a new Action Plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights? City of Vantaa delivers!💡 Today, we had a great exchange of views on European challenges and local solutions for effective employment services and skills intelligence! Petra Pulli, Laura Leverin, and Suvi Lindén from Employment and Integration services (Vantaan kaupunki - Vanda stad - City of Vantaa), along with our Senior Advisor Hilu Kangas-Ranta, had the pleasure of meeting with DG EMPL. Thank you for the interesting discussions, Director Dennis Genton, Deputy Head of Unit Carolien Peeters, and Policy Analyst Maria Ilies from European Commission!🎉 Vantaan kaupunki - Vanda stad - City of Vantaa acts as an active testbed for creating local solutions in the following areas: -Harnessing talents -Employment -Upskilling and reskilling As Finland’s most international city, Vantaa is a frontrunner in providing agile services for both individuals and businesses. The city’s development efforts align perfectly with the goals of the European Pillar of Social Rights, creating concrete and scalable solutions for Europe 🎉 🌍 We missed our colleagues from Vantaa, Elina Värtö and Mayor Pekka Timonen, who are currently in Strasbourg at the Eurocities Mayors Summit and meeting Finnish MEPs during the plenary week.

Yesterday, Wilhelmiina Koivuniemi from Helsinki EU Office gave her presentation “EU guidelines 2024-2029 in climate and sustainability policy” in webinar organized by Päijät-Hämeen liitto and LAB University of Applied Sciences. In her presentation she analyzed the significance of the EU election result for climate and sustainability measures. Her main messages were: 💡Climate and sustainability themes are more bind to the EU’s security and competitiveness policies in the following years. 💡It is more difficult for EU Parliament’s parties to find suitable allies for legislative work, especially in climate and sustainability issues, and more compromises are expected. 💡The best time for regions and other relevant stakeholders to influence on EU climate policies is NOW before the commission presents its new financial framework by the end of June 2025. The webinar was organized as a part of the Interreg Europe funded ClimateGO project.

In the beginning of October, the Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus engaged in meaningful discussions here in Brussels, meeting with 12 Finnish MEPs and European Comission to explore key issues surrounding the forest-based bioeconomy. During the meetings, Luke highlighted three critical goals essential for a sustainable future: 🌲Set Targets and Policies: Establishing clear targets for high-value forest-based products. 🌱Secure Growth and Resilience: Ensuring long-term sustainability of Europe’s forest resources. 🌀Guide Clean Energy Projects: Strategically directing projects to enhance forest services and support local livelihoods. Thank you to all the MEPs for their time and dedication to these important issues: Maria Ohisalo Pekka Toveri Elsi Katainen Aura Salla Mika Aaltola Sebastian Tynkkynen Merja Kyllönen Eero Heinäluoma Maria Guzenina Katri Kulmuni Link to the position paper: https://lnkd.in/dGmEyHtX

🎉 It's a wrap! The European Week of Regions and Cities #EWRC offered insightful discussions on key EU issues impacting our regions and cities at a critical juncture, as we enter the new 🇪🇺 legislative term. During the week, our member organisations got to deliver their messages directly to representatives of the European Commission, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU, ERRIN, and many others.   Some takeaways:    🔮 2025 will be a defining year, with the Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (#MFF), the future of #CohesionPolicy, and #FP10 on the horizon. It's crucial that the EU actively engages with regions, cities, and regional and local actors such as higher education institutions and research institutes, when defining these future policies and finances.    🔑 Competitiveness stands at the core of the von der Leyen II Commission’s 2024-29 agenda. Tapping into the power of our regional, #placebased #innovation ecosystems will be pivotal for strengthening Europe’s global edge. Helsinki-Uusimaa region's goal is to increase R&D expenditure to 5% of the region's GDP by 2030, and EU support to foster such regional innovation ecosystems is critical.    🎓 Skilled people are at the heart of a competitive economy. As we focus on boosting Europe’s competitiveness, it is crucial to close #skills gaps and ensure adequate funding for #education and #training, all the way from primary education to higher education and life long learning.    A warm thank you to those who met with us last week, including Taneli Lahti, Stefan Olsson, Benoit Nadler, Andreas von Busch, Gerald CULTOT, Laura Lindgren, Niina Nurkkala, Janne Uusivirta, Pirita Lindholm, and many others! Many thanks also to our members for joining us in Brussels, including Helsingin kaupunki – Helsingfors stad – City of Helsinki: Deputy Mayor for Education Johanna Laisaari, Anu Riila, Helsinki-Uusimaa Uudenmaan liitto: Regional Mayor Tuija Telén, Johanna Juselius, Päijät-Hämeen liitto: Regional Mayor Niina Pautola-Mol, Kymenlaakson liitto | Regional Council of Kymenlaakso: Petra Kortelainen, Espoon kaupunki - Esbo stad - City of Espoo: Katja Sjöholm ex Hagman, Vantaan kaupunki - Vanda stad - City of Vantaa: Elina Värtö, Terttu Korte, Ulla Ruuskanen, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: Riitta Konkola, Anna-Maria Vilkuna, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences: Antti Jylhä, Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus: Mika Mustonen, Aalto University: Sarianna Kankare   #EURegions #EWRC

Helsinki-Uusimaa is aiming at climate neutrality by the year of 2030 🌱 The Helsinki-Uusimaa Climate Roadmap outlines our region's ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. It includes six focus areas for climate change mitigation, chosen as the most vital and urgent themes for climate neutrality: 🏘 Climate-smart land use and construction 🌲 Carbon sinks and emission compensation 🌱 Sustainable consumption and production ♻️ Climate neutral circular economy 💡 Fast and fair energy transition 🔌 Smart and emission-free mobility We’re committed to creating a region known for green innovation and energy efficiency. With determination and collaboration of municipalities, businesses, universities and research centres in our region, we’re shaping a sustainable future for everyone. 💚 Read more about the ambitious climate work done in Helsinki-Uusimaa 👉 https://lnkd.in/debxt-vA #EnergySavingWeek #Sustainability #ClimateAction #CarbonNeutral #HelsinkiSmart #EnergyEfficiency #Innovation Uudenmaan liitto

The Capital Cities & Regions Network (#CCRN) workshop on smart and sustainable growth is underway at the European Committee of the Regions! 💡 We had the opportunity to hear inspiring presentations directly from regions and cities, where the work of building a sustainable future is happening. Thank you for your insightful contributions: •Juraj Droba, President of the Bratislava Region, on how metropolitan regions drive positive change. • Sjaak Kruis, Deputy Mayor of Lelystad, on accelerating the circular economy to tackle housing shortages. • Emma Blain, Councillor of Dublin City Council, on smart city projects. • Johanna Laisaari, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki, who shared with us the insights about strategic vision How Helsinki will learn in the future and the needed future skills. Thanks also to Brussels and Prague for your video contributions! ✅ As mentioned during the workshop, the more locally cohesion funds are managed, the more effective they become, creating solutions and innovations that drive sustainable and smart growth while addressing the challenges of our time. We heard excellent practical examples from fields such as #mobility, #housing, and #education that are being developed in regions and cities. Let’s ensure that cohesion policy works effectively to support innovations and solutions that benefit the whole of the EU as we work towards a sustainable future. We should also continue to collaborate through networks like CCRN to share best practices across Europe🌍   Stockholm Region EU Office Metropoolregio Amsterdam Service public régional de Bruxelles Representation of the Bratislava Region to the EU Irish Regions European Office Riga Prague Helsingin kaupunki – Helsingfors stad – City of Helsinki #EURegionsweek

The European Week of Regions and Cities 2024 #EURegionsWeek is kick-starting now! We are at the opening session where the president of the European Committee of the Regions Mr. Vasco Alves Cordeiro is welcoming, together with the president of the European Parliament Ms. Roberta Metsola and the commissioner of cohesion and reforms Ms. Elisa Ferreira European Commission. The state of regions and cities in the EU #SOTEULocal will be presented in a report. You can join us online for our session “Navigating smart and sustainable growth in cities and regions” online on Thursday at 09.30. Together with Metropoolregio Amsterdam Service public régional de Bruxelles Representation of the Bratislava Region to the EU Helsinki EU Office Irish Regions European Office Riga Prague. Live stream: https://lnkd.in/gcGj8Gwm Also feel free to join online the session “The island regions and the upcoming EU legislative cycle” on Wednesday at 09.30 where one of our members Region Gotland is participating. Live stream: https://lnkd.in/drQp27fc

💬 “The future cohesion policy should address the diverse challenges in all EU regions. For Finnish regions, it is important that current geopolitical and security changes are also taken into account. A future cohesion policy should be based on multi-level governance and shared management, while supporting Europe’s growth and competitiveness.” - Niina Pautola-Mol, Regional Mayor, Regional Council of Päijät-Häme This was the key message Niina Pautola-Mol delivered on behalf of Finnish regions during her speech in the European Parliament at the event “For a strengthened post-2027 cohesion and growth policy with regions at the centre”. The event brought together representatives from 134 regions, MEPs, and Commission officials to discuss the future of cohesion policy. 🗣Finnish regions share a common concern and are actively collaborating to ensure that future cohesion policy effectively addresses the diverse challenges faced by all #EU #regions. We advocate for a policy that promotes #growth and #competitiveness. A strong cohesion policy not only fosters regional development but also strengthens the unity and competitiveness of the European Union in the current geopolitical context. Read the joint article from Finnish regional offices here: https://lnkd.in/ek6hQsuD   ❗We are not alone in this concern! Finnish regions sent a joint a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, along with 110 other European regions, and we are eager to continue discussions next week during the European Week of Regions and Cities (European Committee of the Regions) on this important and timely topic! See you all then! Uudenmaan liitto Päijät-Hämeen liitto Kymenlaakson liitto | Regional Council of Kymenlaakso West Finland European Office East & North Finland EU Office tampere.eu Turku-Southwest Finland European Office Kuntaliitto | Kommunförbundet (Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities) Janne Leino Krista Taipale Harri Airaksinen Kari Aalto Mikko Kangas Saara Nuotio-Coulon Ilari Havukainen Tuija Telén ©️Eric Berghen 2024

Helsinki-Uusimaa speeding up circular economy innovations together with other European top regions. – Our objective is to increase the regional research and development expenditure to 5 per cent of the region’s GDP by 2030. Being chosen a Regional Innovation Valley and a European Circular Innovation Valley cooperation partner are significant steps on our way to these targets, Mr Eero Venäläinen, Regional Development Director at the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council, states.   –With the project European Circular Innovation Valley, we can share our expertise and build Europe’s largest circular economy ecosystem while providing opportunities for our businesses to join international innovation efforts, commented by Ms Christine Chang, Project Manager at the Council. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dSTWdnyR #CircularEconomy #HelsinkiSmart #RegionalInnovationValley #RDI