Regional empowerment and capacity building are the key to meeting the EU’s competitiveness goals and wider strategic priorities. By bringing together different stakeholders, we intend to create an engaging dialogue on how tailor-made measures, such as EU cohesion policy, can help unlock the potential of remote and sparsely populated areas to drive sustainable growth and innovation. To help us we will have the newly launched OECD report on the European Arctic area. We will also explore the opportunities that smart adaptation provides to address challenges such as demographic decline and provide solutions on how competitiveness can be built on the ground, for the audience to discuss.
- Cohesion | Demographics (depopulation and ageing) | Energy | EU/ European | Governance and Public administration | Industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs (enterprise/ startup/ business) | Local and regional | Neighbours (ENI + IPA + EFTA + UK) | Research and Innovation | Rural | Social inclusion and Equality | Sustainable
- Code: 15PD252324
- Van Maerlant, VMA23
Moderator
Practical information
- When
-
Wed 15/10/2025, 09:30 - 11:00 CET
- Where
- Van Maerlant, VMA23
- Type of partnership
- Partnership
- Format
- Political/policy debate
- Theme
-
Cohesion and Growth for the Future
- Language
- English
Partners
North Sweden European Office
North Norway European Office
East and North Finland
Scotland Europa
Reporting
Session summary
The session emphasized the importance of continued and deepened cooperation between the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA) regions, as well as the need for a stable, long-term regional policy that allows for both innovation and green transition while also prioritizing social cohesion and maintaining a strong place-based approach. The discussion made clear that Europe’s northern and sparsely populated areas not only play a key role in the EU’s competitiveness and climate ambitions, but also include regions that require targeted support to address the unique challenges — as well as the opportunities — they face, which generate added value for the Union as a whole.
Some key messages:
• Collaboration as infrastructure – essential for small communities and long distances; connecting business, research, and public sector across borders.
• Regional ownership of the green transition – it cannot be built from Brussels or national governments alone; success depends on co-creation with local actors and shared goals.
• The need to invest in both digital and transport infrastructure and ensure that cohesion policy is people-centred, making the rural and sparsely populated areas attractive places to live for younger generations.
• The best defense is a strong community and society.
