NSPA OECD follow-up Forum
Tuesday 14th March 2017 Swedish Representation to the EU, Square de Meeûs 30, Brussels, Belgium

The aim for the forum is to deepen the common understanding of the OECD Territorial Review on the NSPA and the common work ahead in the NSPA, so as to make use of the study and its recommendations. To this end, the forum will for this also put the NSPA in an overall EU context and the constraints which the EU will have to tackle in the future, in order be able to deliver a basis for the discussion on how to assure continued EU and national support for investments in the NSPA regions in line with the OECD findings. The currently ongoing discussions on the future of the EU cohesion policy and the link to the new EU integrated Arctic policy will be highlighted. Along with discussions with each speaker, there will also be a workshop for the NSPA representatives to discuss the next steps and how to build the continued work within the NSPA network.

You find the invitation and the programme here

Register for the forum before 3/3 via your regional coordinator or contact your regional EU office:
North Sweden: martha.bahta@northsweden.eu
Mid Sweden: lotta.ronstrom@lvn.se
East & North Finland: paula.rauhala@eastnorth.fi
North Norway: maja@northnorway.org

Programme

8:30 Welcome words
Satu Vehreävesa, Regional Council of Pohjois-Savo, Chair for the NSPA Steering Group
Lars Danielsson, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the EU

8:45 The State of Play for the EU
Fabian Zuleeg, Director at the European Policy Center, EPC

9:30 The OECD territorial review on the NSPA and the Regional Outlook on rural growth
Chris McDonald, Policy Analyst, OECD

10:30 Coffee break

10:45 The future of EU regional and cohesion policy
Nicola de Michelis, Head of Cabinet at EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Creţu

11:45 EU Arctic Policy and Arctic Stakeholder Forum
Alessia Clocchiatti, Policy Officer, DG Mare, European Commission

12:15 Lunch

13:00 Setting the stage for the NSPA discussions
The directors for the EU offices

13:30 Workshop session
Discussions between the NSPA delegates on the steps ahead for the NSPA network

14:15 Conclusions & final remarks
Reports from the workshop discussion
Robert Uitto, Region Jämtland-Härjedalen, Chair EFNS cohesion rapporteurs' group

14:30 Coffee

[14:45-15:30 Steering Group follow-up meeting]