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Finnish Presidency to host meeting of Barents Euro-Arctic Council on the preparation of a green transition strategy in Kuusamo

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Publication date 27.5.2022 14.07 | Published in English on 27.5.2022 at 14.40
Press release

Senior officials responsible for Barents cooperation in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the EU will meet in Kuusamo, Finland, on 30–31 May. Ambassador Jari Vilén will lead the discussion on the next steps during Finland’s Presidency of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC).

The Finnish Presidency will continue to work on the priorities that have been agreed, placing an emphasis on sustainable development, people-to-people contacts, and transport and logistics. The cooperation focuses on activities between Finland, Sweden and Norway in the northern regions.

A conference held in connection with the meeting aims to launch strategy work on a green transition in the Barents region. The strategy will bring together the existing national and regional plans made in the northern regions of Finland, Sweden and Norway under one umbrella in order to establish synergies that would serve the special needs of the northernmost regions. The opening addresses will be given by State Secretary Henrik Haapajärvi from the Prime Minister’s Office and Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala.

Established in 1993, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council aims to promote stability and sustainable development in the Barents region. The membership consists of the Nordic countries, Russia and the European Commission. 
Following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, BEAC member countries and the EU have decided to suspend Barents cooperation with Russia.

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