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TRUE GATEWAY BETWEEN EAST AND WEST -

PÄIJÄT-HÄME IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE HIGH QUALITY GROWTH AND BUSINESS CENTRE OF THE BALTIC SEA AREA 

Regional Council of Päijät-Häme implements its programme document 2007-2010 for international activities. The key areas of international affairs are:

1. Strengthening clusters of business life and their competitiveness in the international field

2. Internationalization of educational actors and organisations

3. International lobbying of the region

4. Internationalization of municipalities and towns

Päijät-Häme is an European region and has manifold and large networks in the international arenas. Päijät-Häme is a relevant part of the business centre of the Baltic Sea area and belongs to the fast developing Northern European economic area. Päijät-Häme owns an excellent accessibility which combines and collects various stakeholders of different sectors to a logistics centre of Päijät-Häme.


Päijät-Häme region supports and implements the Lisbon goals in own expertise areas in co-operation with other Southern Finnish regions. Goals of Lisbon strategy promote e.g. economic growth, increased employment, social development and better educational systems. Environmental and nature values are also a relevant approach in the Lisbon strategy. Environmental values are very important for the region. Business and research has strongly invested in the environmental technologies in Päijät-Häme.


Stakeholders of the Päijät-Häme region have offices in Brussels, St. Petersburg and Shanghai as well as numerous bilateral co-operation agreements with other European regions. The business sector of Päijät-Häme region acts globally. Päijät-Häme is the Northern part of the larger Helsinki Metropolitan region as defined by the OECD. Päijät-Häme region actively develops contacts with the neighbouring St. Petersburg region and the regions of the Baltic States especially through the business life and educational sector. The fast growing economies of the Baltic States are for the stakeholders of Päijät-Häme region in the international framework the closest arena of the European common market.


Export industry and logistic enterprises have an excellent business environment in Päijät-Häme region. There are fast motorway and railway connections (1 hour) to the capital region, main port in Vuosaari/Helsinki and international airport Helsinki-Vantaa. In the near future the fast railway connection to St. Petersburg will be opened. Päijät-Häme is a true gateway region between East and West. Päijät-Häme and its regional capital - City of Lahti - is one of the world´s leading winter sports centres. Lahti is also strong on its cultural chracteristics and the best Concert Hall of the whole Northern Europe - Sibelius Hall -is located here.

 

SOUTH FINLAND EU OFFICE

The South Finland EU Office represents three Southern Finnish regions of Häme, Itä-Uusimaa and Päijät-Häme in Brussels. The office was established in 1999 and is funded by the Regional Councils. The functions of the EU Office is under direct supervision of the Executive Directors of the Regional Councils. The overall aim of EU Office is to ensure that people, businesses and organisations in the region make the most out of the European Union. Goals are internationalisation, influence and visibility. The main tasks of South Finland EU-Office are:

• To represent and market South Finland
• To ensure fast and accurate information flow to Finland
• To create and maintain relations with EU institutions
• To improve the co-operation with other provinces and regions in Europe

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF PÄIJÄT-HÄME, KANTA-HÄME AND ITÄ-UUSIMAA

International network of the Regional Councils of Itä-Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme and Kanta-Häme is an open co-operation structure which delivers manifold information about international affairs through its mailing list and also organises different information meetings and seminars. International network works for

• Promoting co-operation across regional borders
• Benchmarking and better information exchange
• Using more efficiently other international networks and resources
• Promoting project preparation/ideas and improving knowledge level
• Promote co-operation between various organisations
• No membership fees, activities based on various actors´ own motivation and interests 

CONFERENCE OF PERIPHERAL MARITIME REGIONS (CPMR) AND ITS BALTIC SEA COMMISSION 

The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions brings together around 160 Regions. Being located along Europe's shoreline brings both advantages and specific difficulties, so some 160 Regions have come together to form the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR). They are from 28 countries and represent almost 200 million people. They work together to ensure that EU institutions and national governments take account of their common interests, and cooperate on practical projects in order to enhance their assets.

Regional Council of Päijät-Häme is a member in the CPMR and its Baltic Sea Commission since 2002. The membership application was adopted in the CPMR General Assembly in Ioannina, Greece on 18-20 September 2002. The Regional Council of Päijät-Häme hosted the Secretariat of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission in years 2003-2006. The Executive Secretary of the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission was Mr Marko Mälly. 

TWINNING CO-OPERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND TOWNS OF PÄIJÄT-HÄME

It is very important for municipalities and towns to find thematic and concrete co-operation forms between the municipal stakeholders through bilateral or multilateral co-operation. Co-operation with international partners is networking where the good knowledge and use of networks is all the time more and more important. Municipalities and towns of Päijät-Häme Region have made international co-operation with their partners for decades. Municipalities of Päijät-Häme have 35 twinning agreements all around in Europe, and the oldest twinning agreements are signed already in 1930´s. Additionally the Regional Council of Päijät-Häme has several co-operation agreements with other European regions.

For more information for the financing possibilities of the twinning activities please visit the website of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact for further information about the international affairs of the Päijät-Häme Regional Council

MARKO MÄLLY
Senior Advisor/International Affairs
Regional Council of Päijät-Häme

PL 50, Hämeenkatu 9, 15111 Lahti, FINLAND
Tel. +358 3 8719 438
Gsm +358 44 3719 438
Fax. +358 3 8719 411
E-mail: marko.mally(a)paijat-hame.fi
Internet: http://www.paijat-hame.fi/