#NLC3 Northern Lights Corridor Seminar Presentation by Eero Hokkanen, Chamber of Commerce, 26112014...

FROM STATINGPOSSIBILITIESTO TAKING ACTIONArctic Growth in Finland and Nordic Cooperationin the North Eero Hokkanen

Northern Lights Corridor SeminarOlos Polar Center, Muonio, Finland26.11.2014

WHO?� 9/2014 – Coordinator, Verbatum Oy / Esko Aho

� 5/2014 – Advisor to the CEO, Finland Chamber of Commerce

• Growth from the North expert group / FI, NO, SE

� 5/2014 – 8/2014 Trainee, Ministry of Transport and Communications

� 4/2012 – 12/2013 Political Officer, Embassy of Finland in Oslo

� Master of Social Sciences, University of Turku

• Major: Political Science, International Relations track

• Thesis: ”Arktisia aikeita vai todellisia toimia? Vertaileva tutkimus

Suomen ja Norjan arktisista politiikoista 2010–2013”

FINLAND

�Element: earth sea

�Motivation: growth growth/vitality

�Main driver: mining/tourism energy

�Policy base: trade region/industry

�Policy status: speciality priority

�Execution: diverse coherent

Need for active Arctic policy?

Domestic or foreign?

NORWAYARCTIC POLICY IN

Norways budget support to Arctic policy/projects in 2015:

� over 350 m€

Finlands budget support to Arctic policy/projects in 2015:

� ? (not budgeted separately)

Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) Arctic Seas programme 2014 – 2017

� 100 m€ (of which 55 m€ fromthe private sector)

MAGIC WORDS & LACK OF LEADERSHIP

�”cleantech”, ”green mininig”, ”snowhow”…

�”Finland is…”, ”Finland has…”, ”Finland offers…”

�ACTION!• Wariness in the business sector

• Stagnation in bureaucracy

�LEADERSHIP!• No new national initiatives since PM Paavo Lipponen outlined

ambitious goals for the EU’s Northern Dimension in 1997

�PRIORITIZING! • 53 objectives and 124 action points is not a strategy

• Three concrete objectives to the next Government’s programme

ARCTIC GROWTHIN FINLAND

�From asking WHAT to asking HOW

�From sluggishness to being seen & heard

• Talking costs nothing

�Courage to do thingsdifferently

• Suomi-talo, Tromsø

• Team Arctic Finland

IN SEARCH OF ARCTIC CHAMPIONS

�å hoppe etter Wirkola syndrome?

�Helsinki has understood that Arctic growth is a nationalcause, but doesn’t have own champions for it

� irritation, indifference or even arrogance when ’hearing sporadic regional voices

�More coherent regional voices, less regional rivalries

�The bureaucracy is not a monolith, spread yourmessage far and wide

�Political priority, political champion(s)

NORDIC THREESOME

Suomesta Ruotsiin Norjaan Portugaliin

2010 571 121 159

2011 552 119 135

2012 589 122 137

2013 570 132 152

�Border obstacles• construction industry

�”Visit Arctic Scandinavia”

�Strenghtening ties in education & research

�Prioritized transport routes

�One voice

�IT, weather & ice services

VAIHTO-OPISKELIJAT 2010-2013(LÄHDE: CIMO)

Suomeen Ruotsista Norjasta Portugalista

2010 73 27 130

2011 73 52 115

2012 66 34 132

2013 61 25 151

BIGGEST WINNER - FINLAND

�Investors, partners, job opportunities, big projects, newfrontiers, well-funded research programmes etc. in two of our closest neighbors

• Changing the investment guidelines of Government Pension Fund Global?

• Lobbying together in the EU (e.g. TEN-T revision in 2023)

• We should be in Svalbard already!

�Arctic oil spill preparedness and response

�Arctic data connections, cloud services, safer NSR

�Building roads & energy efficient housing across thecircumpolar region

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Arctic Frontiers 2015

Policy section 19.-20.1. in Tromsø

eero.hokkanen@outlook.com

http://fi.linkedin.com