Memo: ‘Interreg IV A North’ 2007-2013 Operational programme between Finland, Sweden and Norway

On 12 December 2007, the European Commission approved a Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme between Finland, Sweden and Norway for the period 2007-2013. The total budget of the Programme is approximately €57 million and includes Community funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of some €34 million. This represents approximately 0.4% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy 2007-2013.

In addition to the ERDF allocation and the national contributions from Sweden and Finland, Norway provides its own, parallel funding to the Programme. The Programme covers the regions of Lappi, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa and Keski-Pohjanmaa in Finland and Norrbottens län and parts of Västerbottens län in Sweden. Participating regions in Norway are Finnmarks fylke, Troms fylke and Nordlands fylke. The remaining part of the region of Västerbottens län in Sweden can participate in the projects as an adjacent area, receiving a maximum 20% of the ERDF funding.

One of the Programme's priority axes, Sápmi, covers additional regions in Sweden and Norway (Västerbottens län and a small part of Dalarnas län in Sweden, and Nord-Trøndelag fylke, Sør-Trøndelag fylke and a part of Hedmark fylke in Norway).

The Sami people are an ethnic and cultural minority group inhabiting Sápmi, the Sami region stretching across four countries. There are about 79 000 Sami people in total (50 000 in Norway, 20 000 in Sweden, 7000 in Finland and 2000 in Russia). The Sami-populated regions in Russia can take part in the projects, receiving a maximum 10% of the ERDF funding allocated to the Sápmi priority.