Memo: ‘Botnia-Atlantica’ Cross-border Operational programme 2007-2013 between Finland, Sweden and Norway

On 29 November 2007, the European Commission approved a Cross-border Cooperation Operational Programme between Finland, Sweden and Norway for the period 2007-13. The total budget of the Programme is approximately €61 million and includes Community assistance through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of some €30.5 million. This represents approximately 0.35% of the total EU investment earmarked for the European Territorial Cooperation Objective under the Cohesion Policy 2007-13.

The Programme covers the regions of Keski-Pohjanmaa, Pohjanmaa and Satakunta in Finland, and Västerbottens län, Västernorrlands län and a small part of Gävleborgs län in Sweden. The participating region in Norway is Nordland fylke.

In addition to the ERDF allocation and the national contributions from Sweden and Finland, Norway provides its own, parallel funding to the Programme. The region of Etelä-Pohjanmaa in Finland and the remaining parts of Gävleborgs län in Sweden can participate in the projects as adjacent areas receiving a maximum 20% of the ERDF funding allocated to the Programme.