1. 1 PÄIJÄT-HÄMEEN LIITTO PÄIJÄNNE-TAVASTLANDS FÖRBUND REGIONAL COUNCIL OF PÄIJÄT-HÄME Ajankohtaista kansainvälisistä asioista Maakuntahallitus/18.5.2009

2. 2 Clusters of business life and their competitiveness in the international field Internationalization of educational actors and organisations International lobbying of the Region Internationalization of the municipalities and towns http://www.paijat-hame.fi/tehtavat/kansainvalisyys/kansainvalisyys.htm PROGRAMME DOCUMENT ON INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF PÄIJÄT-HÄME 2007-2010

3. 3 NEW INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS VS. ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS IN INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL CO-OPERATION PROGRAMMES Päijät-Häme is an adjoined area to - Central Baltic Programme – INTERREG IVA (especially Southern Finland – Estonia co-operation) - South-East Finland – Russia ENPI – CBC Programme and naturally has the full status to use - Baltic Sea Region Programme (INTERREG IVB) - European wide interregional co-operation programme (INTERREG IVC) - Europe for Citizens´ Programme Päijät-Häme is one of the regions of the Southern Finland ERDF Operational Programme 2007-2013 and its international dimension

4. 4 INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL FOCUS - BALTIC SEA AREA Member in the CPMR and its Baltic Sea Commission since 2002 - we hosted the BSC Secretariat 2003-2006 Co-operation agreements of the Regional Council of Päijät-Häme in the Baltic Sea Area: -Lithuania - Kaunas County (1999) (educational co-operation 2008, elderly care project 2009) - Estonia - Ida-Virumaa, Lääne-Virumaa and Jõgevamaa Counties together with Itä-Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso (Finland) (1998) (3+3) - Russia - Petrograd in St. Petersburg (1995) Other co-operation partners: Hungary - Baranya County (2002) (elderly care project 2008-2009) Latvia - Riga District Council (CPMR) (ACCR project preparation 2008- 2009). District Councils will be abolished until the end of the year 2009. China - Sichuan together with South-West Finland and Itä-Uusimaa (1999)

5. 5 South Finland EU-Office in Brussels (1999) www.southfinland.org - Support and advance international activities and projects of the region - Inform of EU-affairs and funding opportunities - Promote expertise and best practices of the region - Represent interests of the region Common international network of three regions at home base : Päijät-Häme, Kanta-Häme and Itä-Uusimaa - Promoting co-operation across regional borders at home base!!! - 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 at home base!!! - No membership fees, activities based on various actors´ own motivation and interests - Seminars and posting list. Latest info seminar on 14.5.2009.

6. 6 EU Senior Citizens as active users of gerontechnology innovations (21.342,96 Euros) Europe for Citizens Programme Action 1 – MEASURE 1.2 The thematic networking of twinned towns Two seminars in 2009: May 26-28 in Päijät-Häme (FIN) and September in Rems-Murr-Kreis (D) Lead partner: Päijät-Häme, Finland Partners: Rems-Murr-Kreis/Germany Kolozs/Romania Baranya/Hungary Olomouc/Czech Republic Kaunas Region/Lithuania Kovaszna/Romania

7. 7 ACCR – Awareness of Climate Change for Regions (4 069 112 euros), project duration: 1.1.2010-31.12.2012 Key words: climate change mitigation, political awareness, urban planning, behaviour change and education Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 Priority 4: Promoting of attractive and competitive cities and regions, co-operation between metropolitan regions, cities and rural areas Lead partner consortium: Regional Councils of Päijät-Häme, Häme and Itä-Uusimaa 22 partners from five BSR countries – e.g. partners from Helsinki, Hamburg, Växjö, Katowice and Riga regions 86 applications received (19 in priority 4). Decisions on financing in September 2009.

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