Via Baltica Nordica Development Zone

Programme 2000 - 2006 Baltic Sea Region

Date of latest update: 2022-04-26

Description

Description (EN):

The Via Baltica Nordica is a coherent development corridor stretching from Berlin to Mo i Rana in Norway. The idea is not to construct or develop the Via Baltica road connection as such, but to develop the regions located along the corridor by means of transnational co-operation. More than 40 cities, municipalities, regions and other development organisations from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland participate in the project. In addition, the Kaliningrad region takes part in the project as an observer. Regional Council of Häme is the lead partner and co-ordinator of the project. Main themes of the project are tourism, accessibility of railway traffic, landscape planning and GIS. The BSR Interreg III B co-finances the Via Baltica Nordica project with 2,1 million euros during the period 2002-2005. Total budget of the project including national co-financing and Phare CBC financing is over 3,3 million euros. Extensiveness of the project activities and size of the total budget and EU funding make the project one of the biggest in the BSR Interreg III B programme. The Via Baltica Nordica is a coherent development corridor stretching from Berlin to Mo i Rana in Norway. The idea of the project was not to construct or develop the Via Baltica road connection as such, but to develop the regions located along the corridor by means of transnational co-operation. More than 40 cities, municipalities, regions and other development organisations from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland participated in the project. In addition, the Kaliningrad region took part in the project as an observer. The project goal was to contribute to the economical and spatial development of the VBN corridor through increased awareness and strengthening the identity, taking the principles of sustainable development into account. The foci of the project activities should concentrate on: tourism and railway traffic, cultural landscape management and tourism, usage of GIS/Internet systems. The project was a combination of concrete, very local activities and the true transnational dimension, insured by the forum to be organised regularly. Combining concrete, local activities and the true transnational dimension has been the most challenging task during the Via Baltica Nordica project. Exchange of experiences and expertise is therefore a key element of the project. All the project partners participate in the “Via Baltica Nordica umbrella”, which includes transnational administration and activities, such as annual Via Baltica Nordica Forums.

Achievements (EN):

The project implemented a development strategy created for the Zone as a main outcome of the BSR Interreg II C project “Via Baltica Spatial Development Zone”. Co-operation between the participating Via Baltica Nordica regions has deepened and got more concrete forms (e.g. bilateral agreements between partners). Project partners got benefits from the results of the pilot projects but also from transnational networking. International experiences have been used as a reference for regional and local decision-making. Project partners have improved their capacities for working with the international partnership. Project has been a learning process for managing, co-ordinating and utilizing international networking and EU financing, and it also brought together innovative partnership also on national level. E.g. Finnish tourism routes have co-operated under the VBN framework more closely than ever. Also the Swedish partnership has brought together actors from national, regional and local level, and from different sectors in a creative way. Synergies between the three themes – railway traffic, tourism, and GIS - have been even stronger than expected. Implementation of the pilot projects got the full speed in 2003 and main part of the concrete results took place in 2004-2005: development concepts, land use plans, marketing strategies, information and guidance systems, sophisticated internet-solutions and small scale construction investments. Project partners in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland got all positive Phare CBC financing decisions in 2003 and implemented the Phare project activities by the end of 2004. Examples of outputs and direct accumulated results of the project can be found on the project website, to be continued after the finalisation. Co-operation between the regions lies on solid bases - Via Baltica Nordica Forums will be organized annually also in the future, not depending on external project financing. Homepage: www.viabalticanordica.com

Thematic information

Governance, partnership Regional planning and development Community integration and common identity

Partners (45)

Lead Partner: Regional Council of Häme

Address: Niittykatu 5, 13100 Hämeenlinna, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Kaunas County

Name: Kaunas County

Address: 3000 Kaunas, Lithuania

Legal status: n/a

Region Planning Council Havelland-Fläming

Name: Region Planning Council Havelland-Fläming

Address: Clara-Zetkin-Strasse 23, 14532 Kleinmachnow, Germany

Legal status: n/a

City of Bauska

Name: City of Bauska

Address: 3901 Bauska, Latvia

Legal status: n/a

City of Hyvinkää

Name: City of Hyvinkää

Address: PL 86, 05801 Hyvinkää, Finland

Legal status: n/a

City of Järvenpää

Name: City of Järvenpää

Address: PL 41, 04401 Järvenpää, Finland

Legal status: n/a

City of Tampere

Name: City of Tampere

Address: PL 487, 33101 Tampere, Finland

Legal status: n/a

City of Riihimäki

Name: City of Riihimäki

Address: PL 125, 11101 Riihimäki, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Pärnu College of Tartu University

Name: Pärnu College of Tartu University

Address: 80012 Pärnu, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Riga District Council

Name: Riga District Council

Address: 1011 Riga, Latvia

Legal status: n/a

Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa

Name: Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa

Address: 00901 Warsaw, Poland

Legal status: n/a

Finnish Tourist Board

Name: Finnish Tourist Board

Address: PL 625, 00101 Helsinki, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Humppila

Name: Municipality of Humppila

Address: Kisakuja 2, 31640 Humppila, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Baltic Sea Tourism Commission (BTC)

Name: Baltic Sea Tourism Commission (BTC)

Address: 60043 Norrköping, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

County Council of Västerbotten

Name: County Council of Västerbotten

Address: Köksvägen 11, 90189 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Harju County

Name: Harju County

Address: 15077 Tallinn, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Podlaskie Province Marshall's Office

Name: Podlaskie Province Marshall's Office

Address: 15404 Bialystok, Poland

Legal status: n/a

Via Finlandia

Name: Via Finlandia

Address: c/o City of Tampere, PL 487, 33101 Tampere, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Finn Five

Name: Finn Five

Address: c/o Regional Council of North Savo, Sepänkatu 1, 70100 Kuopio, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Via Karelia

Name: Via Karelia

Address: Sepänkatu 8 b 9, 80110 Joensuu, Finland

Legal status: n/a

City of Valkeakoski

Name: City of Valkeakoski

Address: PL 20, 37601 Valkeakoski, Finland

Legal status: n/a

E12 Alliance

Name: E12 Alliance

Address: c/o Municipality of Lycksele, 92181 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Vännäs

Name: Municipality of Vännäs

Address: 91181 Vännäs, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Umeå

Name: Municipality of Umeå

Address: Skolgatan 31 A, 90184 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Storuman

Name: Municipality of Storuman

Address: 92381 Storumans, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Vindeln

Name: Municipality of Vindeln

Address: Kommunalhusvägen 11, 92281 Vindeln, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Lycksele

Name: Municipality of Lycksele

Address: Storgatan 22, 92181 Lycksele, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

City of Parkano

Name: City of Parkano

Address: PL 14, 39700 Parkano, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Kaliningrad Oblast Administration

Name: Kaliningrad Oblast Administration

Address: 236007 Kaliningrad, Russia

Legal status: n/a

Zemgale Regional Development Agency

Name: Zemgale Regional Development Agency

Address: 3001 Zemgale, Latvia

Legal status: n/a

County of Potsdam-Mittelmark

Name: County of Potsdam-Mittelmark

Address: Niemöllerstrasse 1, 14806 Belzig, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Tallinna linn

Name: Tallinna linn

Address: 15199 Tallinn, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Ministry of Environment, Rapla County Environmental Department

Name: Ministry of Environment, Rapla County Environmental Department

Address: 79513 Rapla, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Estonian Tourist Board

Name: Estonian Tourist Board

Address: 10199 Tallinn, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Pärnu County

Name: Pärnu County

Address: 80088 Parnu, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

Rapla County

Name: Rapla County

Address: Tallinn mnt 14, 79513 Rapla, Estonia

Legal status: n/a

City of Vaasa

Name: City of Vaasa

Address: PL 3, 65101 Vaasa, Finland

Legal status: n/a

City of Seinäjoki

Name: City of Seinäjoki

Address: PL 215, 60101 Seinäjoki, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Pirkanmaan liitto

Name: Pirkanmaan liitto

Address: Nalkalankatu 12, 33200 Tampere, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Regional Council of South Ostrobotnia

Name: Regional Council of South Ostrobotnia

Address: PL 109, 60101 Seinäjoki, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Regional Council of North Savo

Name: Regional Council of North Savo

Address: Sepänkatu 1, 70100 Kuopio, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Pro Railway

Name: Pro Railway

Address: c/o Regional Council of Häme, Niittykatu 5, 13100 Hämeenlinna, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Österbottens förbund - Pohjanmaan liitto

Name: Österbottens förbund - Pohjanmaan liitto

Address: PL 174, 65101 Vaasa, Finland

Legal status: n/a

Municipality of Loppi

Name: Municipality of Loppi

Address: Yhdystie 5, 12700 Loppi, Finland

Legal status: n/a

County Administration of Vasterbotten

Name: County Administration of Vasterbotten

Address: Storgatan 71 B, 90186 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: n/a

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Kaunas County

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Via Baltica Nordica Development Zone

Description

Thematic information

Partners (45)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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