Focus was on the Nordic region when Wasa Future Festival was held for the seventh time in August 2025. The Kvarken Council and the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce jointly organized the seminar ”New Nordic – The Nordic Region’s Renewed Global Relevance”, which drew a full house.
How could more intensive Nordic cooperation drive growth, what is required to realize the vision of a new, stronger, and more integrated Nordic region, and what benefits could Europe gain from such a scenario?
These were the questions addressed during the seminar. The socio-economic benefits of infrastructure investments, such as a fixed link over the Kvarken, are simultaneously the focus of studies carried out within the framework of the Interreg Aurora project FLINC – Financing Large-scale Cross-border Infrastructure – case Nordic Connector. The project is run by the Kvarken Council EGTC and is linked to the Nordic Connector initiative. It focuses on developing innovative financing models for large cross-border infrastructure projects and providing decision-making support. As CEO for the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce Kjell Skoglund emphasized in his opening speech, it is about building bridges – both figuratively and literally.
According to Skoglund, Nordic cooperation is more relevant now than ever before.
– When the world is filled with turmoil and the seas are stormy, the Nordic context feels like solid bedrock. Predictable, stable, familiar and safe, Skoglund stated.
The best way to remove barriers in the Nordic region is to invest in greater accessibility and mobility.
– Every bottleneck, bureaucratic or physical, that is reduced or eliminated makes the Nordic region more integrated and, in the long run, more compatible with global markets, he concluded.
Kjell Skoglund, CEO of the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce, welcomed participants to the packed hall at Wasa Innovation Center for the ”New Nordic” seminar on August 14. The seminar was organized in cooperation with the Kvarken Council within the framework of the Interreg Aurora project FLINC – Financing Large-scale Cross-border Infrastructure – case Nordic Connector.
Eirik Winter was on the same track. As CEO and Head of BNP Paribas Corporate & Investment Banking (Nordic region), he gave a presentation on the theme ”From Model to Engine – How Capital, Expertise and Collaboration Strengthen the Nordic Region’s Global Role”. After living abroad for 25 years, including in the USA and the UK, Winter also has deep insight into how the Nordic region is perceived from an outside perspective.
– Differences between the Nordic countries are incredibly small, and that’s why it’s almost tragic that we are not already working more closely together. Moreover, at the European level, we are now exposed to external threats of various kinds, which is yet another reason to strengthen Nordic cooperation, he continued, citing the low economic growth, internal political polarization, and the fact that Europe is, not only geographically but also in many other respects, “stuck” between two economic giants: the USA and China.
– With the facts on the table, the Nordic region should have an obvious seat at major negotiating tables. Together, the Nordic countries own a significant portion of the world’s shares, and the countries’ combined GDP ranks the Nordic region tenth among the world’s largest economies. This represents real economic power, Winter stated.
– In addition, the Nordic countries have relatively low debt levels and many tools for cooperation: we’re all NATO members now, and we complement each other in terms of natural resources and energy production. What is needed now is to stop bickering and unite. We must become better at using the capital we have and at coordinating ourselves, Winter emphasized.
A strong Nordic region also benefits Europe, enabling it to stand stronger against China and the USA.
– The Nordic Region must have a seat at the global table, and we already have everything we need – we just need to act, he concluded.
Eirik Winter, CEO and Head of BNP Paribas Corporate & Investment Banking (Nordic region), presented facts on why the Nordic region deserves – and should demand – a seat at the global negotiating table, and what benefits Europe would gain from it.
Interest in the seminar was high, with several hundred participants gathered to discuss the Nordic region’s new role in global markets. The speakers received many questions following their presentations, and most participants were in agreement about the visions presented.
Text and photos: Anna Sand/bySand
The seminar was organized by the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Kvarken Council, which carried out the event within the framework of its project FLINC – Financing Large-scale Cross-border Infrastructure – case Nordic Connector, financed by Interreg Aurora. The event was part of Wasa Future Festival, which every year in early August brings together experts, innovators, and decision-makers to discuss current societal issues and future collaborations.
Presentations can be viewed (in Swedish/Finnish) on YouTube, where the full seminar is available via the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/NONokA4dmwg?si=lqCOStck3sic6Bwt.
