News
Welcome to our newsroom where you can take part of our press releases and news information for the Kvarken Council and our projects.
On May 31st, 2023, the winners of the Regio Stars Västerbotten prize were announced at Region Västerbotten's event Mötesplats Lycksele. The Kvarken Council's project FAIR was one of this year's winners.
Read postIn connection with the Kvarken Council EGTC’s annual meeting on May 26th, the resigning board members were thanked. Among them Lennart Holmlund, one of the longest-serving board members and the Kvarken Council’s former Chairman.
Read postMembers of the Kvarken Council EGTC approved a new and thoroughly revised strategy for Kvarken cooperation for 2030 in the grouping’s annual general meeting on May 26th, 2023.
Read postThe Kvarken Council’s board can appoint necessary committees within the framework of the Kvarken Council's activities, and the first committee appointed is the working committee for traffic and infrastructure. The group has already visited the Parliament of Finland and met with representatives from, among others, the Ministry of the Environment in Finland, the Ministry of Defence in Finland, and the Swedish Defence Research Agency FOI.
Read postAs a part of the Nordic Battery Belt – Feasibility study, a workshop was held in Umeå to lay the foundation for continued cross-border cooperation in the Nordic Battery Belt region.
Read postEn fast förbindelse över Kvarken är vettigare än att satsa miljarder på höghastighetståg, skriver Esa Eranti.
Read postThe three-year long Interreg Aurora project Bothnia Green Energy was launched at the turn of the year. The project will stimulate cross-border collaboration and investments in sustainable energy solutions in the geographical area around the Kvarken. The region’s energy companies participate in the project.
Read postCross-border cooperation and collaborative projects are just some of the reasons that induce organizations to apply for membership in the Kvarken Council EGTC. Several organizations expressed interest in joining the Kvarken Council in 2022.
Read postThe FAIR project was one of the finalists in the Arctic Awards 2022. During the Arctic Awards ceremony in Oulu, it was announced that the Wasteless Karelias project had won the voting.
Read postA letter for 2022 from our Director Mathias Lindström.
Read postThe Kvarken Council grants allowance for activities that strengthen contacts between Sweden and Finland in the Kvarken region. At the end of 2021, Umeå Wrestling Club, called Umeå Brottning, was granted support for training and competition opportunities together with Finnish wrestlers and clubs. The collaborative project included activities on both sides of the Kvarken, ending in Umeå and the international tournament Umeå Wrestling Battle. The tournament took place on the 14th–16th of October 2022.
Read postThe Bothnian Coastal Route project aims to increase awareness of the coastal route over the Kvarken strait and around the Bothnian Bay as an attractive travel route for both foreign visitors and the local population. Through the project, the partners aim to increase the reasons for visiting the destinations along the route to discover their rich product range and create better conditions for sustainable growth. The partnership received the news of granted funding for the new tourism project with great joy.
Read postThe new Interreg Aurora Programme has approved the first projects in the funding period 2021–2027. The two Steering Committees, for sub-area Sápmi and sub-area Aurora have met on 22nd–23rd of November in Luleå to decide on new cross-border cooperation projects in the northernmost part of Europe and Sápmi. The Steering Committees approved 27 projects in the first call, more than 21 million euro was allocated.
Read postThe Kvarken Council EGTC is working on developing a new strategy for its operations.
Read postThe Kvarken Council has on behalf of and in consultation with its members and partners, applied for funding for three new projects from the EU program Interreg Aurora. The projects are the Bothnian Coastal Route, Bothnia Green Energy, and a feasibility study for the Nordic Battery Belt.
Read postGeneral Assembly of the Scandria Alliance met in Potsdam on October 7th, 2022. During its meeting, the General Assembly agreed to put a new focus on urban nodes and elected new vice chairpersons.
Read postRead about Carina Granö-Träskelin’s trip to Scotland via the StoryTagging project.
Read postThere is a lot happening right now regarding the battery industry in the Kvarken-Nordland region. New investments in battery production create a need of more inhabitants and marketing the region and regional branding is crucial when trying to attract the needed workforce.
Read postA new report from researchers at the School of Business at Nord University has investigated how the Norwegian ferry sector has been electrified and what the aviation sector can learn from the ferry sector.
Read postThe electric aviation project FAIR is on the finish line – the final conference is ongoing and the final report, which describes how the region should proceed to enable electrified regional aviation, can now be read in its entirety.
Read postThe ongoing development within the battery industry in northern Finland, Sweden and Norway has become a central part of regional development in recent years. Several new production facilities in various parts of the battery value chain are established, not the least in the cities of Vaasa, Kokkola, Skellefteå and Mo i Rana – the Nordic battery belt. The emerging battery industry brings demand for green energy and a skilled workforce, but it will also require cost-effective and sustainable transport.
Read postKvarkenfest, which was organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kvarken Council and its official cooperation over the Kvarken, was a success. Event Coordinator Mr Fredrik Furu looks forward to more cultural events that build bridges.
Read postThe focus was mostly on the Fixed Link over Kvarken during the Kvarken Council’s event at Wasa Future Festival on Saturday August 13th.
Read postThe Kvarken Council organised an event during Wasa Future Festival. At the event the electric aviation project FAIR and the Nordic Battery Belt Logistics project presented what has happened in the projects lately.
Read postDuring August and September, local stories are told around the Kvarken archipelago in the form of storytelling nights. The StoryTagging project is one of the organisers.
Read postBefore Kvarkenfest on June 18th, a KvarkenTalks event was organised for invited guests at Villa Sandviken. The theme of the region’s cultural and business forum was to build the future.
Read postA new report within the FAIR project looks at what knowledge must be acquired to prepare regional airports for electric aircraft. And which moves that must be taken, to transfer this knowledge to actions and results.
Read postOn June 20th 2022, the FAIR project arranged a webinar with Nord University, on the topic of how to electrify regional aviation in Norway.
Read post- Measures must be taken today for the future
Read postElflygsprojektet FAIR har flera talare på plats på Transportforum i Linköping 16–17 juni.
Read postThe number of members and the interest in membership has increased during the Kvarken Councils first operating year as an EGTC.
Read postKvarkenfest 18.6.2022 har tidigare publicerat huvudartisterna Tove Styrke (swe), BESS (fi), Lisa Miskovsky (swe), Elonkerjuu (fi) och KAJ (fi). Nu kompletteras artistlistan med One Desire Philharmonic Rock Orchestra. Samtidigt publiceras att sammansättningen Kvarken Allstars kompletteras med Johan Becker, Malin Jonsson och Fredrik Furu. Även DJ FANNY annonseras som underhållare under Kvarkenfest på Elisa Stadion.
Read postThe electric aviation project FAIR has visited airports in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Impressions from these meetings and discussions will contribute to the ongoing work, which will be presented at a final conference in Skellefteå, Sweden, on 20–21 September.
Read postGisle Solvoll and Thor-Erik Sandberg Hanssen from Nord University have mapped on how electric aviation procurements could be done by authorities
Read postRobert Lindberg, CEO at Skellefteå Airport which is one of the world’s first fossil-free airports, held an inspiring presentation at EnergyWeek in Vaasa.
Read postThe FAIR project held a seminar on EnergyWeek in Vaasa with electric aviation as the topic. The audience got to learn that flying with electric airplanes is something that’s happening already today even though many see it as something distant in the future.
Read postOn February 17th, 2022, the FAIR project arranged a webinar with FAIR project management Tyréns, on the topic of Electric Aviation as a booster in the Kvarken Region.
Read postIf you have a company that you want to gain visibility for during the festival, get in contact with event coordinator Fredrik Furu.
Read postThe pop queen from Umeå Tove Styrke, the Melodifestivalen participant Lisa Miskovsky, the UMK participant BESS, and Elonkerjuu, the pride of the Finnish speaking Ostrobothnia, are few of the new artist reveals that will perform at Kvarkenfest on Saturday 18th of June 2022 at Elisa Stadion in Vaasa. The humour group KAJ, the first Swedish Idol winner Daniel Lindström, and the first Ostrobothnian the Voice of Finland winner Antti Railio, have been released earlier as artists that will perform at the festival.
Read postIn the run-up to the World Storytelling Day 2022, we invite you to share a location-based story from the Kvarken region. Write down or record your local story in February!
Read postThe Destination Kvarken project has ended, and now the summary of the project implementation has been published.
Read postJoakim Strand's greeting.
Read postGreeting by Mathias Lindström.
Read postWe are used to air travel with strict schedules, that are planned far in advance. But what if the departure times were not fixed, but flexible? And what if you could get a cheaper ticket by being flexible regarding your own departure time?
Read postOn Tuesday November 30th, we held a Panel on the FAIR Volta app and Implications for the Future Regional Electric Air System. The aim was to debate implications and explore possible uses, values, and societal scenarios from some of the different perspectives that are linked to the prototype.
Read postAs electric planes enter the market in a few years, they will revolutionise the aviation industry. Not only will aviation become environmentally friendly, but suddenly entirely new routes might become profitable.
Read postIs electric aviation pure utopia? If it ever comes to fruition – is it safe to set foot on an electric plane? We clear out some of the biggest misunderstandings on electric aviation.
Read postWe welcome both Ida-Maria and Veronica into our working community and rejoice over new forms of cooperation with Föreningen Norden Västerbotten!
Read postBesöksnäringen är en av världens största och snabbast växande näringar. För att vi i Kvarken ska stå oss i konkurrensen, behöver vi leva upp till förväntningarna hos dagens konsumenter – men också morgondagens. Kvarken destinations projektet har utvecklat en jämställdhetsguide som som är tänkt som inspiration och enkel vägledning. Läs mer och bekanta dig med guiden!
Read postThe FAIR project aims to share knowledge in the field of electric aviation. As a step to disseminate project information and share insights, the project hosted a webinar on October 27th with project partners BioFuel Region and MidtSkandia on guidelines for implementation
Read postKvarken Council celebrates its 50th anniversary 2022, which is why the Kvarken Council EGTC plans to mark the event with a grand Kvarkenfest at Elisa Stadion in Vaasa.
Read postElectric aviation may not be as utopian as it might seem. There are several companies that work on developing electrically driven passenger planes, and these planes can be in commercial use already in five years.
Read postThe project partners gather today in Skellefteå for a kick-off. The purpose of the kick-off is to anchor the project’s implementation in general, to hold a starting meeting with our contracted consultancy firm Ramboll, and to regard current events in Skellefteå
Read postKurikka stad vill vara en engagerad aktör som är med och utvecklar Kvarkenregionen
Read postThe maiden voyage of Aurora Botnia in the autumn 2021 marked the culmination of more than a decade of intensive work. It was also a major milestone and a concrete result of a greatly successful and long-term feat of strength.
Read postWe are looking for tourism companies or tourism-related businesses that possess an interesting story, product story, some happy coincidence, legend and so on, or whose location may be historically interesting to others.
Read post“The green shift is on the rise.” We must multiply our efforts in order to reach current climate targets, says Mr Tom Einar Jensen, CEO of Norwegian FREYR Battery. The Nordic battery belt can, and will, play a key role in this.
Read postThe Kvarken region is now on the verge of a “game changer” – a true golden opportunity. Several new mega-investments are underway in the region and we probably cannot yet imagine the extent of their impacts. In any case – we have space, competence, clean nature, and pleasant living environments, and it is here that sunrise industries are now establishing themselves. How can we meet their needs?
Read postThe two-year project FAIR (Finding Innovations to Accelerate the Implementation of Electric Regional Aviation) was launched about a year ago and can be summarized as a first step in preparing the Kvarken region for an early implementation of electric aviation. At Wasa Future Festival, we learned more about what the project had accomplished during the year. The essence of presentations was clear – the technology already exists, it is undergoing rapid development, and what are now needed are the will and courage to make more joint decisions.
Read postThe Kvarken Council will answer for an event package on Saturday 14 August, 10.30–14.15, at Wasa Future Festival
Read postNaturen, frisk luft, gott om utrymme och säkerhet lockar. Nya färjan och två länder fascinerar
Read postThe purpose of the competence network is to gather and engage actors for the active exchange of expertise and knowledge
Read postFöretagare som har ett turistiskt syfte eller en turistisk anknytning: Nu är vi intresserade av just dig och din berättelse för att kunna sätta din plats eller produkt på kartan
Read post"It is an incredibly exciting time to work with regional development in the Kvarken region right now and everything is happening fast"
Read postThe project FAIR investigates regional electric aviation in the Kvarken region and has published a unique compilation of the electric aviation industry’s technological development. The report describes existing and future airplane models that are powered by batteries or fuel cells, current regulations, and the need for a new airport infrastructure.
Read postThe report, Electric regional aviation – a fast and clean transport mode for the needs of Kvarken region, from WSP has been published
Read postHanken gjorde en undersökning om turismen i Kvarkenregionen sommaren 2020, där man tittade på resestatistik, resetrender och intervjuade turistchefer på sju destinationer i Kvarkenregionen. Här kommer du åt både rapporten och en kort summering
Read postThe Kvarken Council EGTC's first annual general meeting was held at the end of May 2021. The annual general meeting discussed statutory matters and elected a Chairman and Deputy Chairmen. The presidium was expanded from the Kvarken Council's association times from two to four: one Chairman and three Deputy Chairmen.
Read postAccording to Hanken School of Economics online survey; Central European tour operators are interested in adding the Kvarken Destinations region to their supply.
Read postThe purpose of the competence network is to gather and engage actors for the active exchange of expertise and knowledge
Read postSpearheaded by the Kvarken Council, the Kvarken region has received funding for two important projects that are extremely topical due to recent news.
Read postEight selected Czech companies presented their solutions to a total of more than 80 participants
Read postEuropeiska byråer som inte har haft Norden som destination, vill nu ta med de nordiska länderna i sitt utbud.
Read postPositiv respons och intresse för vårt gemensamma resmål ger arbetsglädje – NORDEUROPA 2021
Read postThe establishment of the Kvarken Council European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) is now published in The Official Journal of the European Union. At the same time the process from a registered association to the Kvarken Council EGTC, a stable legal entity, is over the finish line!
Read postThe FAIR webinar welcomed Mr. Roei Ganzarski, CEO magniX on the theme of electric propulsion systems, shaping the future of the aviation industry and changing how the world views transportation.
Read postUmeå universitet och Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan i Vasa arrangerar kursen Gränsöverskridande regional utveckling och planering i Kvarkenregionen även 2021
Read postDo you have an interesting and ground-breaking innovation connected to aviation, electrification or alternative fuel? Are you located in Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia in Finland or Västerbotten and Västernorrland in Sweden?
Read postProjekt Destination Kvarken har ansökt om förlängning med fem månader till slutet av 2021 samtidigt som vi snart går in för det sista verksamhetsåret.
Read postA new organization. A new website. A new look. Almost the same as before, but much more simple and stylish!
Read postA better life up here in the north – improved competitiveness, a better living environment for more people, and increased social, cultural, and economic integration – is the long-term goal for the project Öst-västliga stråket (East-West Route).
Read postFinland and Sweden have now officially established the first Nordic European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, the Kvarken Council EGTC.
Read postAndelslaget Viexpo utnämner varje år både ett företag och en person till Viexpos Exportambassadörer. Exportambassadörerna tackas för värdefullt arbete för exporten och exportföretagen i de tre österbottniska landskapen.
Read postBudskapet från internationella researrangörer är att man ute i Europa gärna betraktar vårt gemensamma område – Kvarken - som en helhet. Destinationens hänförande kontraster är viktiga utgångspunkter i projektet Kvarken Destinations som startats i syfte att öka antalet besökare i Kvarkenregionen.
Read postOne of the goals of the FAIR project is to create synergy, increase knowledge of the potentials of electric-powered flights and accelerate the implementation of regional electric flights especially in the Kvarken region.
Read postFinland and Sweden have officially approved the establishment of the Kvarken Council EGTC, a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation. The Council’s objective is to develop cross-border cooperation and improve competitiveness in the Kvarken region, i.e. in the northern part of the Baltic Sea.
Read postThe virtual Smart City & Buildings 2020 event November 24th 9-15 (EET) is filled with important topics: https://www.smartcitynordic.com/agenda2020
Read postThe virtual Smart City & Buildings 2020 event November 24th 9-15 (EET) is filled with important topics
Read postThe goal of the FAIR project is to create synergy, increase knowledge of the potentials of electric-powered flights and accelerate the implementation of regional electric flights especially in the Kvarken region. The project consists of three work packages (WP 1-3) of which RISE is responsible for WP 3 focusing on the Cross-border innovation process and the project´s competence network.
Read postBerättarwebinarium 19.11.2020 klockan 18.00-19.30 västerbottnisk tid/ 19.00-20.30 i Österbotten.
Read postKvarken Council is one of the project partners in the BSR Access project (BSR Access – Access to Clean, Efficient and Multimodal Transport Corridors in the Baltic Sea Region) that supports sustainable growth in the Baltic Sea region. On 21st October 2020, the Kvarken Council gathered circa 40 stakeholder members to a webinar that addressed the various forms of cooperation along transport corridors.
Read postThe concept of storytelling is extremely timely. More and more companies are recognizing the power of creating a soul for their product by telling its story, preferably one that is anchored in the local cultural heritage or landscape. The StoryTagging project is based on this phenomenon. The project gathers stories of life in the north, and the brand name Northword has been adopted for this purpose.
Read postA new investigation into a fixed link over the Kvarken was published in early summer, attracting a great deal of attention. Men behind the investigation – Mr Antti Talvitie and Mr Esa Eranti – attended the Wasa Future Festival in order to present their conclusions and were received with praise and enthusiasm.
Read postThe project’s goal is to create synergy, increase knowledge of the potentials of electric-powered flights, and accelerate the implementation of regional electric flights.
Read postA historical decision was made in the spring of 2018 to transform the Kvarken Council from a registered association into the Kvarken Council EGTC. EGTC stands for European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation, which is the European Union’s own legal instrument specifically designed for cross-border cooperation.
Read postThank you for the opportunity to write a personal greeting to all friends of the Kvarken Council. I’ve been involved in the Kvarken region’s cooperation in several positions of trust and to varying degrees since the early 1990’s.
Read postWelcome to the event in the Wasa Future Festival hosted by the Kvarken Council.
Read postKvarkenrådet har under många år jobbat operativt med att integrera Kvarkenregionen inom alla sektorer. För att det skall lyckas krävs fungerande förbindelser.
Read postEfter coronakrisen kommer troligtvis besökaren att favorisera destinationer med ren natur, naturaktiviteter, närhet till havet, upplevelser, utrymme och avskildhet.
Read postBesöksnäringens utmaningar i och med Covid-19 har lett till att man även i projektet Destination Kvarken börjat se sig om efter tillfälliga alternativa lösningar.
Read postHanken Svenska handelshögskolan genomförde undersökningen ”Tillsammans klarar vi av Coronakrisen” bland finska företag i Destination Kvarken-projektet.
Read postActors in the Kvarken region have been granted funding for a major development project regarding electric aviation – FAIR, Finding Innovations to Accelerate Implementation of Electric Regional Aviation. The funding was granted via the Interreg Botnia-Atlantica programme.
Read postLiving in these exceptional times is creating new needs, demands and even possibilities to become better acquainted with our region by using digital solutions and prepare together for the future ahead.
Read postThe Kvarken Council carried out an Electric-Powered Flights Feasibility Study in autumn 2019 with the purpose of developing a project idea regarding the regional developmental impact of electric-powered air traffic.
Read postFiskerud will have an important role in the planned electric flight project FAIR, which the Kvarken Council and RISE, along with other actors, have applied funding for.
Read postThe project’s goal is to create synergy between other electric flight projects with the purpose of together increasing knowledge of the potentials of electric flights and also of accelerating the implementation of regional electric flights and initiating cross-border innovation processes in relation to these.
Read postThe Present and Future Prospects Changing Times – Director’s Greeting
Read postI mars deltog projektet Kvarken Destinations i två media evenemang i den tyska huvudstaden Berlin; International Media Marketplace (IMM) 2020 som samlade 140 tyska resejournalister och Skandinavian Match, som hade fokus på influensers. Närmare 30 medier i form av magasin, dagstidningar, radio och influensers visade stort intresse för Kvarken Destinations.
Read postBotnia-Atlantica projektet Kvarken Destinations vinner SCANDINAVIAN OUTDOOR AWARD (SOA) -priset inom kategorin Best Inspiration. Utmärkelsen SOA TRAVEL delas årligen ut till resedestinationer eller turismföretag på basen av förra årets insatser.
Read postThe cross-border cooperation body Kvarken Council held its Board meeting in Vaasa, Finland, on 17 February 2020. The Kvarken Council is an official cross-border operator funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and it consists of Region Västerbotten and Örnsköldsvik Municipality in Sweden as well as three Regional Councils of Ostrobothnia and the cities of Vaasa, Seinäjoki, Kokkola and Jakobstad in Finland.
Read postProjektets hemsida, kvarkendestinations.com som riktar sig till researrangörer och resemedia, med sitt innehåll i form av inspiration för att locka fler besökare till Kvarkenregionen är anledningen till nomineringen.
Read postKvarkenrådet har tillsammans i ett brett partnerskap lämnat in en finansieringsansökan för att genomföra ett två-årigt projekt gällande eldrivna flyg.
Read postUttalelse om transport i Norden De nordiske grensekomiteer som er samlet på Nordens Hus i København 28.-29. januar 2020 slutter seg til Nordisk Råds anbefaling om et ministerråd for nordisk transportsamarbeid. De 12 grensekomiteene arbeider med å styrke transport over de nordiske grensene og forbedring av nødvendig infrastruktur som muliggjør større økonomisk tilvekst og klimavennlige […]
Read postTvå länder och sju destinationer med sina exportmogna företag presenteras tillsammans under namnet Kvarken Destinations och når framgång bland internationella researrangörer.
Read postInspired by the visit from the Finnish Parliament’s Committee for the Future in late November, I can state that we are on the right track. The work that is done in the Kvarken region creates rewarding and interesting discussions, and it is inspiring to be able to contribute to and participate in these.
Read postProjektet Destination Kvarken som sammanför ett 40-tal exportmogna små och medelstora turismföretag och sju destinationsbolag i Kvarkenregionen har redan lett till konkreta resultat.
Read postThe Kvarken Destinations project, together with Visit Finland, had the pleasure of hosting a familiarization trip in mid-September. The trip’s purpose was to exhibit and increase knowledge of the things we have to offer in our unique region that covers two countries.
Read postEn workshop om de tyskspråkiga marknaderna, som riktar sig till turismföretagare som deltar i projektet Destination Kvarken.
Read postFilmen som Loveframe AB producerade för projektet Spotlight High-Low Coast är nominerad till Publishingpriset inom kategorin "Filmer som marknadsför destinationer – besökare".
Read postKvarkenrådet har i ett brett partnerskap lämnat in en förstudieansökan som syftar till att utveckla partnerskapets projektidé kring regionala utvecklingseffekter av flygtrafik med eldrivna flygplan.
Read postA folk festival; a get together for politicians and common people to discuss the future of the region.
Read postOne of Destination Kvarken’s goals is to support the digitalization of companies involved in the project.
Read postThe cross-border MABA II project (Midway Alignment Botnia Atlantica II) has reached its goal; project results are now being compiled ahead of the final report and project activities are almost completed.
Read postKjell Skoglunds debattartikel i Hufvudstadsbladet 2019/06/13
Read postI am Lycke Karlsson, 21 years old and I live in Vaasa. I graduated from Vörå sports high school and now from autumn 2018 I study Bachelor of Business administration in Novia in Vaasa.
Read postThe annual general meeting gave the board and the office of the Kvarken Council permission to continue the work towards the Kvarken Council EGTC – First Nordic cross-border committee to make the change!
Read postProjektet E12 Atlantica BA3NET har ansökt och beviljats förlängning till och med 29 november 2019.
Read postOnce again, EnergyWeek attracted many visitors with its interesting lectures and a several exhibitions.
Read postDet blir redovisning av projektresultat från det uppmärksammade projektet E12 Atlantica BA3NET, inlägg om Nordostpassagens möjligheter för vår region samt spännande diskussioner om framtida samarbete i form av EGTS och vilka möjligheter och svårigheter som den nya programperioden för Botnia-Atlantica utgör.
Read postWe are pleased to announce that regular maritime traffic over the Kvarken Strait between Finland and Sweden will continue in the future, the ferry’s financing has been obtained, the plans are in order, and the construction agreement has been signed.
Read postRymdentusiast, välkommen till regionens första brainstorming session om ”Space Digital Economy Innovation Center”!
Read postKvarken Link and Rauma Marine Constructions have signed a construction agreement for the new car and passenger ferry that will operate between Vaasa and Umeå.
Read postIn August, Finnish and Swedish actors on both sides of the Kvarken Strait embarked on a new project to improve the Kvarken region’s attraction and towards for tour operators and tourists.
Read postThe Board of Directors of Kvarken Link have today decided to enter into a Letter of Intent with Rauma Marine Constructions Oy (RMC). The decision is based upon the result of a public procurement process initiated June 2nd 2018.
Read postThe Kvarken Council, which has operated as a registered association up until now, wants to upgrade cross-border cooperation in the Kvarken region to a new and higher level of ambition. The Kvarken Council, registered association, will become Kvarken Council EGTC, the first fully Nordic EGTC (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation).
Read postOn 21 May, 2018, the Kvarken Council’s AGM took the historical decision to transform the Council from being a registered association into an EGTC, European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation.
Read postInterested in space economy and satellites? Join KvarkenSat brainstorming workshop on 5.12 at Bock’s in Vaasa!
Read postSix project platforms were selected by the Monitoring Committee of Interreg Baltic Sea Region at its 9th meeting 7th of June 2018 in Tallinn.
Read postThe 70th anniversary of the Kvarken traffic and the fifth anniversary of the NLC Ferry shipping company, also known as Wasaline, was celebrated with a seminar onboard M/S Wasa Express on 13 September 2018. The seminar theme was the past, present and future prospects of the Kvarken ferry connection.
Read postKvarken Link AB is exploring the conditions for a new ferry for the Kvarken traffic between Vaasa and Umeå.
Read postVälfungerande gods- och persontransporter är en förutsättning för en positiv utveckling av den nordiska välfärden i en allt mer globaliserad värld. Detta skapar behov av goda väg-, järnvägs- och sjöfartsförbindelser oberoende av landsgränser, vilket också är centralt i EU:s transportpolitik.
Read postDagens planeringssystem för infrastruktur brister när det gäller ett gränsöverskridande perspektiv, vilket riskerar hämma utvecklingen av öst-västliga transporter i Norden. Projektet E12 Atlantica Transport har därför sammanställt problembilden och utarbetat förslag till åtgärder.
Read postJubileumsseminarium: Kvarkentrafiken 70 och NLC Ferry 5 år Kvarkenförbindelsens historia, nutid och framtidsutsikter
Read postMembers of the Kvarken Council gathered in their annual general meeting in Umeå, Sweden on Monday 21st May, where the Council’s new strategy plan was adopted unanimously.
Read postThe project NSB CoRe puts the development of the Kvarken region in a wider European and global context
Read postStarting from August 2018, the Kvarken Council will run a three-year project, together with four project partners and fifteen co-financiers, in order to improve the visibility and attract more visitors to the Kvarken region through cross-border cooperation.
Read postThe meeting made history with its decision to start the process of changing the organisational form of the cross-border committee Kvarken Council from a registered association to a European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC). Thus, the Kvarken Council will become the first fully Nordic EGTC.
Read postClick to download the report
Read postJuryn byggde sin bedömning på följande urvalskriterier: ”Företaget har förnyat sig anmärkningsvärt under de senaste åren, särskilt i form av havsnära inkvarteringsprismor av glas, vilka är exempelvis en av favoritdestinationerna bland japanska turister."
Read postThe final conference of E12 Atlantica Transport project, held in Vaasa, Finland on 14th–15th March, 2018, started with the overall presentation of the project findings and of the border barriers detected.
Read postOver the years, the Kvarken Council has directed determined and consistent efforts to secure the ferry route across the Kvarken Strait, vital for cross-border cooperation.
Read postThe three-year project NSB CoRe, North Sea Baltic Connector of Regions, has been operating since the spring 2016, with the aim of improving traffic and land use within the North Sea Baltic corridor as part of the transeuropean TEN-T transport network.
Read postE12 from a Nordic Perspective Nordic Council, the official body for inter-parliamentary cooperation, attended the final conference of E12 Atlantica Transport project, represented by the Council’s senior advisor Mr Johan Lindblad. He summed up the project from the Nordic perspective as being ”superb, concrete and useful”.
Read postGood and functioning freight and passanger transports are important prerequisites for continued positive development and prosperity in the Nordic countries. In the E12 final conference the participants learned about both the perspectives – and also about the view of the tourism industry on regional infrastructure.
Read postThe E12 Atlantica Transport’s final conference in Vaasa, Finland, ended with a round table discussion. How shall we utilize the project outcome and what challenges are we now facing? What will be the next step – and perhaps the most important question of all – who will do what?
Read postVar nyfiken! Kom och bekanta dig med Kvarkenrådets Botnia-Atlantica projekt Spotlight High‐Low Coast som visar upp sig på Österbottens Stormässa 7–8.4 i Botniahallen i Korsholm.
Read postDagens planeringssystem för infrastruktur brister när det gäller ett gränsöverskridande perspektiv, vilket riskerar hämma utvecklingen av öst-västliga transporter i Norden. Projektet E12 Atlantica Transport har därför sammanställt problembilden och utarbetat förslag till åtgärder.
Read postThe cross-border E12 Atlantica Transport project is in the final straight and has, during its course, further improved what was already one of the most advanced cooperations in the Nordic countries – that involving the E12 transport route.
Read postDet nordiska Gränshinderrådet bockade under fjolåret av sex hinder för fri rörlighet i Norden, och kunde avskriva dem som lösta.
Read postThe project management company Kvarken Link Ab Oy, jointly owned by the Municipality of Umeå in Sweden and the City of Vaasa in Finland, has on 18th of January, 2018 sent a so-called RFI/Request for Information to 17 shipyards around the world.
Read postSpotlight har haft ett händelserikt år med olika marknadsföringsevent där vi presenterat våra gränsregionala produktpaket samt vår gemensamma region till besökare utifrån, både nationellt och internationellt.
Read postThe Kvarken Region – A Model for Crossborder Cooperation All Over the World
Read postProjektet Spotlight High-Low Coast har låtit producera filmer i syfte att marknadsföra Kvarkens Skärgård, Höga Kusten samt Umeåregionen tillsammans.
Read postCabbage grown in Ostrobothnia in Finland has found its way across the Kvarken Strait to Westrobothnia in Sweden. The farmer Tony Granholm from Petsmo, Finland and the refiner Grönsaksfabriken AB, with Magnus Conradzon at the helm, are both very pleased with this cooperation.
Read postThe last few months have been very busy and at times it has been difficult to perceive the whole picture, with many projects and work packages ongoing, almost all of which are linked to each other. That is why the short stops in October came just at the right time.
Read postOlav Jern has a long experience of Nordic co-operation and of work with Kvarken issues. In the autumn, he will together with the Kvarken Council’s personnel draft a new three-year strategy for the Kvarken Council.
Read postEdith Andresen, lecturer of business economics at Mittuniversitetet university in Sundsvall, Sweden, and also an entrepreneur running her own business, is engaged to carry out ongoing evaluation of the second work package of the E12 Atlantica Transport project, with the aim of developing a cross-border traffic strategy covering three countries.
Read postProjekt Spotlight High-Low Coast låter producera filmer i syfte att marknadsföra Kvarkens Skärgård, Höga Kusten samt Umeåregionen tillsammans.
Read postDen 25–26 oktober samlades ett sextiotal norska, svenska och finländska politiker, tjänstemän och näringslivsrepresentanter från kommuner längs E12-korridoren, för att delta i Nordligt Forums två dagars workshop i Vasa.
Read postNordligt Forums första workshopdag är över. Diskussionen mellan finländska, svenska och norska politiker, tjänstemän och sakkunniga som verkar längs E12-stråket var livlig.
Read postThe World Heritage Menu from High Coast and Kvarken Archipelago, planned by the wellknown chef Michael Björklund and served onboard the Wasa Express ferry in autumn 2016, is now available for all food lovers.
Read postFöreningarna Kvarkenrådet, Blå Vägen och MidtSkandia har länge arbetat för att förbättra förutsättningarna för gränsöverskridande samarbete längs E12-korridoren som löper från Finland genom Sverige och vidare till Norge och Atlantkusten. Inom projektet E12 Atlantica Transport, som startades i januari 2016, arbetar man för att utveckla samarbetet. Just nu utvecklas samarbetet genom att utarbeta en gemensam gränsöverskridande trafikstrategi.
Read postMartin & Servera is Sweden’s leading wholesaler and supplier to restaurants and institutional kitchens. It delivers food, beverages and equipment to thousands of customers across Sweden every day – and since last autumn, also to northern Finland. The enterprise is very interested in the Finnish market and ready to expand to other parts of Finland as soon as the right logistic solutions are found.
Read postIn recent years, South Ostrobothnia has grown in popularity among tourists. For families, the area’s attraction is boosted by Amusement Park PowerPark in Härmä, Ähtäri Zoo, VillageShop Keskinen in Tuuri, Duudson Activity Park in Seinäjoki, Härmän Kylpylä Spa and Kuortane Sport Resort.
Read postKvarken Ports, Wasaline, NLC Vaasa and E12 Atlantica Transport project put up a joint appearance at Transport Logistic Fair in Munich, Germany on 9–12 May, 2017 in an island in the stand of Finnish ports. The four parties market cross-border cooperation, both the current results and future collaboration aspirations.
Read postThe Kvarken region covers some of the best developed regions in northern Scandinavia, with high growth potential, a wide range of industries and businesses, exceptionally high degree of industrial refinement, export industry and significant population growth.
Read postThe new Kvarken ferry is now being promoted by MABA II project, funded by Interreg/Botnia-Atlantica, and the target is the same as the project partners set for the Midway Alignment project five years ago – to have a new ferry plying the Kvarken crossing in 2021, at the latest.
Read postThe system analysis, carried out within the framework of the project E12 Atlantica Transport during the past winter, will be completed in early April. Ramboll, a leading consulting engineering enterprise with 300 offices worldwide, has been instrumental in making the analysis, as well as Lars Brümmer as its consultant.
Read postThe partners in the project E12 Atlantica Transport were delighted to receive a couple of weeks ago the news they have been working for in ten years. The Norwegian government showed green light for the construction of a new international airport in the vicinity of Mo i Rana.
Read postI februari samlades projektet E12 Atlantica Transports partnerskap i Mo i Rana i den sista av tre arbetsmöten inom ramen för den gränsöverskridande systemanalysen. De 35 deltagarna bestående av norska, svenska och finska partners längs E12-korridoren fick ta del av en ny arbetsversion av kartmaterialet som beskriver förhållanden längs E12-stråket. Gemensamma mål och delmål för transportsystemet diskuterades.
Read postDevelopment is something we will shape together! I am sitting onboard the ferry somewhere between Vaasa and Umeå, pondering about the prospects for Pohjanmaa in Finland and Västerbotten in Sweden in the world we have ahead of us.
Read postE12 Atlantica Transport project was launched in January 2016, with the purpose of developing cooperation between the actors along the E12 corridor which runs from Finland across Sweden to the Atlantic coast in Norway. Mr Jerker Sjögren, with long and solid experience in logistics and transport as well as strategic development and management, has been appointed coordinator of the work package Cross-Border Strategies.
Read postFor years, the associations Kvarken Council, MidtSkandia and Blå Vägen have been working for the development of cross-border cooperation along the E12 east-west transport route. As a result of this cooperation, for instance, E12 has gained the TEN-T comprehensive status and the partners fully agree on the importance of active cross-border cooperation in order to reduce border barriers along the route. The partners now want to study how to take this cooperation onto the next level.
Read postKvarken Council is one of the project partners in the project NSB CoRe (North Sea–Baltic Connector of Regions). A regional workshop for Swedish, Finnish and Estonian stakeholders (Northern thematic area) takes place today January 18, 2017 in Helsinki on Better Connectivity with North Sea – Baltic Corridor in Helsinki, Finland.
Read postThe past year has been characterized by both successes and misfortunes. After a good implementation of the Midway Alignment project, a new CEF application was submitted with the support of the Finnish and Swedish governments. We hoped to acquire EU support for the construction of a new, innovative and tailor-made ferry for the Kvarken route.
Read postMany perhaps associate the Kvarken Council mainly with the Kvarken ferry traffic and the Midway Alignment of the Bothnian Corridor project. Even though these two aspects have been the Kvarken Council’s focus for the past few years, the association also continuously participates in several other projects.
Read postThe E12 Atlantica Transport’s project partners assembled in November in Lycksele, Sweden, for the second of three working meetings. The theme of the meeting was the E12 route’s transport system’s mutual targets and sub-targets. The participants also discussed e.g. the mutual vision, significant geographical points-of-interests, and infrastructural quality objectives. The project’s vision is based on regional and national visions and objectives.
Read postA new Swedish guidebook called “Transportplanering i förändring” (transl. “Changing Transport Planning”) instructs how differences and disparities regarding the travel opportunities of men and women can be levelled.
Read postA system analysis is used to serve as a knowledge-base for regional infrastructure planning. Its starting-point is a current state analysis that aims to define e.g. the stream of goods, commuting, the quantity of goods handled in ports, and the speed levels of railways.
Read postMerenkurkun alueen yhteistyö on tärkeää. Ei ole epäilystäkään siitä, että monet asiat yhdistävät meitä ja voivat tuottaa meille etua nyt ja tulevaisuudessa.
Read postOstrobothnian Scandic Trans Ltd’s new freight line between Vaasa and Umeå begins its operations in October. The company has long been searching for a more effective and affordable way of transporting food supplies from Southern Finland to Norrland in Sweden. Now, thanks to a new Swedish cooperation partner and the ferry connection over the Kvarken Strait, the company has finally found a solution.
Read postThe cross-border E12 Atlantica Transport project between project partners in Finland, Sweden and Norway aims to strengthen the cooperation between the partners, reduce border barriers, and develop the transport route ranging from the Norwegian Helgeland across the Swedish Västerbotten and all the way to the Finnish Ostrobothnia.
Read postSå har vi kört igång hösten, och Kvarkenrådets första nyhetsbrev är ute!
Read postThe project Midway Alignment of the Bothnian Corridor has won the international Sail of Papenburg Award.
Read postAn interesting Master’s Thesis studying the opportunities for cooperation between Northwestern Russian companies and Kvarken Ports, the port company jointly owned by the cities of Umeå and Vaasa, was presented last week.
Read postWhen the actors behind the Kvarken Council-owned cross-border project Spotlight High-Low Coast pondered how they could celebrate the World Heritage Site’s 10-year anniversary, the idea of a World Heritage Menu quickly surfaced. In other words, the idea took the form of a four-course menu consisting of ingredients from the High Coast and the Kvarken Archipelago – naturally composed by a renowned and well-known top chef.
Read postTartar on trout from Bergö with Ritgrund whitefish roe and Västerbotten cheese cream – a foretaste of the delicious World Heritage Menu that has been created by the renowned chef Michael Björklund.
Read postIn the autumn, food enthusiasts will have the chance to experience unique tastes from the World Heritage Site onboard the Wasaline ferry. Michael Björklund, an award-winning chef, has been chosen to create a four-course World Heritage Menu, served onboard the Wasaline ferry in the autumn.
Read postThe Swedish Workshop gathered tour operators from 17 countries to Jönköping, Sweden, on April 24–25.
Read postThe KvarkenMoS conference, organized earlier this year on April 20th−22nd, visibly highlighted the fact that the Kvarken shipping route between Vaasa and Umeå connects much more than just the two neighbouring cities.
Read postWhen the participants of the Motorways of the Sea conference arrived at Bock’s Corner on the second day of the event, expectations were high after the first successful gathering in Umeå, Sweden.
Read postThe KvarkenMos conference, belonging to the Motorways of the Sea seminar series, began with a dinner hosted by Region Västerbotten in Umeå, Sweden, on Wednesday evening, April 20th 2016.
Read postSeveral international experts on transport and communications will assemble in Umeå and Vaasa on April 20th–22nd for the KvarkenMoS conference: a three-day event organized in Finland and Sweden and on the seas.
Read postThe project North Sea Baltic Connector of Regions, NSB CoRe is led by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council from Finland, and it focuses on the development issues of transports and land use regarding the North Sea-Baltic corridor.
Read postToday, the Kvarken Council proudly raised Finland and Sweden’s flags outside the Council’s office in Pukinkulma, Vaasa.
Read postEU har via Botnia-Atlanticaprogrammet beviljat finansiering till det turism‐ och näringslivsinriktade världsarvsprojektet Spotlight High‐Low Coast.
Read postProjektet MABA har sedan tidigt i höstas haft ett nära samarbete med PBI Research Institute. Målsättningen med samarbetet är att ta fram alternativa affärs- och finansieringsmodeller för projektet Midway Alignment.
Read postAvsikten med besöket var att se närmare på resultaten av den första fasen av programmet Midway Alignment of the Bothnian Corridor och på Vasas och Umeås kunnande och samarbete.
Read postDen utökade samverkan ska bidra till att stärka affärsutvecklingen för hamnarna och transportstråken i regionen.
Read postMålet med Kvarken Multimodal Link -projektet är att uppdatera och förstärka den nuvarande Kvarkentrafiken, och i det har den fungerande och pålitliga fartygstrafiken en viktig del. Där till finns det som målsättning att planera och utveckla en ny färja till Kvarkentrafiken. Städerna Vasa och Umeå ansvarar för projektet. Europas komission beviljade finansiering för projektet i oktober.
Read postKvarkentrafiken och Vasaregionens innovationer inom havsindustrin presenterades under TEN-T-dagarna i Tallinn 15-16 oktober. I TEN-T dagarna deltog över 1000 personer, Europas sakkunniga inom lands-, havs- och flygtrafik samt tjänstemän, politiker och intressebevakningsorganisationer inom trafik.
Read post”Världsarv i samverkan 63° Nord – världsarvsambassadörer” (VIS-VAA) är ett Botnia-Atlantica projekt. Lead part är Kvarkenrådet och medfinansiärer är Länsstyrelsen i Västernorrland, Örnsköldsviks kommun, Kramfors kommun, Österbottens förbund, Vasa stad, Korsnäs kommun, Malax kommun, Korsholms kommun och Vörå kommun.
Read postDet här är projektets andra nyhetsbrev och det ger ett axplock på aktiviteter i projektet under perioden november 2012 – mars 2013.
Read postDet här är projektets första nyhetsbrev och det ger ett axplock på aktiviteter i projektet till och med oktober 2012.
Read postEn av målsättningarna med Kvarkenrådets BA-projekt Kvarken Short Cut System är att samla information om existerande bro- och tunnellösningar i syfte att på sikt konkretisera en fast förbindelse över Kvarken.
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