Scottish launch for multi-million Euro development programme

20th February 2008

More than one hundred delegates from northern European countries are due to gather in Aviemore tomorrow and Thursday [20 and 21 February 2008] for a conference to officially launch a multi-million pound EU-funded development
programme.

The 45million Euros (£30m) Northern Periphery Programme 2007-13 is a multinational initiative which aims to help different regions to co-operate and address specific challenges faced by all parts of northern Europe.

It has been designed to build on the success of a previous EU programme which ran from 2000-2006 and helped fund a diverse range of projects including DESERVE - a project which improves access to services for vulnerable people within the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll.

The Northern Wood Heat project was also supported by the programme, raising awareness and understanding of the benefits that wood fuel has on communities and the environment through seminars in Oban and Findhorn. The Roadex II project was also supported by the fund too - a project which develops road condition management.

As a Northern Periphery Programme region, the Highlands and Islands has been chosen to launch the new programme with a two-day conference at the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 February.

Three other UK regions are eligible to apply for Northern Periphery Programme funding - Dumfries and Galloway, North East Moray and Northern Ireland.

Other countries which include eligible regions are: Finland, Ireland, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Norway.

Delegates in Aviemore will be welcomed by Jim Millard, chair for the Northern Periphery Programme 2007-13.

Wednesday's focus will be on demographic challenges facing the regions.

Jim Millard and head of secretariat Niclas Forsling will introduce proceedings and outline the scope of the programme.

Professor Peter Öberg, of the University of Gävle, Sweden, will deliver the first keynote address, speaking on demographic trends and future development.

He will be followed by Professor Jane Farmer, chair of rural health policy and management with UHI Millennium Institute, Scotland, whose topic is 'Older People for Older People: new approaches to meet the demographic challenge'.

The 'Older People for Older People' project was approved in the first round of applications to the NPP 2007-2013. The project aims to establish social organisations that provide a range of services to help keep older people living independently in their rural communities and involves partners from Scotland, Sweden and Northern Ireland.

Thursday morning's sessions will focus on the theme of 'how to build a regional perspective in a transnational environment'. Contributors include Ann-Kerstin Myleus, deputy head of unit, EC DG Regional Policy and Professor John Bachtler, director of the European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde.

In the afternoon, delegates will hear presentations on three European capitals of culture past, present and future - Cork (2005); Stavanger (2008 non-EU capital), and Umea, in Sweden (2014).

On behalf of the Northern Periphery Programme, Ann-Kerstin Myleus, said: "The Northern Periphery Programme area shares many common features in terms of climate, sparsity of population, natural environment, complicated topography, culture and history. The overall aim of the programme is therefore to encourage joint projects that address the priorities for co-operation shared by the participating countries. Through the exchange of knowledge and experience it is anticipated that some of the barriers to a
more balanced development of the area can be overcome."

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provides a first point of contact for information and advice on the Northern Periphery Programme in Scotland. HIE provides advice and guidance on the programme and run the Scottish Regional Advisory Group which appraises project applications.

More detailed information can also be found on the website www.northernperiphery.net
which contains comprehensive details of the programme, including a lists of projects and project ideas.