We wish you a merry Christmas!

During the past weeks we've been busy with contracting and theme seminars and unfortunately the blog has been neglected for a while.

However, I'm happy to tell that even we haven't been writing what has been happening, there has been happening: two culture project, three wellbeing projects and one natural resources projec has already been contracted. We'll tell you more about these, and other projects, next year. Now it's time to wish you peaceful Christmas and a very happy upcoming year.

From behalf of the whole team

Henna-Mari

Pilot projects in Kalevala district completed

As it was initially planned by the KA255 project, implemented by the Energy Efficiency Center, the new systems of water supply and sanitation in the Kindergarten #2 in Kalevala settlement and the brand-new central draw-well in Borovoi settlement were constructed by the end of September 2012. 

 New sanitation system

It is important to mention that the general architecture, internal facilities and equipment of the kindergarten are very typical for Kalevala and other small settlements of Karelia. Thus, the demonstration investment project implemented in Kalevala could be and we hope will be replicated in other settlements and districts. 

Also its worth to mention that such plastic items as septic tanks for canalization in kindergarten and special PE-plastic inner pipe for the draw-well in Borovoi have been produced in Borovoi by the local manufacturer OOO "Al Hola" (subsidiary company of Finnterrus OY). The next steps according the Action plan are pilot projects in Prjazha district. The selection of the objects (Kroshnozero,Chalna, Essoila) and estimation of expenses for construction works and materials are going on.

Alexander Berdino

Improvement of the environment and living standards is the basis for modern rural development -project

Fores and Energy projects unleashed

The opening seminar of the Forest and Energy projects was organised last week at Oulu. Representatives from all ten approved projects, of which 7 already have their contracts, participated the event.

The thematic meetings have been an essential part of the programme implementation from the very beginning. The idea is that the projects from the same theme meet when the theme is launched and approximately once a year after that. The idea is not only to give practical information for the projects but to give them a chance to meet each other, and this way enhance cooperation between projects. 

This time, since it was the first meeting of the theme, we concentrated on practical issues and getting familiar with the projects. Also, we had an external expert, Lasse Pipinen from Viestintätoimisto Deski, giving good ideas for project visibility. On the next meetings we'll concentrate on projects results and outcomes and see if the ideas for visibility have been taken into practise.

Projects working with their headlines.

Starting up a project

I have worked since September in the project Promotion of low-cost and youth tourism in the cross-border areas. It is a combination of five partners in Russia and two in Finland.

For me the project had a flying start. After only one or two weeks in the project I found myself heading towards the border, picking the passport with a brand new visa from a travel agency in Tohmajärvi and then forward towards Petrozavodsk to meet the project partners. Then one or two weeks more and a new trip to Petrozavodsk, Olonets (Aunus in Finnish) and Sortavala to see in practice what our partners are doing. In Karelia I went to see hostels and student dormitories that are offering or are going to offer low cost accommodation especially for young people.

What is this all about? In this project one aim is to increase accommodation possibilities (low cost, good quality) in Petrozavodsk, Sortavala, Olonets, Kostamuksha and Segezha hoping that once the service is there the young people can find their way to these places. Social media is in focus when we are doing marketing. 

In September and October our Russian partners coming from education institutes have made renovation plans for their hostels and student apartments. Later on an internet based booking portal will be developed. It is planned to be open by May 2013. This portal can be used by the Finnish and Russian partners and other interested education institutes and companies. 

In Finland our partner Centria (university of applied sciences) has prepared a training program to be implemented in their unit in Ylivieska and in Kalajoki resort. This two days program is in December and it is targeted for teachers and specialists working in tourism and service branches. They will learn to know about Centria tourism education program and learning methods, as well as about ways to cooperate with tourism companies. In return the Russian partners and participants will tell about tourism education in their region.

The project is now taking its first steps. It will last until November 2014 and for me it is very motivating to take part in this important and exiting effort. For me this project is success if we really can open doors and make travel across the border easier for young people who this way learn to know each other better.

Merja Heikkilä

Project Manager

Update on large scale projects

Large scale projects (also called LSPs) are projects that are not based on open calls like the projects funded under our thematic calls. The projects and Lead Partners are pre-determined by the Joint Monitoring Committee. The projects are centered on major investments that have direct cross-border benefits and are closely related to the objectives and aims of the Programme. 

Our JMC has decided that there will be a total of five LSPs in our Programme and approximately one third of Programme funds have been allocated for them. I am happy to say that the acceptance and contracting processes for these projects are proceeding rapidly. The Joint Monitoring Committee has accepted all five applications, while the European Commission has accepted three of them and the process is still pending for the remaining two projects in the EC. If the contracting process goes well, all five projects should be running by the end of November 2012.

So far only one of them has been contracted and commenced: Fennoscandian Green Belt, with Metsähallitus, Natural Heritage Services, Ostrobothnia as the Lead Partner. The aim of the project is to improve the quality and service level in natural parks on both sides of the border. The parks include Oulanka (FI), Paanajärvi (RU), Kalevala Parks (FI & RU), Friendship Park (FI), Kostamuksha (RU), Koli (FI) and Petkeljärvi (FI). The activities focus on investments and enhancement of cooperation between the parks.

More information about the LSPs can be found at our website after the projects have started.

Toni Saranpää

Programme Coordinator

Projects in media

Even the administration takes a lot of time and effort - especially when we are talking about the Joint Managing Authority - it's good to remember we are not doing this in order to receive interim reports and payment requests but in order to see the results of the work done by the projects.

The most important thing in the programme are the projects and the work done by them. It is also important that the work done is visible and that the target groups and beneficiaries acknowledge the things done by the projects. That's why we encourage - and insist - the projects to pay attention to the visibility and communication issues when implementing the projects.

The Municipality of Suomussalmi is implementing two projects. One is concentrating on sheeps and the other on improving a gravel road in Karelia. Both have been made visible and have raised interest in the media. You can read more about speephusbandry from Uusi Suomi blog (in Finnish) and about the gravel road from here (in Russian) or from the projec websites - and see how different channels can be used in making a project visible.

Henna-Mari Helenius
Programme Coordinator

Sharing borders, groving closer.

On 21 September, European Cooperation will be celebrated all over Europe and in the neighbouring countries. Almost 40 countries will come together to celebrate cooperation and bridge-building between local communities across borders. Public events will take place during the week of 17th -23rd September all over Europe.

Since the beginning of the 1990s more than 20 000 projects, co-funded by the EU, have contributed to improving the lives of European citizens across borders, from creating jobs to protecting the environment to improving health care services, transport and energy.





The idea of the European Cooperation Day is to make this work done more visible.

The Karelia ENPI CBC programme is also participating to the day. The programme itself will presented at the University of Oulu on 21st September and at the International Innovation Forum in St Petersburg on following week. Several projects will open their doors for the public during the week and tell about their work.

You can read more of the European Cooperation Day from www.ecday.eu and find the list of the projects' activities from our website.


Henna-Mari Helenius
Programme Coordinator

«Eco-efficient tourism» project develops tourist sites along the Blue Highway

«Eco-efficient tourism» project is being implemented in the framework of the Karelia ENPI CBC Programme. It is aimed at making Euregio Karelia more attractive for tourists through gradual leveling of the quality of services provided to tourists on the two sides of the border. That also includes introduction of eco-efficient technologies for management of recreational areas and improving the quality of services offered in active tourism destinations in Republic of Karelia (Lake Ladoga and Syamozero areas) in co-operation with adjacent Finnish areas. The project will contribute to making pilot areas more comfortable, safe, environmentally friendly and known for these features. It will also significantly improve cross-border tourism transboundary practices and regional development co-operation. The partner consortium headed by non-profit partnership «Centre for Problems of the North, Arctic and Cross-border Cooperation» unites a number of partners. The Russian partners are Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Energy Efficiency Centre, Petrozavodsk Municipal Utility College, Pryazha and Sortavala Municipal District Administrations. The Finnish partners are represented by Ecofoster Group Oy, Finnish Environment Institute (Joensuu office), Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia, Metsähallitus (Natural Heritage Services, South Finland/North Karelia), Ilomantsi Municipality and an associate partner - Karelia Expert.

Seminar «Strategies and best practices for sustainable/ green development of cities and regions» that was held in Petrozavodsk on June 13-15, 2012 officially launched the Project: the first half of June 13 was given to the working kick-off meeting, where plans for the project implementation were discussed.

Pryazha and Sortavala Municipal Districts became a place for an «Eco-efficient tourism» project expedition that took place on July, 16–17th, 2012. The main goal of an expedition was to explore the area and find most suitable places for the introduction of eco-efficient technologies for recreational area management and the improvement of quality of services offered in active tourism destinations in the Republic of Karelia.

The expedition was specifically aimed at gathering information about the situation in the districts for further selection of pilot areas, that will be facilitated as long-stay recreation areas on the shores of Ladoga and Syamozero lakes and short-stay (from a few minutes to a few hours) stopover sites along the "Blue Highway" route.

The expert team visited more than 20 potential places. In several weeks the experts will choose several pilot areas for further development according to data dealing with issues of property, land acquisition, accessibility, recreational appeal, their popularity among tourists, amount of investments needed, etc. Later, special management models for maintenance of the installed equipment will be elaborated. They will consider interests of local people and tourists, envisage joint responsibility of local administration and businessmen for waste disposal, energy and water supply of chosen territories.

According to the Leader of the Project, the director of „North-Centre“ Igor Shevchuk, in spite of the fact that the Project envisages facilitation of only 2 long-stay areas and several short-stay stopovers, the infrastructure development itself as well as comfort improvement and favorable atmosphere for people has a great significance. It has a certain influence on creating positive image of the Republic of Karelia in tourists' minds and on destination options for tourists. Local people will get more comfortable and sustainable environment in recreation areas, get rid of dumps in these areas, have new opportunities for the development of small business.

The development of caravanning can be considered as one of the most prospective tourism spheres. Nowadays it is one of the most popular kinds of auto tourism in Europe and the US. According to World Tourism Organization, caravanning amounts to 17% of all tourists. According to the representative of „KarelCaravanService“ Konstantin Ekhov, who took part in the expedition, auto tourism in Russia is underdeveloped not only because of rough roads, but also because of the absence of well equipped sites and roadside infrastructure. Though the Project doesn't envisage this scale of investments, the plans for facilitation of chosen areas will provide the opportunities for creation of caravan parking sites and adequate infrastructure. The fact that the Project attracts the attention of potential investors to the issue of caravanning development is a positive factor.

The participants of the Project have a positive perception of the Project's perspectives and believe that the implementation of planned activities and events will make Karelia more attractive for tourists and will contribute to the creation of favorable and comfortable life for local people.

Elena Cherniakevich, project manager

Contracting of the Tourism projects

The contracting process of projects that were awarded a grant from the Tourism Cooperation call has been finished successfully and almost all projects are up and running. I am quite happy with how most of the contract negotiations went, and despite some difficult issues that were encountered along the way, there was always willingness on both sides to find a quick and simple solution that enabled the negotiations to proceed. This promises well for the implementation of the projects and should the same energy, perseverance and determination be put into the projects in the future, they will certainly all succeed and produce lasting results for the years to come.

I am sure that the contracting process has been a learning experience for everyone. The basic idea of the contracting process from our side is to remove ineligible costs from the budget, as all the successful applicants know by now. I will not repeat the criteria that are used to make an eligibility assessment here – those who are interested can look them up in the Programme Manual and the Guidelines for the Calls for Proposals – but in general most ineligible costs seemed to be related to activities that did not support or advance the objectives of the project at all. However, surprisingly many of these cases turned out to be misunderstandings, mostly because the description of the activity was not sufficiently detailed or the term used for the activity was misleading. While these issues were transient in nature and easy to fix, it does take a lot of time to try to clear up what is really meant by a description or term. This is a valuable lesson for all of us, because such issues needlessly prolong the contracting process and they could easily be avoided by paying more attention on how activities are described in the application.

The Tourism Cooperation projects will have their next seminar in December. It will be interesting to see how the tourism portfolio of our Programme is progressing and what kind of results we can expect from it. Considering the promising atmosphere of cooperation that we had in Joensuu last February, I am sure we all have high hopes and expectations of the tourism projects.

See you all in December!

Toni Saranpää

Programme Coordinator