Priority 1

Priority 1: Communications

Priority 1 is in particular related to the aims of improving the functionality of the regions within the programme area, and to compensate for the disadvantages of insularity, peripherality, long internal distances and sparse population. Telecommunication, information society services and improved transportation linkages may partly compensate for these disadvantages. Improved communication in a wide sense will strongly influence the competitive position of the Northern Periphery and improve the accessibility of communities to jobs and services.

Two main aspects will be addressed through separate measures:

physical transportation - road, sea and air transportation of passengers and goods, and
telecommunication and access to information society.

Measure 1.1 Transportataion, Logistics and Transport Infrastructure

Initiatives are necessary to strengthen communication links within and between regions, and in linking with national and international networks to improve economic prosperity and meet social needs of communities. Many parts of the Northern Periphery have underdeveloped local communication networks. This can be illustrated by the air route structure, which displays the dependency on North-South relations and of the national centres, since very few direct connections between each national periphery are found. Similar structures can be found for road and railway transport. Due to the cold climate (icing, heavy snowfall etc.) winter transport demands solutions quite different from those relevant in central and southern parts of Europe. Improved communications need to be achieved without an adverse impact on the environment.

Illustrative possible project themes include:

Projects focusing on multi-modal transport systems and ways of achieving shift from car and road haulage to alternative forms of transport
Studies to look at opportunities and conversely the disadvantages resulting from current networks.
Initiatives, which meet the needs of communities for local travel to jobs and services, and for businesses to access resources and markets
Projects to explore possibilities for linking maritime and insular regions through new sea routes
Projects to secure economically viable ways of delivering public transport
Initiatives to identify better ways of maintaining transport infrastructure, particularly given the problems relating to climate, ground conditions etc.
Projects to explore possibilities for North West Russia to be connected to Western Europe and Atlantic harbours.

Measure 1.2 Access to Information Society

Telecommunication and access to information society services are factors of great importance for the future development of the Northern Periphery. ICT may help to overcome certain disadvantages springing from long distances and peripheral location. Possibilities relates to access to information or education, - but also tele-commuting, out-location of jobs and possibilities connected to working from home must be further exploited for the benefit of the peripheral areas.

Relevant project themes include:

Projects researching current levels of access and barriers to further progress
Projects focusing on ICT as means to give actors in remote areas access to distant educational and health services, cultural events, etc.
ICT as means of locating jobs and establishing virtual work organisations
ICT as a tool for accessing relevant information more generally: market information, legal or other formal regulations, documents pertaining to political processes, increasing the opportunities for people in peripheral areas to take an active part in democratic processes etc.

European Union

Cross Programme Initiatives