European Forum in Kiruna: "EU issues are domestic politics"

How will the EU's next budget meet both crises and long-term needs? What is needed to strengthen Europe's competitiveness - while at the same time making room for sparsely populated regions? And how do security, the Arctic and the green transition affect the future in northern Sweden? These were some of the questions that were at the center of attention at the Europaforum Northern Sweden conference in Kiruna.

The 30th edition of Europaforum Northern Sweden's annual forum gathered 185 participants at Aurora Culture & Congress in Kiruna on 7–8 May. During two intensive days, stakeholders from local, regional, national and European levels met to discuss the future of Europe. The importance of the location was in focus, as northern Sweden is an increasingly important region in the EU's work on transition, security and competitiveness.

The conference began with a video message from European Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, who highlighted the importance of northern Sweden in the EU.

– You play an important role in many ways, even if the conditions in your regions are not always easy, he said.

European Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto addressed the 185 conference participants directly in an opening video address. Photo: Simon Eliasson

Europaforum Norra Sverige (EFNS) is a political network for the four northernmost counties, of which Region Norrbotten is one of the members. Within the network, EU issues are analyzed and discussed with the goal of strengthening Northern Sweden's perspective in Union politics. The work is based on common positions that are adopted unanimously across party lines. The annual conference, which this year was arranged by Region Norrbotten, is a way to broaden knowledge and discussion about EU issues.

“The world is changing fast”

The first seminar was about the EU's future long-term budget. Several voices described a tug-of-war in a time of great change, where resources must be sufficient for both crisis management and long-term development across the Union.

“Flexibility is the guiding light. The world is changing rapidly,” said Annika Wäppling Korzinek from the European Commission.

Annika Wäppling Korzinek, Head of the European Commission Representation in Sweden, gave an introduction to the proposal for a new long-term budget.

At the same time, the Europaforum Northern Sweden's rapporteurs highlighted the special conditions in the north - conditions that affect the EU's ability to achieve its own goals.

– We have a geography that requires something different. Large distances and a small population make it difficult to put together functioning markets, said Carina Sammeli (S), chairwoman of the municipal board in Luleå municipality and rapporteur for EFNS.

Several interventions clarified the complexity.

– Everyone says we want more, but no one says what should be removed, noted Teresa Küchler, EU reporter at Svenska Dagbladet.
– The EU budget is not about a zero-sum game – it is about what we build together.

Teresa Küchler, a reporter in Brussels, contributed broad perspectives on the budget negotiations.

Concerns about the special sparsity support

From a regional and local level, the opportunities of EU industrial policy were emphasized, not least through the proposed Competitiveness Fund. Here, northern Sweden was highlighted as an implementation arena for the EU's green industrial policy, where investments in energy, infrastructure and skills supply affect the competitiveness of the whole of Europe.

At the same time, it was emphasized that the transition in the North depends on EU support also reaching sparsely populated regions and smaller actors. The special so-called sparsity allocation is not included in the proposal for the new budget.

In parallel, security issues were high on the agenda. Military mobility was described as a concrete and growing issue.

“We should be able to move troops and equipment within the EU quickly, safely and without unnecessary complications,” said Annika Wäppling Korzinek.

“We must start seeing ourselves as a borderless geography,” said Kerstin Hansdotter from the Swedish Transport Administration.

Carina Sammeli, deputy chairwoman of the Luleå municipal board and rapporteur for EFNS, participated in the parallel seminar on military mobility.

Northern Sweden is an important hub in the Nordic and European transport system.

“It's about how we go from plan to actual mobility,” Carina Sammeli summarized.

The Arctic's importance is increasing

The strategic role of the Arctic and northern Sweden recurred in several program items, where international perspectives met local experiences. Within the EU, the Arctic regions have increasing importance for both climate policy and geopolitics and business development.

“First and foremost, it is about the people who live here in the European Arctic,” emphasized Raphaël Goulet from the European Commission.

From the EU level, Claude Veron-Reville, the EU Special Envoy for the Arctic, and Raphaël Goulet from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Arctic Affairs participated. They reflected on the EU's Arctic strategy.

Under the program item "What will become of Sweden's EU policy?", the EU was discussed as a central part of Swedish politics and how decisions in Brussels affect both national development and the regions in northern Sweden.

In a conversation with, among others, the Sami Council's Elle Merete Omma, it became clear how EU decisions directly affect minorities - and how important it is that more perspectives are included early in the processes.

A recurring theme was the need for Sweden to take a more active and offensive role within the EU. The panel argued that Swedish politicians too rarely discuss EU issues in the national debate and that issues decided at the EU level are still often treated as foreign policy.

The conversation "What will become of Sweden's EU policy?" included Katarina Areskoug Mascarenhas from Impact Europe and Elle Merete Omma from the Sami Council.

Is this autumn's election an EU election?

The conversations also showed how closely connected EU policy is to Swedish politics, and that EU issues are in practice domestic policy.

– The parliamentary election will then of course also be an EU election, said Eric Luth from Fores.

Other panelists disagreed that this is the case – from the voters' perspective.

– Voters vote on values, not on decision-making levels, said Veronica Palm.

Carl-Vincent Reimers, Timbro, and Veronica Palm, NSD, were two of the participants in the panel discussion "Is the parliamentary election an EU election?"

Rosanna Endre, Arena Idé, pointed to a responsibility on the part of politicians:

– I think politicians are making a mistake by not raising the EU as an important issue.

Carl-Vincent Reimers, Timbro Think Tank, described how EU work characterizes everyday life in the government:

– Quite a few ministers are very surprised when they first join the government and realize how much of their working time they have to spend going to Brussels and negotiating.

Co-creative process

The conference concluded with the adoption of the Kiruna Declaration 4.0, after a co-creative process where all conference participants had the opportunity to contribute perspectives, knowledge and suggestions.

There was great engagement at the democracy square, where participants could contribute to the Kiruna Declaration.

It will now become an important starting point for the continued work of Europaforum Northern Sweden.

– The declaration is about political priorities. The forum participants have had the opportunity to provide input on which issues we should highlight going forward, said Anders Öberg (S), chairman of the regional board in Region Norrbotten and rapporteur for EFNS.

– This commitment is an important building block for us to have weight in the dialogue, both towards the EU and the national level, said Jonas Andersson (S), chairman of Europaforum Northern Sweden.

Anders Öberg and Jonas Andersson presented the jointly created proposal for the Kiruna Declaration 4.0 on a screen before the declaration was adopted by the conference participants.

After two days in Kiruna, it is clear that northern Sweden plays a central role in Europe's development – ​​as a driving force in the green transition, as a strategic area for security and the Arctic, and as a region where EU policies are put into practice. Answers to many of the challenges of the future are being shaped here.

For Europaforum Northern Sweden, and the four northernmost counties' joint office in Brussels, the work for northern Sweden's interests in the EU continues.

Text: Linda Henriksson, Fredrik Kjellman Ölmerud, Julia Bergsten and Sara Stylbäck Vesa.
Photos: Simon Eliasson