Northern Sweden makes an impression in the EU – joint work yields results
Northern Sweden's voice is being heard more and more clearly in the EU's budget negotiations. Persistent and coordinated work has yielded results – but continued influence is required all the way to a decision. – It is far from decided, says Max Englund at the North Sweden European Office.
– The negotiations on the EU's next long-term budget are not just about money. They determine who gets influence over investments and how Europe's regions will develop. For northern Sweden, this is crucial, says Max Englund, advisor responsible for regional support at the North Sweden European Office. It is the joint Brussels office for the four northernmost counties in Sweden.
An important step has now been taken. The European Parliament wants to strengthen the territorial dimension and proposes to reintroduce a specific allocation of EU funds to northern, sparsely populated areas, in line with the agreements between Sweden and Finland from when the countries joined the EU – an allocation that is, however, missing from the European Commission’s original budget proposal. The European Parliament’s proposal is therefore a clear and important message.
Long-term cooperation
Behind the development is long-term cooperation. Within the European Forum Northern Sweden (EFNS), the four northernmost regions agree on common priorities. This creates weight in the advocacy work. The North Sweden European Office in Brussels translates the priorities into concrete dialogue with the EU institutions.
The work is also strengthened through networks such as the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA), where regions in northern Sweden, Norway and Finland pursue common issues. Together, they highlight both challenges and opportunities in the northernmost parts of Europe.
During the spring, the concrete work has been extensive. North Sweden, the NSPA network and regional representatives have held a large number of meetings in Brussels. They have met with MEPs from different party groups, their political assistants and officials in the parliament. They have also had a dialogue with EU Commission officials and other central actors who influence the design of future cohesion policy.
“Broad and accurate”
– The work has been both broad and precise. In some meetings we have spent time explaining what it is actually like to live and work in northern Sweden – with long distances, a cold climate and few inhabitants. In other situations we have gone straight to the point and raised concrete needs and proposed amendments, such as a special sparseness allocation. We have always backed up what we say with facts, examples and the common positions developed within EFNS, says Max Englund.
Max Englund during the Europaforum Northern Sweden annual conference, Kiruna in May 2026.
The presence has also been continuous. By returning to the same decision-makers, following up on previous conversations and adapting the messages to the different phases of the negotiations, the work has had a greater impact. It has created trust and made northern Sweden a constructive and clear voice on issues of regional development, competitiveness and the green transition.
The result is now visible in the European Parliament's draft report on the new NRPP regulation. It proposes a special sparsity allocation for the NSPA regions. For North Sweden and the NSPA network, it has been intensive work with various dialogues leading up to the finish line to secure special provisions for the NSPA regions. The work has been about clarifying the significance of the special sparsity allocation, its legal basis, and the EU's responsibility for these regions, which are also part of the Union's Arctic area.
“Just one step on the way”
– At the same time, this is just a step on the road. Negotiations are ongoing and much can still change before everything is finalized. Now the European Parliament's proposal will be weighed against what the member states and the Commission think – so it is far from decided, says Max Englund.
Therefore, northern Sweden needs to continue to be an active voice. Through cooperation, presence and clear priorities, the region can influence decisions that are crucial for development and the future.
The joint work has shown its strength – and will be at least as important in the future.
FACTS: EU concept
Sparsity allocation
The Sparse Allocation is an additional financial support for Europe's northern sparsely populated areas within the framework of the EU's cohesion policy. The support is aimed at northern Sweden and northern and eastern Finland. The aim is to compensate for the higher costs and structural problems resulting from long distances and sparse population
NRPP – National and Regional Partnership Plans
The EU's proposal to bring together several of the EU's various support and investment programmes into a common plan per country. It covers everything from regional development and skills provision to agriculture, migration and security. The NRPP is proposed to be the main tool for how EU money is used in the member states and is central to the Commission's proposal for the next seven-year long-term budget.
NSPA – Northern Sparsely Populated Areas
NSPA is a political network with representatives from the 14 northernmost regions in northern Sweden, Norway and northern and eastern Finland. The network works to increase knowledge about northern sparsely populated areas within the EU institutions so that the EU can best support development in the sparsely populated areas of northern Europe.