Briefly in English

Here you can find some information in a nutshell. Do not hesitate to contact us either. Please use the following contact addresses and phone numbers:

Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa

Rauhankatu 29

FIN - 06100 PORVOO, Finland

Tel. +358 40 351 3966

Fax +358 19 585 270

E-mail: maakunta(a)ita-uusimaa.fi

http://liitto.ita-uusimaa.fi

Executive Director

Mr. Jaakko Mikkola

E-mail: jaakko.mikkola(a)ita-uusimaa.fi

Brussels office:

Ms. Tuula Loikkanen

E-mail: tuula.loikkanen(a)skynet.be

http://www.southfinland.org

Contact information

The Region of Itä-Uusimaa

The Region of Itä-Uusimaa consists of 7 capable and rich in tradition inland and coastal municipalities: Askola, Lapinjärvi, Loviisa, Myrskylä, Porvoo, Pukkila and Sipoo.

Two of these municipalities Porvoo and Loviisa are cities. The biggest municipalities by population in the region are Porvoo, Sipoo and Loviisa. Regions land area is 2747 km2 and shoreline 3698 km. Region has about 94000 inhabitants with 32 % of inhabitants speaking Swedish as their mother tongue. Majority of municipalities are bilinguals, Askola and Pukkila are Finnish speaking municipalities.

Itä-Uusimaa is a place where west and east meet in historical and in present sense. The municipalities in Itä-Uusimaa are situated by the European road E18 that links the southern coast of Finland to St Petersburg in Russia. E18 is a gate to Europe and Russia. Highway 6 links the region to eastern parts of Finland and Russian Karelia. The ancient historical highway Kings Road runs along the southern coast of Itä-Uusimaa. It has been nationwide route since 14th century.

Region of Itä-Uusimaa offers unique opportunities for recreational travellers as well as for travellers interested in culture. Itä-Uusimaa is harbouring oldest buildings in Finland. Places of historical interest are found in each municipality such as the unique portholes in Askola, Old Towns in Porvoo and Loviisa, Strömfors iron works, river valley areas, churches and manors. The Archipelago of Itä-Uusimaa is loved by thousands of Finns.

Industrial and commercial structure of Itä-Uusimaa

Itä-Uusimaa is the most industrialised region in Finland when measured by the value added in production (2003). Half of the regions gross domestic product is received from industry. Industry and service sectors have the most significant roles in Porvoo, refining in Ruotsinpyhtää. Agricultural municipalities are Lapinjärvi, Myrskylä and Pukkila. Service sector is relatively big employer in Sipoo. Unemployment rate is low in Itä-Uusimaa compared to nations unemployment rate.

The most important industries in Itä-Uusimaa are oil refinery, petrochemical industry and chemical products, electrical engineering, publishing and printing services. The most significant employers in the region are Fortum, oil refinery in Porvoo and Fortum Power plant in Loviisa. Other industries are Norpe, Ensto, Schneider Electric and Lival. Biggest employer in printing business is WSOY subsidiary WS Bookwell Oy, Porvoo. Other significant businesses in region are petrochemical producer Borealis Polymers Oy, Porvoo, forestry products Stora Enso Sawmill, Porvoo and Corenso United, producer of coreboards, cores and tubes, Loviisa.

Itä-Uusimaa has been famous of its cheese products and it has been even called "Ostnyland" (cheese-Itä-Uusimaa), which is used even today. "Ostnyland" areas were Porvoo, Pernaja, Liljendal, Lapinjärvi, Loviisa and Ruotsinpyhtää. Today nation wide known Ingman Foods in Sipoo and Lapinjärvi is producing dairy products respecting traditions.

Itä-Uusimaa is famous of its delicacies such as Itä-Uusimaa is famous of its delicacies such as Runeberg´s pastries, Brunberg´s kisses, as well as liquorice.

The Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa

The regional council of Itä-Uusimaa was founded on voluntary basis year 1959 as a Regional planning council. From year 1966 until year 1992 it was know as a statutory regional planning council. Regional planning and development responsibility has been within Regional Council since 1993. The regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa has 7 member municipalities Askola, Lapinjärvi,  Loviisa, Myrskylä, Porvoo, Pukkila and Sipoo. The Assembly of Regional Council is the highest decision-making body of the Regional Council.

The Regional council is responsible for spatial planning and regional development, and it has a role to play in EU-regional policy as well as defining the emphases of the national regional policy. Assembly of the Regional Council and Regional Board are responsible for cherishing and developing of regional history and tradition, bilingual culture, trade and commerce, inhabitants and valuable environment. The Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa has a bureau to support them in these tasks.

Functions and main tasks

Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa is functioning under the basic agreement for the benefit of the region, municipalities and inhabitants as a bilingual regional promotion-, development-, collaboration and regional planning council.

Regional planning

One of the most important tasks of Regional council of Itä-Uusimaa is regional planning. Regional planning consist of regional plan, land use in region and regional programme. Regional planning creates regional strategy and it is realised with regional plan and developing programme.

Regional development

The Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa is the authority responsible for regional development under the Regional Development Act. A Regional programme is prepared during each period of the regional council and implementation is coordinated by implementation plan. Cooperation with various influences within the region as well as international functions is an important part of regional development. Programmes and agreements are made in cooperation to help steer public resources towards strategically important actions and problem solving within regional development.

Regional interest promotion

Interest promotion, planning and development work forms solid entity within the duties of Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa. Interest promotions most important task is to steer towards the most essential projects in the region. Interest promotion work sees to it that regional planning, regional programmes and project or actual matters are implemented.

Interest promotion is based on co-operation between various influences within the region. International "South Finland Office" in Brussels promotes a common interest of Itä-Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme and Päijät-Häme regions. Itä-Uusimaa is the first region in Finland to join CPMR (Conference of Peripheral Mari-time Regions of Europe) in 1995, soon after Finland had joined the European Union. Currently there are 151 member regions in the CPMR of which 30 are member regions in the Baltic Sea Commission (BSC).

The Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa is participating Interreg-programme implementation of coastal Southern-Finland and southeast Finland. Cooperation of 3+3 programme between Estonia and three Finnish regions have existed since 1995. Regions from Finland are Itä-Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme and Kymenlaakso. From Estonia Lääne-Virumaa, Ida-Virumaa and Jõvgemaa.

Tämä sivu on päivitetty viimeksi: 02.02.2010