Programme area

In continuation of the previous cooperation programme, the participating regions in the Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027 are situated in Estonia, Finland including Åland, Latvia and Sweden.

In total there are 29 regions in the programme area – according to the European Union Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics by regional levels 3 classification (NUTS 3).

The Central Baltic area is in the North-Eastern part of the European Union, uniting the Nordic countries Sweden and Finland with two Baltic countries Estonia and Latvia. The area includes coastal regions of all programme countries for which the Baltic Sea is an important water body. The Baltic Sea has united the countries over centuries forming a basis for important and strong economic and cultural relations. Finland, Estonia and Latvia share a land border with Russia.

The Programme area includes four metropolitan regions around the capital cities of Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, and Riga – all located at the coastline of the Baltic Sea and relatively well connected with each other and with the European and global economic centres. There are also less developed peripheral areas, sparsely populated rural areas as well as archipelago and island regions, for which accessibility inside the region, as well as with the European social and economic centres, is a challenge.