Interreg NPA at the EU Arctic Forum 2025

The EU Arctic Forum, Indigenous peoples' Dialogue and Arctic Youth Dialogue  is a high-level annual event that brings together policymakers, Indigenous representatives, youth, researchers, and stakeholders from across the Arctic. Organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the Municipality of Kittilä, the Regional Council of Lapland and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs it took place in Kittilä, Finland, on 25, 26 and 27 June 2025. 

The EU Arctic Forum and  serves as a platform to discuss pressing Arctic issues such as climate change, sustainable development, Indigenous rights, and international cooperation.

For the Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) programme, attending the forum is especially important to show how European funding, through Interreg transnational cooperation in particular, can address the issues discussed with a place-based and community-centred approach.

Interreg NPA at the EU Arctic Forum 2025

The Interreg NPA Head of Secretariat, Kirsti Mijnhijmer contributed to the side event “EU Regional Policy in the Arctic regions: boosting EU competitiveness, clean industrialisation and security” (co-organised by the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission Arctic Working Group and the NSPA network). Reflecting on how EU Cohesion Policy for regional development, of which Interreg is a part, should be reformed in the future to ensure a sustainable and stable Arctic, Kirsti shared the views and feedback gathered from stakeholders during the recent consultation on the future of Interreg  NPA. This opportunity allowed the programme to bring Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic stakeholders views into the discussion.

Thursday, the first day of the EU Arctic Forum, featured a wide range of topics, including Arctic research and innovation, environmental protection, sustainable economic development, and Indigenous rights. 

Kirsti contributed specifically to the panel discussion on sustainable tourism, where she gave examples how Interreg NPA projects contribute to sustainable tourism by balancing diverse needs. Projects like Glow 2.0 and N-LITE explore year-round tourism through dark skies tourism and literary tourism, while SUB supports biking tourism development and DACCHE promotes cultural and natural heritage using digital tools. Additionally, REGENERATE and RETURN focus on enhancing benefits for local communities.

Sami and Inuit representatives emphasised the delicate balance required to manage competing land and resource uses.

The Arctic Youth Dialogues were a vital part of the forum, bringing forward the voices of young people from across the region. They presented a report with key recommendations  on climate action, Indigenous rights, education, and the importance of involving youth in Arctic policymaking.

Looking Ahead

The insights and discussions from the EU Arctic Forum provide valuable inspiration for how the Interreg NPA can continue to support sustainable development and cooperation in the Arctic and near-Arctic regions. These exchanges help shape future programme activities to better meet the needs of communities in the Northern Periphery and Arctic.

We look forward to continuing these conversations at the Interreg NPA 25th Anniversary Conference in Bodø!