Programme
Theme of the conference: Nordic cooperation in the north - transport infrastructure for competitiveness, preparedness and green industrial transition
Draft Programme 17 March 2026
12.00-13.00 REGISTRATION AND LUNCH
INTRODUCTION AND THE LARGER PERSPECTIVE
13.00–13.05 Introduction, Chair Björn Hasselgren, Swedish Transport Administration and Moderator Lotta Rönström, North Sweden European office
13.05–13.10 Welcome to the Forum, Roberto Maiorana, Director General and Helena Eriksson, Regional Director Northern Region, Swedish Transport administration
13.10–13.15 Introduction of Programme
13.15–13.20 Welcome to Norrbotten (tbc)
13.20–13.40 Transport and mobility in Europe – new challenges ahead, DG-MOVE (tbc)
13.40-13.50 SHORT BREAK
INTENSED NORDIC COOPERATION
"The ambition of Platform North is to be an umbrella cooperation for exchange of information, to enhance a system perspective, and to coordinate and collaborate efforts for development, as there are several initiatives on-going within the Northern Nordics."
13.50-14.20 Ministers’ statement and panel discussion (tbc) - Norway, Sweden, Finland
PLATFORM NORTH
14.20-14.40 Information about Platform North, Helena Eriksson, Regional Director Northern Region, Swedish Transport administration
14.40-14.55 Platform North Memorandum of understanding (MoU) SIGNING
Declare Platform North MoU signing from driving parts (National governmental authorities, Regional governmental authorities, Politically driven regions, Business representative organisations)
14.55 COFFEE / Press conference
15.30-16.00 Prioritized measures in Platform North
Joint transport plan, Jussi Huotari Economic development centre of Lapland
Financing, Henric Fuchs Region Västernorrland
Information platform, Tor-Einar Schøning Statens vegvesen
ARCTIC PERSPECTIVE
16.00-16.20 EU Arctic policy (tbc)
19:00 MINGEL
19.30-22.00 CONFERENCE DINNER
Draft Programme 18 March 2026
08.00-12.00 COMPETITIVENESS, PREPAREDNESS AND INDUSTRIAL GREEN TRANSITION
Civil and military preparedness
08.30–08.50 Transport infrastructure for military mobility. P-O Norell, Lieutenant colonel, Swedish armed forces
08.50–09.10 Transport strategy for preparedness
09.10-09.20 SHORT BREAK
Business life development
09.20–09.40 European rail gauge in Finland, Kaisa Kuukasjärvi, Ministry of Transport and Communications in Finland
09.40–10.00 Nordic example of industrial needs road and rail
10.00–10.30 COFFEE
Energy in transport
10.30–10.50 Energy in relation to transport hubs
Funding
10.50–11.20 Funding and financing, Claus Eberhard, European Investment Bank (EIB)
Reflection
11.20–11.50 Reflections - panel discussion of future collaboration
11.50 ROTATION FROM SWEDEN OF PLATFORM NORTH CHAIRSHIP TO NORWAY
12.00 Closure remarks from the present Swedish and new Norwegian Chairs
12.00 LUNCH