Platform North - in english

The Swedish Transport Administration has taken an initiative for a cross-border cooperation due to the industrial investments, the green transition and increased focus on military mobility in northern Sweden, northern Norway and northern Finland.

The initiative is called Platform North. Platform North is an initiative for stakeholders to exchange information, strengthen a systems perspective, coordinate and collaborate for development efforts. The aim of the initiative is to create a regional cross-border cooperation for infrastructure managers for all modes of transport, with other stakeholders, for desired development.

Date: 12-13 February 2025 (lunch-to-lunch)
Theme: The importance of Nordic cooperation in the north, with focus on transport infrastructure
Target group: An open seminar directed to stakeholders working with transport, and related development in the Nordic countries
Location: Luleå, Clarion Hotel Sense

Co-chaired by EU-coordinators Pat Cox, Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor and Catherine Trautmann, North Sea Baltic corridor.

Information will be updated on an on-going basis here at webpage.


Objective and purpose of Platform North

Objective

  • Support the development of the transport system to facilitate business start-ups and expansions, in order to strengthen Europe's competitiveness and independence
  • Support the development of climate neutrality in infrastructure and transport
  • Support stakeholders in gaining a common overview, understanding and information
  • Provide a forum where different actors can together raise issues that are important for the success of the growing demand for transport in Northern Europe and military mobility, as part of the Northern European transport network
  • Support stakeholders with the conditions to plan their activities at an early stage, individually and collectively
    Strengthen collaboration between different stakeholders


 Purpose

  • Good adaptation of the infrastructure to the needs of customers, transport companies and the military
  • Reduce barriers to seamless access to capacity and operation of international cross-border transport links.
  • Focus and address key areas e.g. financing opportunities, transport prognoses, description of the future, preparing for new opportunities


Prioritized Measures

On May 15, 2024, a formative workshop was held in Luleå, where the three most prioritized measures to work on were developed:

  • Financing (possibilities for funding and joint applications)
  • Joint transport plan (Northern Nordics) and projects
  • Information platform (cross- border view on transport system)  

The respective measure will be deepened and further processed.

Other possible areas of cooperation:

samverkansområden600.jpg

The way forward

During Järnvägsforum Norr 18-19 April 2024, we formally started work on Platform North. Before the start, the Swedish Transport Administration has had initial dialogues with around 30 infrastructure managers, business representatives and regional public actors in the three countries.

Platform North Forum 20025

A first major conference is planned for 12-13 February 2025 in Luleå.
The forum is open to anyone interested in participating.

Geography

Northern Norway, northern Sweden and northern Finland

Organization

Platform North will function as a network and collaboration, not as its own legal organisation. The organisation is under development. The aim is to start in a small-scale (core initiative) and grow depending on need (work groups, seminars etc)

A new website for Platform North is planned and link will be posted here later.