Europaforum Northern Sweden
The four northernmost counties in Sweden are working together to influence EU-policy through the political network Europaforum Northern Sweden (EFNS). The work in EFNS is based on common interest and commitment from regional and local politicians and officials. What makes the EFNS network unique is the cross-party cooperation and that the region is represented by one united voice in EU policy.
Our priorities and working groups are:
- Infrastructure
- Climate and energy
- Research, innovation, business and industry
- Cohesion (regional) policy
The work is led by twelve rapporteurs (politicians), three from each county. The rapporteurs work closely with groups with representatives from each county, local authorities, regional representations as well as from the North Sweden European Office in Brussels. The groups are focusing on different thematic EU policy and produces political positions papers according to what’s on EU’s agenda. The position papers are revised and adopted in coherence by all 12 rapporteurs.
The goals of EFNS’s work is to:
- Ensure that the interests of northern Sweden are safeguarded in EU policy
- Develop and contribute to good multilevel governance in EU and Sweden
- Bring EU policy closer to citizens in northern Sweden
- Increase knowledge and awareness of EU policy in political bodies in the four northernmost regions
Once a year, EFNS organises a big forum with the aim to gather stakeholders from Sweden and the EU-arena engaged in regional development to discuss and develop common positions.
