Business in the Bothnian Arc

A new business development project Baltic Business Link is a good example of north-south collaboration in the Bothnian Arc. In today's rapidly changing and highly disruptiveglobal environment, SME expansion into foreign markets may be difficult and problematic.

To lower the threshold for enterprises to enter foreign markets, development agencies in Oulu, Lulea, Gdansk and Halle will co-ordinate actions directly involving and developing real companies and businesses. For instance, the activities that are to be included in the project are co-ordinated participation in the fairs and company face-to-face meetings.

Business development is the main objective in the international work carried out by Lulea city, UBC's new member. Lulea, together with Kemi and Oulu, are vigorously developing the co-operation between cities in the most northern part of the Baltic Sea. There are 600 000 people living in the Bothnian Arc that is the northernmost cluster of industry and cutting-edge expertise in the BSR. The strategic industries in the Bothnian Arc are informatics, communication technology, steel, engineering, forestry, welfare technology, tourism and adventure industries.

In order to take full advantage of the development potential in the whole BSR, the Bothnian Arc is determined to collaborate with other cities and regions around the Baltic. Cities of Liibeck and Bornholm can serve as excellent examples of partners involved in co-operation.

"As BSR's northern most member, I believe Lulea has a special mission to fulfil and try to increase the north-south cooperation, and to take full advantage of the great potential of the whole region", says Karl Petersen, Mayor of Lulea and chairman of the Bothnian Arc Association. And strengthening the co-operation rests within the UBC's main objectives, too.