construction in Pärnu is planned to serve the region round the Via Baltica Highway. The main event within the framework of the project includes simulation of a major accident on the Via Baltica Highway with the aim of providing training for co-operation between various emergency services. 
Apart from EU projects, Pärnu runs a number of projects jointly with its twin cities. Principal fields for these projects concern education and training (student exchange programmes), environmental protection, infrastructure, optimisation of the structure of local authorities, etc. 
Evaluating the execution of EU projects, the city has definitely benefited from them. It managed to reach a new level in co-operation with its twin cities. Involvement in EU projects and collection of the respective information has provided us with the opportunity to follow closely the processes in the European Union, as well as facilitated acquisition of funding in the future. For Pärnu, it would be of utmost importance to receive financial means from ISPA in the nearest future as DGXVI has declared it to be the No. 1 corridor of PanEuropean transport network -this means its maintenance costs are to be covered by the European Union.

Pärnu Town Government has been actively participating in the regional cooperation programmes of the European Union since 1997, when the Baltic Small Project Facility and Central European Border Regions financing were announced under the cross border cooperation framework. 
Three projects submitted by Pärnu have been approved and are currently co-financed under the BSPF. If compared to other Estonian towns and municipalities, most of projects submitted by Pärnu have been successful. 
Since the second half of 1998, the project entitled GeoInfoSystem for Effective Development Research, Town Planning and Care of Technical Infrastructure has been jointly developed together with the town of Vaasa . The project aims at developing and improving the geodetic information system of Pärnu using the experience of Vaasa. In the project course, the IT and geodesy specialists of Pärnu have had an opportunity to study the results gained at Vaasa and generate new ideas for better implementation of a similar system in Pärnu. Joint meetings and seminars have been arranged not only for the city administration. 
At the beginning of 1999, two new projects were launched. The first one is developed together with Elsinore, a Danish town, and is

striving at preparing Pärnu beaches to meet the Blue Flag of Europe's requirements. As such, the project offers an opportunity to investigate a set of environmental conditions and requirements in the whole region and implement Agenda 21 in practice, as well as arrange events relevant to environmental protection. The finances provided for acquisition of tangible assets will be used for developing the system of notices for pedestrians, as well as for information boards and maps distributed in public places. The Jury of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe decided to award the Blue Flag Certificate to the beach of Pärnu in 1999 and expressed their hope to be in a position to award the Blue Flag to it next year. 
In co-operation with the town of Norrköping, Sweden, Pärnu runs a second project of catastrophe liquidation, aiming at creating a system joining various emergency services for liquidation of potential accidents on the Via Baltica Highway. Specialists from the Pärnu Hospital, the emergency service and ambulance have been involved in the project. They can study how the similar system is operated in Sweden. Norrköping is one of the biggest centres on the E4 route heading from Stockholm to the southern part of the country, the new hospital currently under

objectives. Through those projects we have learned to manage projects and have got good ideas and inspiration for the development of other activities. Also, important investment projects have been carried out, such as the passenger harbour development, Pikku-Vesijrvi pond improvement and the development of parks and nature tourism, all under European regional development funds. In addition, large-scale projects to increase employment have been developed with the help of the EU Social Fund. The City of Lahti qualifies under Objective 2. 
Based on this short experience it can be said that the EU has been a great learning process, providing numerous opportunities and means of achieving many objectives important to our city.

The structural changes in the Finnish society of the present decade, as well joining the EU have significantly changed the otherwise routine administrative culture. Unemployment became an insurmountable problem, and all public and administrative spending in Finland had to be cut down. As Finland joined the EU after only a very short preparation period, at least in the municipalities it was not possible to prepare in advance for the coming changes, neither for the challenges. 
The city of Lahti has traditionally been internationally-oriented. Previously Lahti did not have any international activities worth mentioning, with the exception of the town twinning activities. The EU brought international activity into 

a completely new light. The city administration is learning the EU manners. Various EU funding systems, project development and management, establishing international connections, building networks, etc. -were all new questions that came about with very short warning. 
City international activities are then a completely new sphere. LIFE, PHARE and TACIS programmes have become important funding sources of international cooperation. Lahti city has coordinated the EU projects, the most important of which are aimed towards developing Local Agenda 21 activity in St. Petersburg and the Baltics. 
Lahti is also a partner in various projects involving the EU sustainable development