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Minister Tuppurainen and Spanish State Secretary Juan González-Barba Pera discuss regional development of sparsely populated areas

Government Communications Department
Publication date 14.6.2021 16.10 | Published in English on 15.6.2021 at 11.22
Press release 379/2021

At their meeting in Oulu, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen and Spanish State Secretary for the European Union Juan González-Barba Pera discussed the special characteristics and development of sparsely populated areas. The programme for the meeting also highlighted the 6G flagship, which focuses on developing wireless network technologies, Oulu’s innovation expertise and the city’s cultural contribution as a future European Capital of Culture.

“Finland shares a great deal of common objectives with Spain in a variety of areas, including the development of sparsely populated areas. The State Secretary’s visit to Oulu marks an important step towards closer cooperation between Finland and Spain,” says Minister for European and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen.
 
The newly elected European Capital of Culture for 2026 also gave a taste of its cultural offering, as the screaming men’s choir Huutajat shouted its greetings from the Treaty of Amsterdam and other texts. 
 
“The upcoming year as the Capital of Culture will be important for Oulu and for Finland as a whole, and it will give us a unique opportunity to present our Nordic expertise in the arts. We are happy and excited to take on this task,” says Tuppurainen.
 
The visit to the University of Oulu and Nokia’s 5G test laboratory provided an opportunity to present the city as a northern cluster of technology and expertise.
 
“Oulu’s leading technological expertise, such as the 6G flagship project, is groundbreaking on a global scale. I believe the visit has also shown the significance of funding for sparsely populated areas and EU research funding for Oulu in concrete terms. We have built success stories where the special features of the North are not restrictions but part of a well-functioning solution,” Minister Tuppurainen stated.
 
Minister Tuppurainen and State Secretary González-Barba Pera are colleagues on the EU General Affairs Council (GAC), which is responsible for several cross-cutting EU policies, such the preparations for European Council meetings and issues concerning the rule of law.
 
Inquiries: Satu Keskinen, Head of Unit, tel. +358 295 160 302 and Emilia Tervonen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 295 161 035, Prime Minister’s Office