Theme: The reindustrialisation of Norrbotten
Green aims in uncertain times
One of the most important goals for the Nordic labour market cooperation is to make sure the right knowledge and skills are available to meet the demands of the green transition. But new and surprising challenges must also be dealt with.
Green industry makes Swedish Luleå try to grow three times faster
There is a race on in Northern Sweden. Enormous investments in new technology give the largest of the Nordic countries the chance to compete with others to be the first to kickstart the green transition. It is a challenge for businesses and for civil society.
Trailblazing development of green steel in Swedish Boden
Mass production of fossil-free steel is to be the arrowhead of the green transition in Northern Sweden. The initiative aims to mitigate climate change and meet the world’s needs for sustainability. With it come many new jobs and a need for new housing.
Image of macho Northern Swedish man must go to secure recruitment
A gun on his back, snus tobacco under his lip and a misogynistic worldview, he drives around on his scooter. This image of the primitive Norrlänning – a person from Sweden’s northernmost county – became ingrained with the 1996 movie The Hunters. Now Northern Sweden is hunting for people to carry out the so-called green revolution, and that image has to go.
Arvika: Where EU temporary protection directive is turned into housing, jobs and schooling
By May 2022, 12.5 million Ukrainians were fleeing the war. 5.5 million have fled abroad and are covered by the EU’s temporary protection directive. 134 of them have arrived in Arvika in Sweden’s Western Värmland, which has now signed an agreement with the Swedish Migration Board to settle refugees long term.
Nordic focus on new jobs without discrimination
Upskilling and gender equality will be central to the Nordic countries’ labour market cooperation in the coming years.
After a couple of yellow cards – EU agreement on Swedish startup jobs
Sweden will be able to spend 4.2 billion kronor (€397m) in state support for so-called etableringsjobb – or startup jobs – for newly arrived and long-term unemployed people. That is now clear as the European Commission has approved a completely new model for encouraging companies to hire people who find it particularly hard to access the Swedish labour market.
Hopes dashed on the Finnish-Russian border
“Parikkala is a municipality people usually drive right past,” says Mayor Vesa Huuskonen, with only a hint of humour. Parikkala is an agricultural municipality with an ageing population in South-Western Finland, right on the border with Russia. Plans for an international border crossing have been scrapped because of the changed international situation.
Border trade crisis: Zsar's luxury fashion tempts neither Russians nor Finns in Vaalimaa
Some of the shops in Zsar Outlet Village are having closing down sales. Most offer 30 to 70% discounts on well-known brands meant to tempt Russian tourists to shop right next to the border crossing with Finland.
Parikkala goes for maids, whitefish and an unusual sculpture park
There is an old saying that "the maids from Parikkala and the whitefish from Simpeljärvi are better than anywhere else". The maid is now a sculpture in the city centre while the whitefish is swimming in the lake. But a sculpture park with 255 concrete statues doing yoga is by far the biggest draw.
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