Helsinki-Uusimaa is Finland’s most international region, thanks to our geographical location and excellent international connections. Internationality is our strength and an enabler of success.
Helsinki-Uusimaa is a multicultural region located at the heart of Northern Europe and at the Baltic Sea. We are home to 1.8 million inhabitants and 56 percent of Finland’s foreign-language population. Our region is the driver of international competitiveness, research and development in Finland.
Our international cooperation focuses on the Baltic Sea region and Europe. We exchange experiences with other European metropolitan areas, are active in building joint EU projects and participate in the activities of partner organisations, as well as promote the regional interests in international arenas.
We are naturally also more than happy to cooperate and share our best practices with other regions interested in international cooperation.
Solutions to global challenges and a stronger Europe
The global megatrends of climate change, demographic change, urbanisation, and digitalisation are present in Helsinki-Uusimaa, but also solutions to meet the challenges are created here.
Based on the European comparison(You are transferring to another service) of regional innovation performance, Helsinki-Uusimaa is one of Europe’s innovation leaders, and the only Finnish region to make the list. We aim to create and be actively involved in various international partnerships and establish different innovative forms of EU cooperation, like initiatives that are making a difference at the local level. Consequently, our Regional Council supports Interreg programmes and develops a variety of EU projects.
Helsinki-Uusimaa has five key RDI priorities: sustainability solutions, regenerative food production, health and wellbeing solutions, creative industries and disruptive technologies. Our aim is to scale RDI activity to the international and EU level, drawing on both national and EU funding.
Partner with us – Let’s build the future together!
International networks
Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council is actively involved in several international networks, offering us information and cooperation possibilities beneficial for our regional development work.
We are first and foremost an active member of networks focusing on the Baltic Sea Region, such as the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) and the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) with its Baltic Sea Commission (BSC). We also a member of multiple European organisations.
Baltic Sea States Subregional Cooperation
Our Regional Council is a member of the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC). BSSSC is a political network for decentralized authorities in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). It consists of 162 member regions in 10 Baltic Sea littoral states.
The BSSSC policy areas are maritime policy, energy and climate, youth policy, Northern Dimension, cohesion policy, transport and infrastructure, culture and regional identity. The goals shared by all the member states are a clean Baltic Sea and a high living standard in the region.
CPMR – Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions
The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) is a think tank and interest organisation for European regions. The organisation has 160 member regions in 28 countries. This organisation focuses on policy sectors like maritime, energy and transport issues, the cohesion policy, and the European governance and development.
Our Regional Council is actively involved in the Baltic Sea Commission (BSC). Mr Markku Markkula is in charge for Climate and Energy Working Group.
Our Regional Council belongs to several international networks. By participating in them, we get beneficial information that can then be used in regional development planning. We are naturally also more than ready to share our good project results to be used in other European regions.
The Scandria®Alliance consolidates the TEN-T corridor between Scandinavia and the Mediterranean as a regional development and transport axis in Europe.
The Metrex, Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas stands for cooperation between ca 50 large cities and metropolitan areas in Europe. These network members exchange information and best practices on regional development and planning. We work to make an impact in the EMA, European Metropolitan Authorities, as well.
About 30 representatives of local and regional European authorities are involved in the Airport Regions Conference, ARC. The goal of the ARC is to develop the airport regions and to mitigate the harmful environmental effects caused by air traffic.
Brussels is the base for the European Regions Research and Innovation Network, ERRIN with about one hundred member regions and their offices in the city. ERRIN focuses on RDI policies and facilitates knowledge exchange, not to forget the project participation of its members. It is also an important EU-lobbying instrument.
The archipelagic areas of Stockholm and Uppsala in Sweden, and Åland in the southwest and Helsinki-Uusimaa in the south of Finland, join their forces in the Archipelago cooperation of the Nordic countries, with the main task being to plan and execute cross-border projects and events.
The Capital Regions Exchange, that is the CAPREX network brings together the regions adjacent to the capitals of Germany, Austria, Czechia and Finland for co-innovation and project development. Circular economy in different themes is particularly on the agenda.
Promotion of regional interests
We promote the interests of Helsinki-Uusimaa Region in international arenas. The aim of our advocacy work is to ensure that Helsinki-Uusimaa is a good place to live, do business, and work, both now and in the future. Promotion of regional interests and influencing policy at the EU level are at the core of our international advocacy work.
The Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council plays a key role in advocating for the region’s interests and strengthening its voice on international arenas.
Managed by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council and shared by several partners, the Helsinki EU Office is our representative office in Brussels and an important channel for advocacy towards the EU. The office is actively following up on current issues like the legislative drafting of the EU, the EU financing programmes and the general possibilities for international cooperation.
Services provided by Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council:
- Networking and liaison, especially within the Baltic Sea Region
- EU project development, support and partner search
- Participation in international networks and assemblies
- Building thematic partnerships based on Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Programme and our RDI priorities
- Maintaining a representative office in Brussels: Helsinki EU Office
Find out more:
Helsinki-Uusimaa Region
The Helsinki-Uusimaa Region is at the heart of Northern Europe, on the south coast of Finland and at the Baltic Sea. Although only covering three percent of our national land area, our Region is home to around 1.8 million inhabitants, which is about a third of the country’s total population.
Interested in collaborating with us? Please contact:
Mikko Myllymäki
Director of Public Affairs
mikko.myllymaki@uudenmaanliitto.fi
In charge of communications, promotion of interests and international affairs.
Janne Tamminen
Senior Adviser
janne.tamminen@uudenmaanliitto.fi
International networks, election preparation committee in Helsinki-Uusimaa
Current
News
8.1.2026
The Helsinki-Uusimaa Cultural Market created over 200 events and thousands of cultural encounters
The Helsinki-Uusimaa Cultural Market project, which is now coming to an end, brought culture to new audiences and created work opportunities for artists. This included supporting cultural purchases by municipalities and launching the popular Cultural Market networking event. All 26 municipalities in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region took part in the project, which was led by the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council.
News
16.12.2025
Policy change opens up EU funding for West Railway
Ministers responsible from the EU member states met on Monday, 15 December, to discuss, among other things, the Council’s position on the future CEF programme. As a result of the meeting, Finland saw a major positive development, as the Tallinn–Helsinki–Tampere and Helsinki–Turku–Stockholm connections were added to the list of CEF priorities. It is very important for transport projects to be included on the CEF list, as this gives them the opportunity to apply for EU funding.
This page was last updated: 12.1.2026