3. Bothnian Arc Transport Forum
The Bothnian Arc is an important economic area that reaches from Skellefteå in Sweden to Kalajoki in Finland, following the Bothnian Bay coastline. It is a vital part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), connecting the Nordics with the rest of Europe.
In 2023, a new cross-border Transport Forum aimed at enabling cross-border traffic and logistic connections in the Bothnian Arc was established. The forum aims to ensure ongoing dialogue over transport issues, coordinate implementation of the Action Plan, of cross-border Transport Vision 204 for Bothnian Arc Corridor, and address any emerging transport issues that might impede the Transport Vision 2040.
The Transport Forum meets three or four times a year, bringing together 15 Finnish and 15 Swedish participants from municipal and regional representatives from municipal and regional authorities, development organisations, state organisations, transport operators and other stakeholders. Its work is guided by the Transport Vision 2040’s eight goals, which seek to enable: 1) sustainable mobility and transport; 2) resilience and security; 3) the borderless transport of goods and people in support of investments; 4) connected logistics chains; 5) an accessible region; 6) fluent travel chains; 7) tourism and leisure travel; and 8) a culture of cooperation.
During its first year of operation, the Transport Forum dealt with various themes and issues, including:
- sustainable transport planning in the region;
- security of supply and resilience in transport planning;
- development of the TEN-T North Sea Baltic and Scandinavian–Mediterranean core network corridors;
- ensuring railway capacity;
- ensuring funding;
- Tornio–Haparanda as an essential node for the Bothnian Arc corridor;
- launching cross-border train traffic; and
- collecting and sharing information/data on transport.
Moreover, members of the Bothnian Arc Forum have participated in various other transport-related platforms, including Platform North, a collaboration between Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Learning from one other
Regional cross-border awareness is crucial when it comes to developing safe, smooth and sustainable east–west travel connections between Finland and Sweden. In this respect, the Bothnian Arc Cross-Border Transport Forum offers Finnish and Swedish transport and traffic professionals a crucial space for swapping information, learning and concerns.
Administratively, the Bothnian Arc Border Committee is responsible for promoting cooperation among the networks involved in the Transport Forum, including facilitating the meetings and providing secretarial services. It also assists in reporting sectoral developments and the outcomes of actions taken by the Transport Forum.
Ultimately, the forum’s objective is to nurture knowledge-sharing among cross-border actors, who can then inform regional and state organisations/decision-makers about local needs or challenges arising from transport systems or traffic connection. In doing so, the forum can feed into the broader Nordic dialogue in this arena, not only highlighting border obstacles but coming up with potential solutions.
As all of the above implies, the Transport Forum’s role in enabling better functioning travel chains and connections means it is of great value to a variety of actors, including decision-makers, residents and those working in tourism-related businesses.
