THE INNOVATIVE ACTIONS OF EASTERN FINLAND PROGRAMME (2006-2008) Welfare technology as an instrument of social innovations The programme’s main objective is to create innovations, products and operation models, which are based on users’ and customers’ needs and promote welfare in Eastern Finland, and at the same time generate new business activities and strengthen the position of Eastern Finland as user of and pioneer in the welfare technology. The East Finland Region of Innovative Actions consists of four regions, South Savo, North Savo, North Karelia and Kainuu. The programme focuses clearly on three central priorities: I Achievement of user-based social innovations II Development of welfare related products for international markets III Development of business innovations in welfare technology PILOT PROJECTS IN THE INNOVATIVE ACTIONS PROGRAMME Concrete Actions and budget: Action 7.1. Business innovations in welfare technology and service products                     800 000 € Action 7.2. New e-service applications                                                                                   800 000 € Action 7.3. New solutions of accessibility and independent living                                         800 000 €       Action 7.4. Technology at the service of leisure time, culture and tourism promoting welfare                                                                                                                       800 000 € Action 7.5. Research and identification of good practices                                                         95 000 € Action 7.6. Associated measures: Networking, partnership, international cooperation                                           105 000 €          Action 7.7. Technical Assistance                                                                                               156 250 €                                                    TOTAL   3 556 250 € INNOVATIVE ACTIONS OF THE EU The Innovative actions programme is co-funded by the Regional Development Fund of the European Union. It is being implemented in more than 150 regions in the European Union during the years 2002-2006. Each region has an own programme  adapted to its’ specific characteristics, which will be implemented through the projects to be funded. The innovative actions aim at supplementing the European Structural Fund programmes and thus at increasing differences of the level of development in different regions. The innovative actions enable testing of risk-bearing ideas and practices, which has not been possible in the framework of the traditional structural fund programmes. The innovative actions improve competitiveness, raise the level of technological know-how and create new jobs in the regions concerned. The innovative actions “aim to create a laboratory for experimentation on regional development in Europe, focusing on actions, which are genuinely innovative”.   In Finland the Innovative actions programme is implemented in four regions; in southern, eastern, western and northern Finland. --------------------------- THE FIRST PROGRAMME ”INNOVATIVE ACTIONS OF EASTERN FINLAND” 2002-2004 Reports and and other information material published/produced during the implementation of the programme The first Innovative Actions programme in Eastern Finland ended on the 28th of February 2005. We want to thank those who have contributed to the implementation of the programme.   The programme Innovative actions of Eastern Finland (Modern Networked Periphery MONEP) was implemented 2002-2004 in four regions; Etelä-Savo, Kainuu, North Karelia and Pohjois-Savo. The strategic subject of the Innovative actions of Eastern Finland programme (Modern Networked Periphery) was eEuropeRegio, the information society at the service of regional development. The regional programme of eastern Finland was implemented in 2002-2004 through separate actions (pilot projects). Budget The programme’s cost total 3 749 980 EUR, of which the share of funding granted by the European Commission is 80 %, i.e. approximately 3 million EUR (ERDF), the share of national funding (Ministry of the Interior/Regional Council of North Karelia) approximately 281 000 EUR, of other public funding (applicants) approximately 94 000 EUR and of private funding approximately 550 000 EUR. The Regional Council of North Karelia was the managing and paying authority of the Innovative actions of Eastern Finland. Two action lines The Innovative actions of Eastern Finland was divided into two main lines of action, ”Natural resource based economy in information society” and ”Developing information networks of social and health care”. The first line searched for innovations between the region’s natural resource based production, its’ associated industries and surrounding communities. The second line of action aimed at innovations in the networked operation environment of social and health care. Both lines of action have in common the information society and welfare of citizens as well as related business innovations maintaining competitiveness. Programme organisation A steering committee included representatives of the Regional Councils of eastern Finland, Ministry of the Interior, Provincial State Offices of eastern Finland and of Oulu, Employment and Economic Development Centres and SITRA. Executive director Pentti Hyttinen from the Regional Council of North Karelia was the chairman and development manager Juhani Kärkkäinen from the Regional Council of Kainuu the vice-chairman of the steering committee. The committee was responsible for realisation, execution and monitoring of the programme contents. The programme was evaluated through the research contribution following its’ pilots, which ensured continuous follow-up of the programme contents. For the execution of the programme, the Regional Council of North Karelia has set up a project organisation including a programme co-ordinator and a planner. The project organisation was responsible for example for managing, reporting, launching of projects, co-operation between actors, exchange of experiences and follow-up of the programme. Implementation The Modern Networked Periphery programme was implemented in practice through twelve separate pilot projects. The pilot project application round was organised 2002 and it resulted in a total of 48 actual and idea applications. In addition, another application round was organised in April 2003 which was allocated for the development organisations in eastern Finland and it resulted four applications. All these twelve pilot projects implemented by the middle of 2004.