Cross-border dialogue was in focus when North Norway European Office arranged the 7th annual NEEBOR conference, with NEEBOR and the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, in February 2012.

By: Sirin Engen

Representatives from NGOs, local businesses, political parties, the European Commission and also of course from the NEEBOR network were present and informed the participants in Kirkenes, Norway, about their experiences working with cross-border cooperation. 

The Conference was opened on the day of the Sami people from Norway, and John Henrik Mienna performed a sami traditional "joik" in the beginning of the conference. 

Bodil Persson from the European Commission followed the opening joik by presenting the changes that are begin made to the European Neighbbourhood Policy (ENP) and the CBC (Cross-border Cooperation programmes). Persson informed about who will be eligible to apply for funds through this instrument.

Esko Lotvonen from the NEEBOR network spoke about the future activities of the network and gave a short presentation of the network does today. '

Ari Siren from the International Barents Secretariat, Victor Gorbunov from the Murmansk Oblast, Zhanna Guzenko from the Barents Regional Youth Cooperation and Atle Staalesen from the Norwegian Barents Secretariat all spoke on experiences from cross-border cooperation in the Barents region. 

The participants were also given axamples of cross-border cooperation in practice from a local business association that works with like-minded people on the other side if the Norway-Russia border, from Tiina Moisaala from the Regional Council North Karelia, Anna Kireeva from Bellona and Aileen Espiritu from the Barents Institute. Sverre Stub from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about the priorities for the Norwegian chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.