Varsinais-Suomi is an active European actor building connections in the Baltic Sea region and the EU. International cooperation strengthens the region’s position as part of European transport networks, research and innovation partnerships, and regional development work.
The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi promotes the region’s interests in the Baltic Sea area and the European Union. International partnerships bring new opportunities to the region, strengthen industries, and help address common development challenges such as transport connections, climate change, and the state of marine areas.
The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi and the City of Turku share a joint advocacy office in Brussels. The Europe Office is responsible for bringing Varsinais-Suomi’s perspectives to EU decision-making, monitoring current policy initiatives, and supporting regional actors in international cooperation and funding applications.
The region’s international role is also strengthened by European networks. The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi is a full member of the Scandria Alliance network, which operates on the Scandinavian–Mediterranean Corridor of the European TEN-T transport network. Through the network, the Council can influence the development of sustainable accessibility and green logistics, as well as the region’s key transport connections as part of European transport networks.
The Regional Council of Varsinais-Suomi is also a member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions CPMR, through which the region’s distinctive features are highlighted, EU policy is influenced, and partners are sought for joint projects. We participate particularly actively in the organization’s Baltic Sea Commission and its working groups. Talvikki Jori from Varsinais-Suomi was elected Chair of the Baltic Sea Commission in autumn 2025.
An important part of international cooperation is the development of our archipelago. Archipelago cooperation brings together the archipelago areas of Varsinais-Suomi and Uusimaa, the archipelago municipalities of Åland, and the archipelago parts of Stockholm and Uppsala counties, as well as the archipelago areas of Södermanland and Östergötland. The aim of the cooperation is to strengthen the vitality, services, and accessibility of the archipelagos and ensure that the Baltic Sea archipelagos develop in a balanced and sustainable manner.
