County Councils from Norway, Sweden and Finland being the members of the 25 year old Mid Nordic Committee (MNC)-covering the Mid Nordic Region (MNR)-are facing great challenges such as an ongoing decrease of the population and a tendency towards centralization of the whole society. The cities in the MNR have difficulties in balancing the increasing impact from the big cities. The population density is low compared to the central and southern parts of the three countries, and extremely low compared to that of the other EU countries. Subsequently there are grave consequences with high costs for public and private service, for the transport of people and goods and for small business to get access to the commercial markets. Traditional industry and farming do not create new jobs like they used to. The low population density does not favour the creation of new business. Communications tend to follow a north-south axis, aiming at the capitals. All this will lay the basis of a common agenda.The MNR has a several thousand-year-old cultural tradition of communicating along an east-west axis. In addition there is a rich cultural heritage. Also MNR holds great natural resources. The living conditions are of highest quality with access to great nature and a rich culture. One way of balancing the negative trends is to develop the advantages and make them more visible, both for the inhabitants in MNR and for the people in the BSR and EU. With a stronger identity and a higher self-esteem, MNR can more actively take part in the challenges for the northern part of EU as well as the efforts to promote sustainable development. The MNR attractive force must be increased, which can also be done by developing a joint strategy in a MNR common perspective, applying the intersectorial comprehensive view that characterizes "spatial development".The top goal of the project is to develop and market the MNR potential, based on natural resources and environmental qualities. The type of measures, being based on the earlier analyses of MNR's strengths and weak points, will be 1) strengthening the transnational co-operation within MNR, politically and through co-operation between regional centres, universities and science parks 2) strengthening the knowledge and the ability to compete within the environmental sphere 3) develop MNR's natural resources for sustainable energy production 4) engage young people to improve the conditions for future development 5) use culture to strengthen the identity.Together these activities will contribute to a sustainable development thus also strengthening BSR and EU.Transports being important will be developed in co-operation with the NECLA.The main focus in ProMidNord project (PMN) is to make the Mid Nordic Region (MNR) an eco-sustainable, effective and competitive region that can appear in a European and BSR context as a strong actor. The political process for preparing a common strategy for the Mid Nordic co-operation is working through the use of the Spatial Development concept being based on the strategies of the sub regions and the municipalities. The discussions on MNRSTRAT, a common development strategy approved by the MidNordic Committee has shown a lot of similarities in the regional development situation and laid a foundation for concrete future cooperation, a better understanding. ProMidNord has strengthened the regional cooperation on development issues between the regions. Innovative Eco-business, bioenergy, infrastructure, cultural tourism and digital media is important. The city network SÖT have developed a common strategy on how to strengthen the regional capital as an engine for regional development. A wider cooperation network, URBNET, with all regional capitals, has been started. See final report Work with a development strategy for the Mid Nordic Macro Region 2004-2007 www.promidnord.net. Achievements: There is now an increased cooperation and marketing between enterprises of environmental technology, increased eco- and energy-efficiency in tourism and industry, through developing networks and strategies within the concept of sustainable development in the MNR. See Improving the Eco-competitiveness in the Mid Nordic Region. Final report of WP 2 www.promidnord.net . Lots of efforts are being implemented in order to increase and promote MNR as a 100% fossil fuel free Region. The reports, "Sustainable development in the Mid Nordic regional capitals - reporting and measuring the state of the environment" and ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION - Best practices in Green Traffic, are presented at the official website of PMN : www.promidnord.net. Creating an increased understanding of the cultural identity and the political involvement of the youth in the MNR, through events such as school class exchange. A group of young people, consisting of two young members from each participating region form together a network of young people with a political/ social commitment and a good knowledge of the Mid Nordic region. The group members have been responsible for preparing and hosting an event for young people from the Mid Nordic region in their own country, focusing on democracy and self esteem (Sweden), environmental issues (Finland) and entrepreneurship (Norway). Altogether more than 250 young people participated in these events. The young members of the network have established a knowledge and an identity to the region. They want other young people in the region to get the same opportunity as thePMN project have give them, and they want to make use of their network and their experience to help realize this. Summary Report Youth, Regional Development and Democracy www.promidnord.net The strategic focus in Culture and cultural heritage as a means for sustainable development has been presenting a broad cultural variety to strengthen the identity and convey the values. The Mid Nordic Artist Forum, Graphic Design and Art, Graphic Design in Focus, The Nordic Green Theatre, Meeting place for artists and Meeting place for artists are activities which in a successful way did meet the public and professionals. In the exhibition MidNordicDays artists showed their thoughts on sustainability .The proposed new Mid Nordic Development Council which hopefully will be founded and organise and finance an institution building effort for continuing transnational regional development cooperation/EGTC.. MNR will in 2020 be known as a creative and eco-aware region, attractive worldwide, with a tolerant population, with a nice climate and a driving political leadership.