Finland received EUR 22.4 million in EU funding for digital projects

The European Commission provided funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). Finnish companies applied for funding for six projects that were included in the second CEF Digital round of applications. Four of them received a total of EUR 22.4 million in funding.

The CEF Digital Committee of the Connecting Europe Facility decided, on 16 October 2023, to provide funding for projects to improve the digital infrastructure of the European Union. The European Commission granted a total of EUR 260 million in funding.

- Thanks to the high-quality applications, Finland was successful in applying for funding. The projects will improve and secure network connections and promote Finnish innovations, says Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

Funding for four Finnish projects

A maximum of EUR 19.32 million was granted to the Far North Fiber project coordinated by Cinia Oy. The project aims to significantly safeguard existing global land and sea cable connections. Far North Fiber is the first long-distance undersea cable system to connect Asia to North America, Europe and Scandinavia via the Northwest Passage.

Elisa Corporation's Elisa Backbone project was granted a maximum of EUR 1.79 million. The project will expand the optical fibre network in the northeast Lapland in Finland.

The Baltic Ring project was granted a maximum funding of EUR 1.74 million. The project will develop a new fibre-based core network that connects Sweden and Finland through the Baltic States to other parts of Europe. The project is coordinated by Arelion Sweden AB and involves the Finnish company Telia Carrier Finland Oy.

In addition, a maximum of EUR 1.55 million was granted for a project to implement healthcare-related wearable augmented reality and virtual reality-based products and services. Coordinated by Edzcom Oy, the Finnish project involves WICOAR Technologies Oy, the University of Oulu and the University Hospital of Oulu.

What next?

The third CEF Digital call for applications was launched in October 2023, and the national deadline for applications is 9 January 2024. 

Inquiries:

Sofia Lindbäck, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 342 165, sofia.lindback(at)gov.fi, 

Lauri Mustonen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 342 252, lauri.mustonen(at)gov.fi