Johannes Sundelin, Vice President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) for Clean Industry, Transportation, Transition, Sustainability and Health, took part in EU Megaregions Day on 13 October 2026 to advocate for stronger cross-border cooperation as a key enabler of Europe’s green industrial transition. Representing the AER and the northern European Arctic regions, he highlighted how territorial cooperation can help address some of the most pressing challenges linked to industrial transformation.
As part of the event, Johannes Sundelin met with European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, responsible for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. During the discussions, he underlined the strategic role of Europe’s northern and cross-border regions in strengthening the EU’s resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
A central message from Sundelin was that Europe’s green transition requires policies that support cross-border labour markets, skills development, housing, transport and public services. In the northern regions of Sweden, Finland and Norway, closer cooperation offers significant opportunities to improve labour mobility, match skills with emerging industrial needs, and enable people to live in one country while working in another.
Norrbotten serves as a practical example of these opportunities. The region is attracting major investments in fossil-free steel production, critical raw materials, renewable energy, space technologies and other future-oriented industries. However, the success of these investments depends not only on industrial capacity but also on the ability of regions and countries to work together across borders to address common challenges.
“The green transition requires more than industrial investments. We must also invest in people, skills and attractive communities. Cross-border cooperation is essential to ensure that Europe’s industrial transformation benefits both regions and citizens,” said Johannes Sundelin, Vice President of the AER.
During EU Megaregions Day, Sundelin stressed that Europe’s Arctic regions represent a strategic asset for the European Union through their access to critical raw materials, fossil-free energy, forest resources and advanced space infrastructure. He also advocated for stronger recognition of cross-border regions in European industrial, cohesion and competitiveness policies, arguing that territorial cooperation is essential for delivering the green and digital transitions while strengthening Europe’s long-term resilience and competitiveness.
Through his participation, Johannes Sundelin reaffirmed the AER’s call for a stronger European focus on cross-border solutions, emphasising that successful industrial transformation depends on connecting regions, labour markets and people across national borders.
