The Häme region’s significant role in strengthening Europe’s defence and security — particularly through the DEFINE defence innovation ecosystem coordinated by the City of Riihimäki — received praise in Brussels.
During a series of meetings, representatives of the Häme Region and the DEFINE project met with Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defence and Security, Finland’s NATO Ambassador Piritta Asunmaa, and MEP Pekka Toveri, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence. Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR Group and councillor of Hameenlinna joined the delegation.
“The European Commission is highly impressed by Häme region’s strong expertise in defence and security. The innovative and ecosystem-based approach of the DEFINE project serves as a model for all of Europe,” said Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, underlining the region’s strategic importance in building a robust European defence architecture.
These discussions aimed to present Häme’s broad capabilities in defence and security, to showcase the DEFINE ecosystem, and to position the region as a key contributor to the rapidly evolving European and NATO defence industry.
“The DEFINE ecosystem was first in Finland — and probably the first in the EU — to use cohesion funds to build up a regional defence ecosystem. This is really an opportunity to combine different EU goals: enhancing competitiveness, growth, innovation, and the defence industry,” highlighted Sari Rautio, member of the City Council of Hämeenlinna and President of the EPP-CoR Group.
With the European Union, its member states, and NATO significantly increasing investments in defence, Häme is well placed to leverage EU funding, attract business and investment, and promote the development of dual-use technologies through research and innovation.
In addition to the high-level meetings, a seminar was held for EU stakeholders to present the national and international work of the DEFINE project and showcase Häme’s defence expertise. The event featured contributions from the European Commission, European Parliament, Spain’s Murcia region, defence companies, and other key industry stakeholders.
This aligns with the opinion of Fernando López Miras, President of the Murcia region and rapporteur in the European Committee of the Regions, who has stressed that local and regional authorities are indispensable in strengthening Europe’s security and resilience. His recent CoR opinion advocates for stronger coordination between EU institutions and regions to build a comprehensive European defence ecosystem.
The Brussels event, which drew strong interest from EU officials, investors, defence companies, and active regions, was organised by the Häme EU Office.