It is clear that we need European decisions on taxation. National space is small. Our greatest challenges are on one hand balancing regional development of employment and on the other hand reduction of unemployment of elderly people. We must face the truth with respect to regional development in Finland. The structure of our population is very scattered compared with e.g. Sweden and it dates back to a totally different economy dominated by primary production.
New economy is based on information and interaction.
It requests diversity in services. We can help regions of scattered settlement to the future only by accepting these facts. After the decisions of EU structural funds we have more means and more instruments to pursue effective regional policy than for a long time. It requests persistent work. There is no shortcut.