Finland signs deal on NDPC secretariat establishment

The partner countries of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) have agreed to establish a common secretariat in Riga.

The secretariat, established by an agreement signed on 28 May, will act as administrative and technical support in the implementation of the Partnership on Culture, said an official press release.

The contracting parties are Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Russia.

The NDPC Steering Committee consisting of representatives of the partner countries, currently chaired by Finland, will decide on the financing and operations of the secretariat. The conclusion of the agreement on the secretariat was one of the most important objectives for Finland's chairmanship.

In accordance with the Agreement on the Establishment of the Secretariat of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, the contracting parties will finance the secretariat's operations through annual contributions. Finland's contribution is EUR 20,000 per year.

The NDPC secretariat has functioned since 2014 in conjunction with the Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, but the agreement now signed will consolidate its activities and create favourable conditions for an ever more effective partnership. The secretariat continues to be based in Riga.

The Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture, established in 2010, aims to strengthen cooperation between actors in the creative and cultural industries in the Northern Dimension region, to increase the economic significance of the creative industries, and to strengthen their international competitiveness. The Partnership on Culture also aims to enhance the exchange of information on potential cooperation and financing opportunities and to strengthen the knowledge base on the industries.

The agreement was signed for Finland by Ambassador Olli Kantanen. The agreement was prepared in cooperation with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.