This publication was produced in the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director, as part of the programme of work of the Regional Development Policy Committee (RDPC).
The report has been conducted in close collaboration with the Municipal Government of Outokumpu, the regional agency Business Joensuu and the North Karelian Regional Council. Special thanks are due to Ilkka Nykänen, Senior Adviser for Business Joensuu, for his support throughout the process. The Secretariat is also grateful to the local review team: Juuso Hieta (Outokumpu Industrial Park) and Raimo Turunen (North Karelian Regional Council).
The OECD team elaborating the report include Chris McDonald, report co-ordinator, with the support of Andres Sanabria, under the supervision of Jose Enrique Garcilazo, Head of the Regional and Rural Policy Unit in the Regional Development and Tourism Division led by Alain Dupeyras. Laura-Sofia Springare drafted Chapter 1 and Andres Sanabria Chapters 2 and 3. The review benefitted from comments by other OECD colleagues, including Enrique Garcilazo (CFE), Ana Moreno-Monroy (CFE), Anna Bolengo (CFE) and Pilar Phillip (CFE), who led the publication process.
Special thanks are due to Jonas Lundström (Region Vasterbotten, Sweden) who provided valuable input and comments and accompanied the team in the development of the review. The OECD is also grateful for the involvement and hospitality of Maija Uusisuo (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment), Risto Poutiainen (Mayor of North Karelia), Harri Palviainen (CEO, Business Joensuu), Pekka Suomela (Finnish Mining Association), representatives from North Karelia and the Municipal Government of Outokumpu, including Merja Marin and Päivi Lintumäki, as well as business and civil society representatives met in the context of this review.