ABSTRACT
When Finland and Sweden joined the Union, Objective 6 was introduced as a new regional policy instrument to enhance development in areas with extremely low population density. The new Objective follows the same regulation as Objective 1 but is defined differently. The special features of the Objective 6 areas in Finland and Sweden are harsh climate, extremely low population density, peripheral location, long distances and small domestic markets for goods and services. In these respects, the conditions for regional development differ significantly from those in traditional Objective 1 or 5b areas.
