Finland and Uruguay to collaborate on the bioeconomy and circular economy
Finland and Uruguay have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the bioeconomy and circular economy in Helsinki on 13 February.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Minister of Agriculture and the Environment of Finland Kimmo Tiilikainen and, for Uruguay, the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Tabaré Aguerre, Minister of Industries, Energy and Mining Carolina Cosse, and Minister of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment Eneida de León. The signing event was on the agenda of the visit to Finland of the President of Uruguay Tabaré Vázquez.
For Finland the cooperation with Uruguay may offer increased opportunities for the export of machinery and equipment, consultation tasks and various kinds of research projects. We also aim for new cooperation arrangements between companies.
The topics in the Memorandum of Understanding include the development of the use of biomass into energy and biomaterials and mechanical wood processing industry, promoting sustainable use natural resources and biodiversity, and water protection and monitoring. The key issues also include promoting wood construction and developing logistics for the management of forest biomass. In Finland the Memorandum of Understanding was prepared in cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Natural Resources Institute Finland, and Finnish Environment Institute.
The ministries responsible for forest issues in Finland and Uruguay have worked on the idea of collaborating in the forest and bioeconomy sectors since last summer, when President Sauli Niinistö visited Uruguay. Thanks to various industrial and environmental projects, Finnish water protection work and research have a very good reputation in Uruguay, where our environmental administration has supported the operations of Finnish companies. For example, in 2005–2008 the Finnish Environment Institute assisted the local authorities in improving their capacity for monitoring the emissions from the Fray Bentos pulp mill.
Inquiries:
Aulikki Kauppila, Counsellor, Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, tel. +358 50 5629 017
Ismo Tiainen, Director of Administration and International Affair, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 40 5047 494
