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SUSTAINABLE GROW TH IN VÄRML AND 1Sustainable growth in VärmlandNational Commission for Regional EmpowermentSustainable Growth in Värmland is the Regional Growth Programme (RGP) for Värmland.The programme is valid from 2004 to 2007.The initiative to create a regional growth plan for each county came from the government,which has also drawn up general guidelines for the project. The initiative is, in turn, basedon the Swedish Parliamentʼs document on new regional development policiesThe point of departure for our work in Värmland has been the realisation that we havemajor challenges ahead of us and need to make the best of our present situation and theassets we have in the county. If we succeed, then Värmland will make a positive contributionto the overall situation in Sweden. A prerequisite for success is that additional investmentbe made in the form of infrastructure and other basic resources required for growth, suchas Karlstad University.The regional growth programme covers a broad area and is a strategic document presentingwhat in our view are important pre-requisites for “Sustainable Growth in Värmland”.The programme is broader than other programmes, such as the EU Structural fundprogrammes and is an umbrella under which most our efforts are collected.Widespread SupportThe formal mandate to set up a regional growth programme was given to the County AdministrativeBoard. In practice, the work has been carried out in close co-operation with RegionVärmland which has been equally responsible for the creation of the programme.Work on the regional growth programme was initiated during the annual VärmlandConvention (a broad partnership meeting for an open dialogue) 1–2 October 2002. TheConvention confirmed the importance of widespread support for the programme.For this reason, more than 100 people from more than 70 different organisations participatedin the main programme. In addition, extensive information was distributed andparticipation encouraged from different groups and networks.The county presented a programme proposal to the government on 1 October 2002.On 18 December 2003, the government gave its approval.Following approval, work on a plan of action involving five workings groups (see below)was commenced. The main goal of the action plan was to specify and clarify the aims ofthe programme. The groups were encouraged to initiate broad dialogues during their workand altogether nearly 200 people have been more or less involved.The annual Värmland Convention on 30 March 2004 was used to further secure broadsupport for the programme.Great efforts have been made to ensure the equal participation of men and women inthe various working groups and to encourage the participation of people from all parts ofthe county as well as people with diverse competencies.Both the County Administrative Board and Region Värmland have approved the programme.