Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland to strengthen cooperation on clean technologies, advanced mobility, defense, and other strategically significant industries. The agreement builds on an MOU established in 2020 to promote collaboration between Michigan and Finland on clean technology growth and development.
Key Points:
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- The renewed agreement was signed during a visit from the Ambassador of Finland to the United States, Her Excellency Leena-Kaisa Mikkola.
- It expands cooperation across several shared sectors, including mobility innovation, battery technology and energy storage, sustainable forest bioeconomy, and maritime and defense-related industrial collaboration.
- The MOU also recognizes the importance of transatlantic cooperation to address climate change while strengthening economic resilience and securing critical supply chains.
The MOU encourages collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, industry and businesses, leveraging the strengths and assets of each region. Areas of cooperation may include:
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- Sharing, as appropriate, information and experiences on policies and regulations.
- Sharing and developing best practices on creating market opportunities and demand for clean technologies and strategically significant industrial capabilities.
- Facilitating the development of direct contacts and partnerships between relevant public and private sector actors, with the aim of linking the innovation, maritime, defense, and business ecosystems of Finland and Michigan.
- Encouraging and promoting dialogue, networking, and cooperation between companies, research organizations, and relevant defense-related stakeholders through visits, workshops, meetings, and other activities that are mutually beneficial and accepted by both participants.
- Encouraging the participation of researchers and company representatives in partnerships and joint projects within relevant national, regional, and global programs and experiment platforms.
- Establishing other arrangements that allow cooperation in joint activities of mutual interest.
The agreement will remain in effect for five years and may be renewed by mutual decision.
