The Regional Council of Southwest Finland strives to be an internationally visible actor. Southwest Finland creates and supports co-operations, lobbying, regional development and projects and programmes.

Baltic Sea co-operation
The emphasis ininternational activity is on the Baltic sphere. At the moment, Southwest Finland participates in the following joint organizations concerning the Baltic Sea: Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and its Baltic Sea Commission, Committee of the Regions (CoR), Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC) and th European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN).

Regional co-operation
Southwest Finland has bilateral co-operation with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany), Northwest Russia, Odessa (Hungary), Sichuan (China) and Finistère (France). Without contracts the co-operation is even broader, traditionally with Sweden and Estonia.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Finistère

Central Baltic and the Archipelago co-operation
An essential part of Southwest Finland's international co-operation is the Central Baltic Interreg IV A archipelago-subproject. Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and the Åland Islands are also parts in the project www.centralbaltic.eu. The Council administers also the Archipelago co-operation of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Office in Brussels
Southwest Finland European office is a European Liaison Office representing the city of Turku, the Regional Council of Southwest Finland, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University. Krista Taipale is the head of the office.

Co-operation with Russia
The co-operation with Russia, and especially with Saint Petersburg, will be strengthened. The council has a part in the new Turku-office in Saint Petersburg's Finland-house along with the city of Turku and the universities. The aim is to strengthen the co-operation.