The South-East Leveraging Livelihood project creates practical conditions for the Kymenlaakso programme 2014-2017, South-East Leveraging Livelihood for growth — South-East growth programme 2013-2017 and Kaako direction — to implement the objectives of the development picture 2040 of the Kotka-Hamina region. The project will identify the region’s strategically significant development needs and investment potential and contribute to the realisation of these sites by improving the region’s planned readiness. The focus is on sustainability, eco-efficiency and low carbon in such a way that the region’s development targets and investment opportunities are considered as a whole at the regional level, aligning operations in the best possible way with each other and pointing out the most suitable locations for the different activities. The final result of the project will be to identify the key industries identified during the project and other important activities that increase the attractiveness of the region. Another key outcome of the project is the investment and development portfolio, which will be used in the region’s sales work both nationally and internationally. The project is implemented by Cursor (administrator) in cooperation with the municipalities of the Kotka-Hamina region and the Kymenlaakso Association. Extensive dialogue and active participation of companies, public authorities and other organisations, associations and residents of the region are a necessary prerequisite for achieving the objectives set for the project. The project will contribute to the long-term implementation of the horizontal principles of the funding programme (gender equality, equality and sustainable development). A number of impact assessments are carried out at different stages of the project, including environmental, social, social and cultural impacts.