The project was intended to equip the internationalising Kuusamo border crossing point and the associated Kortesalmi border guard station infrastructure with appropriate and suffi cient border inspection equipment and devices as well as a backup power source. For the border guard station, the monitoring facilities necessary for border control and inspections were to be repaired, a helicopter landing area equipped with refuelling facilities built, and the existing living quarters (which were in poor condition) remodelled and converted into social and joint accommodation facilities. 50 percent of the project funding was received from the European Regional Development fund and 50 percent from the Finnish Border Guard. Achievements: The guard station remodeling was completed and the monitoring facilities were built and taken into use on Sept 29, 2004. The helicopter landing area was completed and opened for use from 31.1.2005. The remodelling and renovation work on accommodation building 5 was completed on schedule. The heat insulation of the buildings was improved and the air ventilation systems were replaced with energy-effi cient ones. The surface structure was renewed, which increased the useful life of the buildings as well as their value. There was not enough funding to renovate building 6; therefore, a separate project application was created for that purpose.