OREANDA-NEWS. December 20, 2011. Supporting the livelihood of more isolated locations, away from the major urban centers of Tallinn and Tartu, Enterprise Estonia is helping to launch four regional competency centers.

The economic development agency set aside 12.5 million euros in funding, to be divvied up evenly, to open a timber processing and furniture production research center in Vaimela, a small rural settlement in densely forested southern Estonia; a health and rehabilitation research center in coastal Haapsalu, traditionally known as health retreat; an oil shale research center in Kohtla-Jarve, eastern Estonia's energy production hub; and another, focusing on intelligent home engineering, in Rakvere.

Three additional applications were submitted, but were turned down. The competency centers are supported by the EU's Regional Development Fund.