THE north should pitch for part of a €315 billion (£223bn) European fund to deliver infrastructure projects.
European Commission vice-president Jyrki Katainen is at Stormont to discuss strategic investment opportunities for Northern Ireland.
He met finance minister Arlene Foster and local business leaders to discuss the proposed Northern Ireland Investment Fund.
Following the meeting, Mrs Foster said: "I welcome this opportunity to discuss the NI Investment Fund and our plans to boost infrastructure investment in Northern Ireland. I will be doing what I can to ensure that Northern Ireland makes the most of opportunities presented by the Investment Plan for Europe."
Discussions centred on how the north might benefit from the Investment Plan for Europe and in particular the €315bn European Fund for Strategic Investment.
The finance minister also discussed with the vice president proposals for a Northern Ireland Investment Fund.
In relation to the potential benefits for the north, Mrs Foster said: "The European Fund for Strategic Investment represents a potential new source of affordable finance for private sector infrastructure projects across a wide range of sectors.
"The objectives of the fund in terms of boosting infrastructure investment are consistent with the planned Northern Ireland Investment Fund.
"I have had very useful discussions today with the vice president on how the two funds may interact going forward."
The Investment Plan for Europe is also focused on reducing red tape that can act as a barrier to investment.
In relation to this aspect, Mrs Foster said: "This is an important aspect of this investment plan that will help to boost investment activity across Europe, which should also benefit local businesses."