Complaints against Prime Minister Sipilä’s actions in export promotion visit unsubstantiated

According to Deputy Chancellor of Justice Risto Hiekkataipale, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä did not lack impartiality in connection with his export promotion visit to India in February 2016. A company called Chempolis was among the companies that took part in the export promotion delegation. Prime Minister Sipilä’s relations have shares in the company. In connection with the visit, the company announced its negotiations with an Indian company on an investment deal in a biorefinery.

The Deputy Chancellor of Justice found no evidence to support the allegation that Prime Minister Sipilä might have favoured Chempolis or attempted to influence the on-going negotiations between Chempolis and the Indian company. According to the Deputy Chancellor of Justice, The mere fact that Chempolis participated in the visit, during which the Prime Minister discussed the promotion of the bioeconomy, could not have given justified reason for jeopardising faith in the impartiality of the Prime Minister. The promotion of Finnish companies is one of the duties of the ministers of the Finnish Government. In the Deputy Chancellor of Justice’s view, having the Prime Minister abstain from the visit because a company in which his children have a share of around 5% was taking part in the visit would have been a rather far-reaching measure in ensuring that no doubts would be cast by the public on the Prime Minister’s impartiality.

Sipilä did not take part in or wield any influence indirectly on the preparations of the export promotion visit or on the decisions as to which industrial sectors and which companies from these sectors would be participating. Finpro, the ministries and the ministers that organise such visits do not select the companies for the delegation. Instead, any Finnish company that seeks to become more international can participate. The companies themselves decide whether they wish to participate and cover all their own expenses. The invitation for the visit to India was sent to 680 companies.

The complaints also cast doubt on whether Prime Minister Sipilä, in his position as minister responsible for ownership steering, might have exercised influence in favour of Fortum plc investing in Chempolis in autumn 2016. According to the Deputy Chancellor of Justice there was no evidence for such allegations. Fortum made their investment decisions based purely on business grounds.

Inquiries:
Johanna Koivisto, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 2951 62553, email: [email protected]