Cooperation group to coordinate development of Government’s security of supply operations

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment appointed a new cooperation group to support the Ministry in coordinating the development and preparedness measures on security of supply at the Government level. The term of group is from Oktober 1 2021 to 30 September 2024.

Director-General Antti Neimala and Head of Division Eeva Vahtera from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment were appointed chair and deputy chair of the cooperation group, respectively. 

Several evaluations on the security of supply operations have been carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. The appointment of the cooperation group partly responds to the recommendations and proposals presented in these assessments.

A group evaluating the operation of the National Emergency Supply Agency in spring 2021 recommended that cooperation between the different Government-level operators be developed.  At that time, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment stated that implementing the recommendation would further enhance the Government’s joint preparedness, development of security of supply and coordination of preparedness measures. 

According to the Act on the Protection of National Emergency Supply, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for the overall development of security of supply and the coordination of preparedness measures. The ministries develop security of supply in their administrative branches. The new cross-administrative cooperation group on security of supply will support this coordination task.

The tasks of the cooperation group include promoting the flow of information at the government level and coordinating issues in matters related to security of supply, participating in the mid-term review and update of the Government’s decision on the objectives of security of supply, and evaluating the need to develop legislation on security of supply in the short and long term. 

In addition to Neimala and Vahtera, the other members of the group are Antti Ellonen, Head of Preparedness (Ministry of Transport and Communications); Riitta Ukkonen, Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry); Niina Puolusmäki, Chief Specialist (Ministry of Justice); Juho-Antti Jantunen, Senior Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Education and Culture); Tarja Jaakkola, Head of Unit (Ministry of Defence); Merja Rapeli, Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health); Timo Saastamoinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Finance); Jyrki Pohjolainen, Senior Advisor (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment); Sampo Kemppainen, Chief Specialist (Prime Minister's Office); Leena Gardemeister, Deputy Director General (Ministry for Foreign Affairs) and Kirsi Martinkauppi, Senior Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of the Environment). Each member has a deputy from their own organisation.

The expert members of the group are Rain Mutka, Administrative Director at National Emergency Supply Agency; Miikka Salonen, Head of Situation Awareness at National Cyber Security Centre; Pietari Pentinsaari, Director at Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom; and Petri Toivonen, Secretary General of the Security Committee.

Inquiries:
Antti Neimala, Director-General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 7039 
Henri Backman, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 3581