Amendments to the conciliation system to enter into force on 1 January 2025

On 19 December 2024, the President of the Republic approved the amendments to the legislation concerning the conciliation system. The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2025.

The development of the conciliation system is one of the Government’s labour market reforms. It will strengthen the consideration of the overall benefit of the national economy and the functioning of wage formation in the conciliation procedure.

The legislative amendments will affect the work of the National Conciliator, conciliators and conciliation boards. The social partners will still be able to conclude agreements with each other as before.

Mediation principles to be laid down in law and to apply to conciliation boards

In order to safeguard the overall benefit of the national economy, the conciliator must act in the conciliation work in a way that does not jeopardise the functioning of the labour market while ensuring that the wage formation process operates as well as possible. 

The reform will harmonise the practices of conciliation boards set up for a specific conciliation task. When submitting a conciliation proposal, the conciliation board should consider aspects related to the overall benefit of the national economy as well as the functioning of wage formation and the labour market. Going forward, a conciliation board would be chaired by the National Conciliator or a conciliator appointed by the National Conciliator.

The Government submitted its proposal on legislative amendments to Parliament on 3 October 2024. Parliament made minor technical changes to the act. The legislative amendments entering into force at the beginning of 2025 closely correspond with the Government proposal.

Inquiries:
Jaakko Aromaa, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 110
Katariina Jämsén, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 143