On 8 April 2020, the Prime Minister’s Office appointed a working group tasked with preparing a plan for Finland’s way out of the COVID-19 crisis and deciding on measures to deal with its aftermath.
With regard to the first task of the mandate, the preparation group will report by 1 May on measures to limit the economic and social damage in the immediate crisis stage and on how to move away from the measures now decided in a timely manner.
With regard to the second task, the preparation group will report by 31 May on the post-crisis measures and how to prepare for their introduction in the various sectors of society.
The preparation group consists of the Permanent Secretaries of the ministries, with Martti Hetemäki from the Ministry of Finance as Chair and Kirsi Varhila from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health as Vice-Chair. The group is supported by a secretariat whose members are appointed by the ministries.
To support the preparation group, a scientific panel will be set up consisting of researchers/experts from different fields of expertise, such as social policy, education policy and economic policy as well as the environmental and climate sciences. The proposal for the experts to be invited to the panel will be prepared by representatives from the scientific community (Universities Finland UNIFI, the Consortium of State Research Institutions Tulanet and the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters). During its work, the preparation group will consult with representatives of the business community, municipalities, civil society organisations and environmental organisations on a broad basis.
A sub-group consisting of representatives from collective organisations (Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK, Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland Akava, Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK, Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, Confederation of Finnish Enterprises and Local Government Employers KT) can submit proposals to the working group on post-crisis reconstruction measures and the preparation for their adoption in the various sectors of society.
Organisation of the preparation group’s work
Chair: Martti Hetemäki, State Secretary (Ministry of Finance), deputy member Juha Majanen, Director of Administrative Governance and Development
Vice-Chair: Kirsi Varhila, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health), deputy member Liisa-Maria Voipio-Pulkki, Strategic Director
Members:
Matti Anttonen, Permanent State Secretary (Ministry for Foreign Affairs)
Pekka Timonen, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Kirsi Pimiä, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of the Interior)
Jukka Juusti, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Anita Lehikoinen, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Education and Culture).
Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)
Harri Pursiainen, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Transport and Communications)
Jari Gustafsson, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment)
Hannele Pokka, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of the Environment)
Timo Lankinen, State Under-Secretary (Prime Minister’s Office)
Secretariat of the preparation group
Pasi Pohjola, Director General (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health)
Janne Jokinen, Counsellor (Ministry for Foreign Affairs)
Harri Martikainen, Director of Strategic Steering and Development (Ministry of the Interior)
Markus Wahlstein, Lieutenant Commander, Staff Officer (Ministry of Defence)
Riina Vuorento, Senior Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Education and Culture)
Taina Vesanto, Head of Unit (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)
Sanna Ruuskanen, Director of Unit (Ministry of Transport and Communications)
Johanna Alatalo, Ministerial Adviser (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment)
Juho Korpi, Director of Development (Ministry of the Environment)
Seppo Määttä, Director General (Prime Minister’s Office)
(The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance will appoint their representatives later)
Members of the sub-group (representatives of collective organisations)
Jarkko Eloranta, Chair, Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK
Sture Fjäder, President, Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland Akava
Antti Palola, President, Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK
Jyri Häkämies, Managing Director, Confederation of Finnish Industries EK
Markku Jalonen, Labour Market Director, Local Government Employers KT
Mikael Pentikäinen, CEO, Federation of Finnish Enterprises
Inquiries: Martti Hetemäki, Chair of the Preparation Group (Ministry of Finance, [email protected], tel. +358 295 530 292) and Kirsi Varhila, Vice-Chair (Ministry of Social Affairs, [email protected], tel. +358 295 163 338)