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National strategic choices for research, development and innovation policy and activities The Multiannual Plan for the Use of Government Research and Development Funding states that Finland’s future success will be built on strategic choices in re...

27.8.2026 | On 27 August 2026, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Hanken School of Economics published the final report of the co-research project Critical Functions of Finnish Society and Future Trends that sought to update and strengthen the understanding of which functions are critical to Finnish society. The information needs of the research were determined by the Ministry of Defence.

10.3.2026 | The Research and Innovation Council has launched a stakeholder survey on the implementation of the national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities. The survey will be open until Wednesday 29 April 2026. The main target group for the survey consists of key organisations for implementing the choices and putting them to use, including public and private RDI financiers, research organisations, businesses and branches of government, regional actors and other stakeholders.

21.5.2026 | In its meeting on Wednesday 20 May, the parliamentary research, development and innovation (RDI) monitoring group discussed the role of RDI in the renewal of the public sector. The monitoring group received briefings from experts from the Defence Forces, wellbeing services counties and the healthcare sector.

8.6.2026 | According to the Research and Innovation Council, increasing global competition means that Finland should make more determined efforts to stay at the forefront of research and innovation. In addition to increasing funding for research and development (R&D), Finland should continue to develop the R&D environment and support the uptake of innovations on a broad front. At the end of May, the Council ...

4.2.2026 | The Research and Innovation Council has kicked off the implementation of the national strategic choices for research, development and innovation (RDI) policy and activities by inviting key actors to take part in a joint discussion. The stakeholder event on Wednesday 4 February brought together business leaders, researchers, representatives of higher education institutions and research institutes ...

16.3.2026 | In its meeting on Wednesday 11 March, the parliamentary research, development and innovation (RDI) monitoring group discussed the use of additional central government funding for research and development (R&D). Representatives of the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities UNIFI, the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene and the Consortium of State Research Institutions Tulanet attended the meeting to share their views.

9.1.2026 | The Research and Innovation Council has outlined five national strategic choices for research, development and innovation (RDI) policy and activities with a view to boosting sustainable growth and promoting economic and societal renewal while strengthening comprehensive security. The Research and Innovation Council published a report on the strategic choices on 9 January.

6.2.2025 | The Research and Innovation Council is identifying national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities before the Government’s mid-term policy review in April. As part of the preparations, the Council will hold a consultation round from 26 February to 10 March and an open stakeholder event on 28 February 2025. In the earlier stages of the process, stakeholders emphasised the need to take a long-t...

18.6.2025 | The Strategic Research Council (SRC) has decided the strategic research themes it proposes to the Finnish Government for 2026. Mikael Fogelholm, Chair of the SRC, submitted the proposal to State Secretary Risto Artjoki on 18 June 2025 at the Government Palace.

28.5.2026 | The EU ministers responsible for competitiveness meet in Brussels on 28–29 May 2026. Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto (internal market and industrial policy) and State Secretary Kristiina Kokko (research and space) represent Finland at the meeting.

19.9.2024 | In its plenary session on Thursday 19 September, the Government decided on the themes and focus of strategic research for 2025. The two chosen themes are: 1) Economy and welfare in an era of strategic competition, and 2) Skills, labour supply and migration in future Finland. In addition, the Government outlined that artificial intelligence should be taken into account in connection with the theme for 2025.

28.12.2023 | In its plenary session on Thursday 28 December, the Government decided on the main themes for strategic research in 2024. In line with the decision, the themes will be ‘Water as an element of wellbeing, security and peace’ and ‘The future of democracy’.

18.9.2025 | At its meeting on 16 September, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo lead the Research and Innovation Council in discussions on the implementation of national policies for the use of R&D funding. The Research and Innovation Council was briefed by the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland as well as two organisations that are implementing significant national R&D projects.

9.10.2024 | The Research and Innovation Council will launch a two-stage inclusive and open process to identify strategic choices this autumn.

11.6.2024 | The Strategic Research Council (SRC) has decided on the research themes it will propose to the Government for 2025. Chair of the Strategic Research Council Anu Kaukovirta submitted the proposal to State Secretary Risto Artjoki on 11 June 2024 at the Government Palace.

3.6.2026 | In their declaration, the European ministers responsible for forests committed to strengthening the role of sustainable forest management in safeguarding the future of Europe’s forests amid rapidly changing environmental, economic, social and geopolitical conditions. In addition, at their meeting in Stockholm on 2–3 June 2026, the ministers reaffirmed their support for the recovery and sustainable management of Ukraine’s forests and the rebuilding of its forest sector.

12.2.2026 | Finland is well on the path towards achieving the nationally set target for research and development (R&D) activities, but the coming years will be highly challenging. This is the conclusion of the Monitoring and Evaluation Report on Government R&D Funding. The report also shows that global competition in innovation keeps getting stronger. In international comparison there is nothing exceptional about Finland’s R&D investments, but they are an absolute necessity to succeed in global competition.

26.2.2025 | The Research and Innovation Council requests comments on the strategic choices for RDI policy and activities to be submitted between 26 February and 10 March. The preparation group of the Research and Innovation Council decided on the proposals for choices to be circulated for comments at its meeting on 25 February.

1.4.2026 | The For Forest Group+ of forested EU countries has again grown stronger as Germany joined the group at the meeting held in Sweden on 31 March–1 April. The topics discussed by the ministers included the EU Deforestation and LULUCF Regulations, the Birds Directive, and the development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

29.8.2024 | Assessments will be conducted to examine the impact of the measures under the CAP Strategic Plan and make sure that public funds are used cost-effectively. The information produced by the assessments will be needed to guide the implementation of the CAP Plan and, in particular, to support the planning of the next financing period of the Common Agricultural Policy.

27.9.2022 | The Strategic Research Council's (SRC) funding instrument for strategic research has offered diverse opportunities for organising research on social policy, developing society's functions and solving major challenges. This is according to a new evaluation report published on 27 September, which examined whether strategic research has achieved its objectives. The evaluation focused on a seven-year period between 2014 and 2020.

6.6.2025 | In its meeting on 6 June 2025, the Research and Innovation Council chaired by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo adopted a plan for monitoring and assessing the use and effectiveness of central government research and development funding. The new monitoring and assessment plan covers both the additional funding under the Act on Research and Development Funding and state R&D funding as a whole. The assessm...

14.5.2024 | Finnish Defence Forces' research programme 2025 to begin Ministry of Defence Publication date 14.5.2024 9.00 Type: Press release Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen has authorised the Defence Forces Logistics Command to conclude contracts regarding...

23.9.2021 | In its plenary session on Thursday 23 September, the Government decided on the thematic areas and priorities for strategic research in 2022. The thematic areas are: Children and young people – flourishing future actors and Security and trust in an era of algorithms. The Government also adopted equity as the cross-cutting priority of both themes for 2022.

4.9.2025 | For Forest + is a group that promotes the interests of the forested Member States in the EU. Now Italy and Latvia are also members, besides Austria, Finland, France, Slovenia and Sweden. The For Forest Group + held the first meeting in its new composition in Slovenia on 28–30 August 2025.

27.8.2025 | The Canadian province of Québec and Finland are deepening their collaboration in the forest sector. They have signed a declaration of intent to improve the conditions for commercial and research collaboration in forestry and bioeconomy.

EU-wide Foresight Network One of the European Commission’s objectives is to develop foresight work in the EU. The Commission aims to integrate strategic foresight into policymaking and to create the conditions for EU policies that are prepared and...

4.9.2026 | Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will appoint a working group of Finnish and international experts to examine the foreign and security policy implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for Finland. The working group will submit its report by the end of November.

Finnish Government Government is a concept with several meanings. It usually refers to the Government of Finland composed of the Prime Minister and the other ministers. The Government has 12 ministries and usually around 20 ministers . The Governm...

Government Report on the Future Each electoral term, the Government submits to Parliament a Report on the Future, which aims to identify issues that will be important for decision-making and require particular attention in the future. The report a...

16.12.2021 | At its session on 16 December, the Government approved the proposal for Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The CAP Strategic Plan under the common agricultural policy of the EU specifies the agricultural support and rural development measures to be implemented in Finland in 2023–2027 and the conditions applicable to the measures included these support schemes.

3.3.2023 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met today in Helsinki. In their meeting, discussions focused on measures to strengthen the EU’s strategic economy and other major issues in EU policy, the war in Ukraine, and Finland’s deepening allyship as the country becomes a member of NATO.

25.11.2024 | The roadmap of the Natural Resources Institute Finland presents two alternative scenarios for the change in the use of peatland fields in different regions. The plan was drawn up together with stakeholders as part of the Catch the Carbon package of climate measures for the land use sector, and it offers support for the official preparation processes and policy making.

26.9.2022 | "For quite some time now, we have been living through a period where exceptions have become the norm. The twofold crisis, the pandemic and Russia's cruel war of aggression, are affecting transport and communications in different ways and at many levels. While this challenges us to make re-evaluations, it also reinforces our previous choices," said Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka at the Transport and Communications Forum on 26 September 2022.

26.9.2022 | "For quite some time now, we have been living through a period where exceptions have become the norm. The twofold crisis, the pandemic and Russia's cruel war of aggression, are affecting transport and communications in different ways and at many levels. While this challenges us to make re-evaluations, it also reinforces our previous choices," said Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka at the Transport and Communications Forum on 26 September 2022.

13.6.2024 | The multiannual plan for the use of central government research and development funding focuses on strengthening cooperation between businesses and other R&D actors and encouraging businesses to step up their R&D activities in Finland. The plan also aims to improve the conditions for ambitious research that produces new skills and knowledge, to strengthen research and technology infrastructures and to promote international R&D cooperation.

25.11.2024 | Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah visits Canada with a delegation of the Finnish forestry and bioeconomy actors on 24–28 November. Minister Essayah will deliver the keynote speech at the Scaling Up Bioeconomy Conference 2024 in Ottawa. Finland is the Feature Country of this year’s conference. In addition, the Minister and the business delegation will visit the province of Quebec.

14.12.2021 | At its meeting on 14 December 2021, the Ministerial Working Group on Competence, Education, Culture and Innovation approved the first update of the national Roadmap for RDI. The first Roadmap for RDI of Prime Minister Marin's Government published in spring 2020 paves the way for sustainable growth and wellbeing based on knowledge, education, research and innovation.

17.3.2023 | A panel of international experts convened by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health began its audit of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in August 2022 and submitted its report to Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi on 17 March 2023. The previous international audit of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare took place in 2013–2014.

16.7.2026 | A high-level business delegation led by Minister of Commerce and Industry of India Piyush Goyal visits Finland on 16–17 July. 2026. The key themes for the visit are digital and new advanced technologies, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and sustainable development, and the food and consumer industries.

5.6.2026 | The Ministry of the Environment has published an international expert assessment of Finland’s voluntary biodiversity offsetting system, which was introduced in 2023. Biodiversity offsetting means compensating for harm caused to biodiversity by human activity in one location by enhancing biodiversity elsewhere.

3.2.2021 | A new Strategic Communications Team has been appointed at the Communications Department of the Prime Minister’s Office. The five-person team will be responsible for the Finland Forward psychological resilience campaign launched during last spring’s state of emergency and will support the authorities in preparing for and responding to information influence activities.

23.9.2024 | Austria, Finland, France, Slovenia and Sweden remind that the Commission’s proposal on forest monitoring has certain merit but needs substantial further work to provide a sound framework in line with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Their view was presented under AOB in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council 23 September. The item was supported by seven additional Member States.

23.9.2024 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2025 budget proposal is EUR 8.45 billion, which is some EUR 411 million more than in the 2024 Budget. The proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, which aims to invest, even in a difficult economic situation, in raising the level of education and training and improving the conditions for conducting science, research and development.

21.8.2024 | For Forest+ is a group dedicated to advocating for the interests of the forested Member States within the EU. Ministers from the group’s member states – Austria, France, Slovenia and Sweden – and their representatives visited Finland on the invitation of the Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah between 20 and 21 August 2024. During their visit, the ministers discussed next st...

22.2.2022 | Funding for the health sector has developed and strengthened, but the Finnish funding environment is about to fall short of the reference countries, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment publication “Report on the development of the health sector funding environment” published on 21 February 2022. The report also contains proposals for developing the funding environment.

15.6.2021 | Achieving a circular economy requires coherent guidance that addresses problem areas and takes into account the overall picture. Products must be more environmentally friendly, more repairable and longer-lasting than at present. In order to achieve this objective, we need national and international guidance, especially at the European Union level. The research project examined policy instruments in four key areas of product policy.

19.10.2023 | The Government has appointed Sirkku Linna as Director General at the Ministry of Education and Culture for a fixed-term public-service relationship between 1 December 2023 and 30 November 2028. She will head the Department for Higher Education and Science Policy at the Ministry.

23.1.2026 | Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen held a speech at the opening gala of Finland’s NATO DIANA Innovation Accelerator on 22 January 2026.

3.2.2022 | The global economic system has entered a new era of geoeconomic rivarly. Particularly the United States and China are using economic instruments to advance strategic agendas, which poses a difficult challenge to the European Union.

16.4.2026 | Speech by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio at AmCham Finland's Transatlantic opportunity event in Tampere on 15 April 2026.

25.8.2026 | Speech by Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand at the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission 2026 in Helsinki. Changes possible during the speech.

19.2.2026 | Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen held a speech at the Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie event in Münich on 13 February 2026.

Progress of the government action plan to combat racism The government action plan to combat racism and promote equality implements the policies set out in the equality statement issued by the Government. The selected measures are based on an asse...

2.11.2023 | On 2 November 2023, the Government appointed the new Board for the Natural Resources Institute Finland for the term 1 January 2024–31 December 2026. The Board is chaired by Executive Vice President Tuomas Salusjärvi and the vice chair is Saara Kankaanrinta, climate advocate and the co-founder of the Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG) Foundation.

The amended programme document Interreg AURORA 2021-2027 VERSION 3.0 After reallocation of Interreg NEXT Kolarctic and Interreg NEXT Karelia 1 CCI 2021TC16RFCB027 Title (Interreg VI-A) Sweden-Finland-Norway (AURORA) Version 3.0 First year 2021 Las...

14.4.2023 | Finland aims to become the world’s leading developer and user of sustainable digitalisation in teaching and education and training. This aim will also promote equal opportunities for learning and development. The common policies published on 14 April 2023 point the way for the sector's digital transformation.

27.2.2023 | Finland is among the leading countries in promoting sustainable development. However, in light of the current situation it may be difficult for Finland to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda. The main challenges Finland is facing are related to ecological sustainability, global responsibility and negative transboundary impacts. It is important to continue the determined and long-term efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

26.4.2023 | In future, the state will need to play a more active role in steering the economy. According to a study published on 26 April, short-term shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have required the active involvement of states to ensure the sustainability of their economies and societies.