Search

20.1.2022 | On 20 January 2022, the Saimaa Canal Commission granted a permit to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency for construction in the Saimaa Canal lease area. The Commission, which coordinates the positions of the Finnish authorities, considers that the development projects of the Saimaa Canal meet the obligations of the Saimaa Canal lease agreement. The projects are needed to develop the Canal and organise its vessel traffic. 

11.6.2026 | The Government proposes a comprehensive reform of the legislation on basic education in the arts. The aim is to clarify the structure of basic education in the arts and improve access to instruction across different art disciplines and fields. The proposal would also introduce a single syllabus and reform the criteria for central government transfers to municipalities.

20.1.2022 | On 20 January 2022, the Saimaa Canal Commission granted a permit to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency for construction in the Saimaa Canal lease area. The Commission, which coordinates the positions of the Finnish authorities, considers that the development projects of the Saimaa Canal meet the obligations of the Saimaa Canal lease agreement. The projects are needed to develop the Canal and organise its vessel traffic. 

2.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in community transmission areas will be introduced in the region of Central Finland and the City of Rovaniemi.

7.4.2022 | In such humanitarian crises as the one in Ukraine, many actors are involved. How is work divided, where are relief items purchased, and how can private individuals help? Moreover, are available humanitarian resources sufficient to meet the needs of those affected by crises? Riikka Mikkola, Senior Adviser for Humanitarian Assistance at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, answers these questions.

5.1.2022 | The advance voting period for the county elections is from 12 to 18 January 2022 in Finland and from 12 to 15 January 2022 abroad. Election day is Sunday 23 January 2022.

10.2.2022 | The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread. To safeguard the capacity of the healthcare system, restrictions on external border traffic will continue until 13.3. Some exemptions will however be made. The Government decided on these changes at its session on 10.2. and they will enter into force on 15.2. 

8.12.2022 | On her Team Finland visit, Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen will meet key authorities and companies promoting immigration of labour. A Declaration of Intent between India and Finland aimed at sustainably promoting immigration of labour will be signed on the visit. A broad delegation of companies and public administration representatives promoting immigration of skilled labour will accompany Minister Haatainen on the visit. 

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.

19.8.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions for the community transmission phase will enter into force in the entire Uusimaa region and South Karelia. The Hospital District of South Savo is moving to the acceleration phase of the epidemic.

14.1.2022 | In its meeting on Friday 14 January, the Government’s Ministerial Working Group on Coordinating COVID-19 Response discussed the development of the epidemic, closures of food and beverage service businesses and compensation for the costs of restrictive measures. On Friday morning, the ministerial working group received an overview of the epidemiological situation and heard preliminary assessments...

27.8.2025 | Finland needs more exports, investments and ambitious R&D activities to boost our economy.

20.6.2024 | On Thursday 20 June, the Government appointed Markus Henriksson as Director General of the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) until the end of 2025.

17.10.2025 | On Tuesday 14 October, Finland joined the Tallinn Mechanism to support Ukraine’s cyber security and resilience. The mechanism coordinates international cyber security support to Ukraine’s public administration and critical infrastructure.

6.2.2023 | The Ministry of the Environment has published guidelines concerning the priority treatment of projects that promote investments in the green transition in permit procedures. The guidelines are available on the website of the Regional State Administrative Agency. They are intended both for the permit applicants and for the Regional State Administrative Agencies and Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. 

24.10.2024 | On 24 October, the Government issued a decree laying down provisions on cooperation in preparedness for civil defence and related plans in the wellbeing services counties. The decree specifies the practices of cooperation between the authorities of the wellbeing services counties.

21.11.2024 | On Thursday 21 November, the Government submitted its proposal to Parliament to amend the budget proposal for 2025. Some items in the proposal concern the Government's EUR 4 billion investment programme. The proposal will increase the revenue estimate by EUR 67 million and the requirement for appropriations by EUR 405 million.

13.4.2023 | The new act will lay down provisions on the organisation of the activities of patient ombudspersons and social services ombudspersons and their independence, qualifications and duties. It will also include provisions on the processing of personal data.

8.9.2022 | The Government has adopted a government proposal to boost investments in the green transition*. The aim is to reduce Finland’s dependence on fossil energy, increase energy self-sufficiency and move towards an ecologically more sustainable economy. The proposal would prioritise the permit applications concerning investment projects that are important for the green transition in the permit procedu...

20.3.2025 | Today, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal on a new gambling system. The Government proposes to end Veikkaus' gambling games monopoly in betting and in online slot machine and casino games at the end of 2026, and to open the provision of these games to competition.

16.12.2024 | The Ministry of Transport and Communications requests comments on a draft government proposal for temporarily amending the Act on Transport Services. The proposal aims to centralise data on publicly supported passenger transport services in one place to make the data more accessible. The deadline for submitting comments is 5 February 2025.

11.10.2024 | The EU energy ministers will convene in Luxembourg on 15 October 2024 for the official Energy Council under the Hungarian Presidency. There are no decisions on the agenda of the meeting. The ministers will discuss follow-up measures to the recommendations of Draghi’s competitiveness report, preparedness for the upcoming winter season and divergence in wholesale electricity prices.

12.3.2025 | A survey by We Foundation shows that groups for extracurricular activity organised by municipalities free of charge as part of the school day provide the majority of the participants with a safe space that is free of bullying, discrimination and racism. The results confirm that groups based on the Finnish model for leisure activities increase student wellbeing and are the only opportunity for many children and young people to have a hobby. The survey covers 20 municipalities of different sizes.

5.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree on temporary restrictions to the use of the COVID-19 passport referred to in section 58i of the Communicable Diseases Act. The COVID-19 passport cannot be used as an alternative to regional restrictions on public events and customer premises in Åland.

30.12.2021 | The Government has issued a decree amending section 58i of the Communicable Diseases Act to temporarily restrict the use of the COVID-19 passport. The COVID-19 passport cannot be used as an alternative to regional restrictions on public events and customer premises in the hospital districts of East Savo and North Karelia.

7.7.2022 | A new national information system for incident and accident prevention will be procured for the rescue services. The purpose of the procurement is to enhance, harmonise and make transparent the processes of incident and accident prevention, data transfer and practices in rescue services and to enable electronic services for customers. The reform aims to improve the effectiveness of incident and accident prevention and the equality among clients.

25.3.2021 | The latest amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act will clarify the current regulation on compulsory health examinations. In future, people who have or have been exposed to a communicable disease must provide the health authorities with information about themselves. The amendments to the Act that will enter into force on 29 March 2021 will also improve the possibilities of the Border Guard to provide executive assistance.

19.2.2021 | The Government has submitted to Parliament a proposal for amending two sections of the Communicable Diseases Act. The amendment to section 16 of the Act concerns the right of the Regional State Administrative Agencies and physicians to decide on compulsory health examinations and the amendment to section 22 concerns the obligation of those who have or have been exposed to a communicable disease to provide information about themselves.

16.12.2021 | The restrictions on entry at external borders currently in place in Finland will continue and health security measures will be tightened. The relevant Government decision made on 16 December will enter into force on 20 December and will remain in force until 16 January 2022. According to the decision, passengers arriving from outside the EU and the Schengen area will be required, as of 21 Decemb...

17.12.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft government proposal according to which the nationwide use of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, i.e. the COVID-19 passport, would also be possible by law when there are no restrictions in force.

2.6.2022 | In line with the Government decision of 2 June, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 30 June 2022.

6.11.2023 | The Russian salvage vessel Spasatel KarevKarev began to repair Rostelecom’s Baltika telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland on 6 November. The company has negotiated with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment concerning the repair of the faulty cable, which is partly located in Finland’s exclusive economic zone.

6.5.2022 | In line with the Government decision of 5 May, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 5 June 2022.

8.4.2022 | In line with the Government decision of 7 April, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 8 May 2022.

29.1.2022 | In line with the Government decision of 27 January, internal border control between Finland and all Schengen countries will end on 31 January. Restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 14 February.

20.11.2021 | This year, mothers were awarded decorations for their merits as educators at regional ceremonies held on Universal Children’s Day on 20 November 2021.

2.6.2022 | The term of the group responsible for the situational picture and modelling of the COVID-19 epidemic ends in June 2022. The situational assessment report, published every other week, has monitored the development of the epidemic and the measures taken to curb the epidemic, but it will be put on hold for now. The question of what practices may need to be adopted in the autumn will be addressed later.

23.12.2021 | The Government decided to reintroduce internal border control at Finland’s borders starting on Tuesday 28 December. The Government decided on the new restrictions at its session on 28 December. The decision will remain in force until 16 January 2022.

28.12.2021 | The Government has adopted a decree on temporary restrictions to the use of the COVID-19 passport referred to in section 58 i § of the Communicable Diseases Act.

7.10.2021 | The Government proposes that the amendment to the temporary section 58 d of the Communicable Diseases Act be approved. The section regulates the conditions for using premises intended for customers and event participants to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The exact definition of close contact will be removed, along with the incidence rate used as a criterion for its application.