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3.1.2022 | Finland’s objective is to increase labour migration and to combat the exploitation of foreign labour. The exploitation of foreign workers, which has come to light in recent years, has underlined the need for cooperation between different operators. A new advisory board appointed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will support efforts to stop exploitation of foreign workers and entrepreneurs.

9.9.2021 | On Thursday 9 September, the Government issued a resolution on an update of the action plan implementing the hybrid strategy to manage the COVID-19 epidemic. The objective of the revised action plan is to reopen society and keep it open. 

11.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. From now on, all food and beverage services businesses must close at 18.00. In addition, the restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will be extended until the end of January. The decree on the opening hours of food and beverage service businesses will enter into force on 12 January 2022 at 00.00 and it will remain in force until 31 January 2022.

15.10.2021 | The EU Digital COVID Certificate will be introduced nationally. In practice, this means that in Finland the COVID-19 passport can be used in situations and premises which are subject to restrictions. In addition, the temporary provisions of the Communicable Diseases Act which help prevent COVID-19 infections of foreign origin from spreading into Finland will remain in force.

1.9.2022 | The budget proposal for 2023 of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government builds sustainable growth for the future, secures purchasing power and assists people with the hike in electricity prices. The budget proposal responds to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression and inflation, improves safety and security, security of supply, and energy self-sufficiency, and provides further investment in research and development and in the green transition.

17.12.2021 | In line with the Government decision of 16 December, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue and health security measures will be tightened as of 20 December. The decision will remain in force until 16 January 2022

31.1.2025 | In Finland, there is broad recognition of the important role that nuclear energy will also play in the future. There is a willingness to build new capacity, yet the profitability of investments has clearly weakened over the years. What different means could be considered to advance nuclear energy?

1.9.2022 | The budget proposal for 2023 of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government builds sustainable growth for the future, secures purchasing power and assists people with the hike in electricity prices. The budget proposal responds to the effects of Russia’s war of aggression and inflation, improves safety and security, security of supply, and energy self-sufficiency, and provides further investment in research and development and in the green transition.

28.1.2022 | The Government has extended the validity of the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will continue until mid-February and the restrictions on serving and opening hours of food and beverage service businesses will continue until the end of March. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be eased for businesses serving food.

4.11.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result of changes in the epidemiological situation in the region of Kymenlaakso, the restrictions for the community transmission phase will be applied to food and beverage service businesses in the region.

16.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on food and beverage services businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in the whole of Lapland and the Hospital District of South Savo.

28.12.2021 | Internal border control will be reinstated at Finland’s borders starting on Tuesday 28 December. There will also be other changes to the restrictions on entry, and as of 28 December, the same restrictions will apply to everyone arriving in Finland from abroad. The Government decided on the new restrictions today. The decision will enter into force on 28 December at 15.00 Finnish time and will remain in force until 16 January 2022. 

28.11.2021 | As of 15.00 on Sunday 28 November, Finland will restrict entry into the country at its external borders for travellers who have been in Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe during the 14 days prior to their arrival in Finland. The Government adopted a decision on the matter on 28 November.

27.1.2022 | Internal border control, which was reinstated for traffic between Finland and all Schengen countries at the end of December, will end on 31 January. In contrast, restrictions on external border traffic will continue until 14 February. The Government adopted a decision on the restrictions on external border traffic on 27 January and the decision will enter into force on 1 February.

21.10.2021 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions for the community transmission phase will be applied to food and beverage service businesses in the region of South Ostrobothnia and across the region of Uusimaa, because the epidemiological situation has changed in the two regions.

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. 

7.10.2021 | Abuse in the accommodation conditions for foreign workers may, at worst, be part of foreign labour exploitation and human trafficking. The task of the working group for monitoring accommodation conditions is to make proposals on how to develop cooperation between the authorities and the relevant regulations and guidelines. 

7.1.2022 | In its first meeting on Friday 7 January, the ministerial working group on COVID-19 was briefed on the epidemiological situation, the spread of the Omicron variant, the burden on and capacity of the healthcare system, and the progress of vaccinations.

15.11.2021 | The Government has extended the validity of the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses until 31 December 2021. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be reintroduced in the regions of North Ostrobothnia, Pirkanmaa and Kanta-Häme and in the Hospital District of Länsi-Pohja.

30.9.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Based on the current epidemiological situation, restrictions for the acceleration and community transmission phases of the epidemic will be significantly eased and lifted. In addition, in the region of Uusimaa, the restrictions for the community transmission phase will continue to apply only in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.

14.10.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result of changes in the epidemiological situation in the region of Central Ostrobothnia, the restrictions for the community transmission phase of the epidemic will be applied to food and beverage service businesses in the region.

3.12.2021 | 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 that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

26.11.2021 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on licensing and opening hours will be tightened in areas where the epidemic is in the community transmission phase. In addition, restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be reintroduced in the region of South Karelia.

13.1.2022 | Internal border control will continue and the restrictions on entry will remain largely unchanged until 31 January. However, some exemptions will be made for people who cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 for medical reasons. The Government decided on these changes at its session on 13 January and they will enter into force on 17 January 2022.

5.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

7.1.2022 | In its first meeting on Friday 7 January, the ministerial working group on COVID-19 was briefed on the epidemiological situation, the spread of the Omicron variant, the burden on and capacity of the healthcare system, and the progress of vaccinations.

22.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As from 24 December 2021, the use of the COVID-19 passport will be restricted for about three weeks. The restrictions on food and beverage services businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in the region of North Savo, while restrictions will be lifted for the Åland Islands.

27.5.2021 | The purpose of the event guarantee is to reduce the financial risk of organising events. The guarantee is an advance payment commitment given to event organisers for the costs the organisers declare. If the event is cancelled or its size restricted by law or order of an authority, compensation will be paid for the costs incurred.

5.9.2021 | 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 acceleration phase of the epidemic will be introduced in Satakunta and the baseline restrictions in the city of Rovaniemi.

21.12.2021 | In its negotiations on Tuesday 21 December, the Government discussed the COVID-19 situation and decided on new restrictions and other necessary measures. In addition to increasing vaccination coverage, effective national and regional measures to limit close contacts are needed to slow down the spread of the epidemic. This will allow more time for giving people third vaccine doses.

23.9.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Based on the current epidemiological situation, the restrictions on the maximum permitted number of customers and on opening and licensing hours will be lifted in North Ostrobothnia. In addition, restrictions will be eased in Kymenlaakso and Pirkanmaa and tightened in Satakunta.

21.12.2021 | In its negotiations on Tuesday 21 December, the Government discussed the COVID-19 situation and decided on new restrictions and other necessary measures. In addition to increasing vaccination coverage, effective national and regional measures to limit close contacts are needed to slow down the spread of the epidemic. This will allow more time for giving people third vaccine doses.

17.6.2021 | Entry into Finland from EU and Schengen countries will be allowed for those who have received an approved COVID-19 vaccination series and those who have recovered from COVID-19 less than six months ago prior to entry. Entry into the country will also be allowed for those travelling from EU and Schengen countries because of their work. The changes will enter into force on 21 June. On 17 June, the Governm...

9.9.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Separate restrictions on the number of customers or the opening and licensing hours of food and beverage service businesses will be removed in Central Finland as the region returns to the baseline restrictions.

14.9.2021 | The Government has issued a decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses owing to the COVID-19 epidemic. The current restrictions for the acceleration and community transmission phases will be amended to extend the opening and licensing hours of food and beverage service businesses by one hour. In areas where the epidemic is at a stable level, customers will no longer be required to have their own seats in indoor premises.

26.8.2021 | 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 be applied to food and beverage service businesses in Ostrobothnia.

21.9.2021 | The Government has submitted to Parliament a proposal on the nationwide use of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, or the COVID-19 passport. It is proposed that the provisions on the EU Digital COVID Certificate be added to the Communicable Diseases Act.

26.2.2021 | Parliament adopted the government proposal of 4 February 2021 for temporarily amending the Communicable Diseases Act. The amendment will extend the validity of the provisions restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses, namely restaurants, bars, cafes and nightclubs. The President of the Republic approved the amendment to the Communicable Diseases Act on 26 February 2021.

19.3.2021 | The current state of emergency and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have a broad impact on all areas of society. In a state of emergency, the role of rapid dissemination of information and a clear division of responsibilities for coordinating and implementing communications is further emphasised. On 18 March, the Prime Minister’s Office made the decision to apply the powers laid down in section 106, subsect...

16.4.2021 | The new temporary amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act will make it possible to impose stricter restrictions on regions regarding the opening hours, licensing hours and number of customer seats of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses. The President of the Republic approved the amendments to the Act on 16 April. The amendments will enter into force on 19 April and remain in force until 30 June 2021.