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20.2.2023 | A new young people’s climate change and nature group will be established under the Prime Minister’s Office. The group will be tasked to support the ministries in the planning, implementation and impact assessment of youth participation. The aim is to ensure the fairness of different policy measures from the perspective of future generations.

1.4.2022 | Finland’s new Bioeconomy Strategy has been completed. The strategy aims to double the value added of bioeconomy in an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable manner and to make Finland climate neutral by 2035.

21.1.2022 | The EU’s environment and energy ministers will convene in informal meetings in Amiens, France on 20–22 January 2022. Emma Kari, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, and Jukka Ihanus, State Secretary to Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä, will represent Finland in the meetings hosted by France.

6.10.2021 | The Summit held on Wednesday 6 October focused on deepening cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans. Topics discussed at the meeting included the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans, deepening economic cooperation and managing the COVID-19 crisis.

1.6.2022 | According to Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, we need to make fundamental changes to how we think, act and measure success. Dasgupta spoke on Wednesday at a conference organised by the Economic Council around the theme of ecologically sustainable economic policy in the 2020s. The discussions were based on the Dasgupta Review, which has attracted wide international attention and emphasises the economic significance of biodiversity.

18.11.2022 | The EU General Affairs Council will meet in Brussels on Friday 18 November. Items on the agenda include preparations for the December European Council and a discussion on respect for the EU’s common values. In addition, the Commission will present its work programme for 2023. Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen will represent Finland at the meeting.

12.12.2022 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will lead a Team Finland trade mission to the State of Texas and visit Washington DC from 12 to 16 December.

31.8.2021 | As part of its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021, Finland will organise the Council’s ministerial meetings. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will chair three meetings of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Sustainable Growth. The meetings of ministers in charge of economic affairs and regions will take place on 16 September, while energy ministers will convene on 17 September. All meetings will be organised as hybrid meetings from Helsinki.  

8.2.2023 | The Ministry of Transport and Communications invites comments on the draft national programme for the distribution of new fuels to road transport. The programme extends to 2035.

8.2.2023 | The Ministry of Transport and Communications invites comments on the draft national programme for the distribution of new fuels to road transport. The programme extends to 2035.

27.9.2021 | The Competitiveness Council will discuss the EU’s climate package, ‘Fit for 55', from an industrial perspective, the role of better regulation in developing competitiveness and the internal market, and the governance reform of the European Research Area. 

15.12.2021 | The objective of the Artificial Intelligence 4.0 programme is that Finnish industry’s assets in 2030 are sustainability, capacity for renewal, technological leadership and solutions that enable increasing the carbon handprint. The interim report compiles the concrete objectives and proposed measures for achieving the artificial intelligence vision for 2030. 

1.6.2022 | According to Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, we need to make fundamental changes to how we think, act and measure success. Dasgupta spoke on Wednesday at a conference organised by the Economic Council around the theme of ecologically sustainable economic policy in the 2020s. The discussions were based on the Dasgupta Review, which has attracted wide international attention and emphasises the economic significance of biodiversity.

13.3.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo spoke at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 13 March 2024. Check against delivery.

11.5.2022 | On Wednesday 11 May, Prime Minister Sanna Marin will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo. Her programme for the day also includes a discussion with Speaker of the House of Representatives Hiroyuki Hosoda.

14.3.2022 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Vienna and Bratislava on 14–16 March.

20.4.2022 | The member countries of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action discussed climate and economic policy at the ministerial meeting held on 19 April. Finland and Indonesia co-chair the Coalition.

20.3.2023 | The EU General Affairs Council (GAC) will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 21 March. The meeting will focus mainly on preparations for the March European Council. The ministers will also discuss EU-UK relations and continue their annual rule of law dialogue. Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen will represent Finland at the meeting.

10.2.2022 | “This spring will be a critical time in building a carbon-neutral Finland. The Government’s proposals for a reformed Climate Change Act and all three key climate change plans will be finalised within the next few months,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari said at her briefing on climate change policy.

13.12.2022 | How to reduce emissions from shipping? How to make the most of new technologies to make maritime transport safer? For Finland, solving these questions is crucial. And for this reason, Finland is seeking membership in the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the 2024-2025 term.

26.1.2022 | The Ministerial Working Group on Developing the Digital Transformation, the Data Economy and Public Administration decided to circulate for comments a resolution on technology policy. The goal of the Government resolution is that in 2030 Finland will be the most successful and best known country for generating wellbeing from the development and utilisation of technology.

19.9.2022 | Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will attend the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum hosted by the United States in Pittsburgh this week. At the conference, the ministers will discuss current global energy challenges and aim to find shared solutions for them.

2.3.2023 | The Embassy of Finland in Astana handles relations with not only Kazakhstan but also with Kyrgyzstan, which is Finland’s partner in development cooperation. The increasingly frequent exchanges of visits and the growing interest in the cooperation opportunities available in Central Asia keep me busy, says Soili Mäkeläinen-Buhanist, Finland’s Ambassador in Astana.

25.5.2022 | Under-Secretary of State Nina Vaskunlahti and Director General of Business Finland Nina Kopola will visit Kigali from 28 May to 1 June 2022. They will be accompanied by a business delegation.

31.1.2022 | The EU ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy will meet to discuss the Union’s measures to develop its crisis resilience. The meeting will be organised by France, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

17.6.2022 | Accelerating inflation is slowing economic growth. Finland’s gross domestic product will grow by 1.4% this year, estimates the Ministry of Finance in the Economic Survey published on 17 June.

28.1.2022 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Saudi Arabia and Oman from 30 January to 3 February 2022. During his visit, the Minister will meet Saudi Arabian and Omani ministers and representatives of business life. He will also participate in LEAP, a global technology and innovation event, held in Riyadh from 1 to 3 February 2022.

2.9.2022 | A working group of State Secretaries was tasked to examine how Russia’s attack on Ukraine has affected the economy of eastern Finland and what measures are needed to strengthen the region’s vitality. The working group has proposed to the Government short-term measures for the 2023 budget proposal, reallocation of funding using existing funding sources, and long-term measures. The measures focus...

28.10.2021 | In a video conference held on Thursday 28 October, the EU finance ministers welcomed the assessment of Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. Minister of Finance Annika Saarikko represented Finland in the conference.

19.9.2022 | Accelerating inflation is slowing economic growth. Finland’s gross domestic product will grow by 0.5% next year, according to the Economic Survey published by the Ministry of Finance on 19 September. 

11.3.2022 | By the deadline of 4 March 2022, 86 applications were received in the first application round for energy investment aid under Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. The investment aid is intended for energy solutions of the future that aim to achieve carbon neutrality and improve competitiveness, among other things. The total amount of aid applied for was EUR 1.65 billion.

11.3.2022 | Minister of Finance Annika Saarikko will represent Finland in the meeting of EU and euro area finance ministers on 14–15 March.

1.3.2023 | The reform of continuous learning, launched under the Government Programme, has promoted the opportunities of working-age people to improve their knowledge and skills, and increased the availability of skilled labour. The final report on the reform implementation and on the next steps was submitted on 1 March 2023 to the Members of Parliament who participated in the drafting of the parliamentary policy approaches for continuous learning. 

16.3.2022 | On Tuesday 15 March, the EU’s finance ministers reached an agreement in the Economic and Financial Affairs Council on establishing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Minister of Finance Annika Saarikko represented Finland at the meeting in Brussels.

25.5.2022 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President of the European Council Charles Michel met in Helsinki on Wednesday 25 May.

15.3.2021 | The Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland will boost investment in emissions reducing solutions, accelerate sustainable growth in the economy, and create long-term growth potential. Half of the funding involved will be for promoting a green transition, and about a quarter will be for digitalisation. The Programme will also boost public investment in research, development and innovation by approximately EUR 700 million.

24.11.2022 | Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin spoke at the New European Bauhaus Goes Into the Woods event in Espoo, Finland, on 24 November 2022. Check against delivery.

28.6.2021 | Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit the United States on 28 June–2 July 2021.

26.1.2023 | The Central Asian countries are rich in extractives and renewable energy sources. Sustainable and responsible use of these resources is one of the key factors determining the future of these countries, according to Ilkka Räisänen, Finland’s Roving Ambassador for Central Asia.

10.1.2022 | The European Commission has published the Single Market scoreboard that measures the implementation of the Single Market rules in the Union during 2020. The Single Market refers to the free movement of people, goods, services and capital in the EU. The Commission has extended the scope of the scoreboard to include three new policy areas: business environment for SMEs, greening of the industry, and market surveillance.