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5.5.2021 | The 2021 municipal elections will be held on Sunday 13 June. In the elections, local councillors and deputy councillors will be elected for the next four-year term. The term of office of the local councils will begin on 1 August 2021 and last until 31 May 2025.

2.2.2023 | The Government submitted the first supplementary budget proposal for 2023 to Parliament on Thursday 2 February.

31.1.2022 | From February 2022 onwards, EU COVID-19 vaccination certificates will be accepted for travel purposes for a period of nine months since the administration of the last dose of the primary vaccination series. As of yet, no acceptance period will apply to certificates issued following the administration of booster doses.

2.2.2023 | The Government submitted the first supplementary budget proposal for 2023 to Parliament on Thursday 2 February.

27.9.2021 | The Government proposes appropriations of about EUR 15.9 billion for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2022. This is about EUR 1.9 billion less than in the 2021 Budget. The decrease is mainly due to one-off payments to compensate for the costs caused by COVID-19 to the healthcare and welfare service system.

25.5.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has issued a decree on the digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate that will be available in the My Kanta Pages. The decree will lay down provisions whereby certificates of vaccinations, laboratory test results and recovery from COVID-19 will be available to people in the My Kanta Pages. The decree will enter into force on 25 May 2021.

26.3.2021 | Prime Minister’s presentation speech at the referral debate in Parliament on the government proposal to Parliament for an act on the temporary restriction of freedom of movement and close contacts. Changes possible during the speech.

19.2.2021 | The amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act have been approved, and they will enter into force on 22 February 2021. They will strengthen the possibilities of local and regional authorities to take proactive and swift measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most of the amendments will remain in force until 30 June 2021. 

26.5.2021 | Finland’s digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate is now available in the My Kanta Pages. However, at first some people may have to wait a while before they can view their vaccination certificate, as there are some delays in data transfer to the My Kanta Pages.

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.

16.4.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government has agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2025–2028. The Government has made decisions that will improve the sustainability of public finances and create conditions for reversing the trend in indebtedness. The decisions aim to safeguard the key factors for future prosperity: employment, security, and knowledge and competence. Fairness has been one of the guiding principles of the decisions.

19.5.2021 | Finland’s digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate will be available in the My Kanta pages as of 26 May. However, not all users will able to view their vaccination certificate on the launch date.

14.7.2021 | The EU Digital COVID Certificate, which is available in the My Kanta Pages, will also include a test certificate and a certificate of recovery as of 14 July. The EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate has been available in the My Kanta Pages since 22 June.

10.6.2022 | Finland’s maternity clinic system celebrates its centenary this year. The system began in a renovated log cabin room of the Children’s Castle hospital in Helsinki.

17.6.2021 | Finland’s digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate will be updated and made interoperable with the EU Digital COVID Certificate as of 22 June. This means that the EU Digital COVID Certificate will be available to people in the My Kanta Pages starting on 22 June.

8.7.2021 | More information will be added to the EU Digital COVID Certificate on 14 July, when COVID-19 test results and certificates of recovery from COVID-19 are made available in the My Kanta Pages. The EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate has been available in the My Kanta Pages since 22 June.

13.8.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of about EUR 16.5 billion for the Ministry and its administrative branch for 2022. This is about EUR 1.3 billion less than in the 2021 Budget. The decrease is mainly due to one-off payments to compensate for the costs caused by COVID-19 to the healthcare and welfare service system. The biggest increases arise from the dismantling of the backlog in treatment and services and the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

9.9.2021 | The rescue and evacuation operation in Afghanistan was in many ways unique and historic. Finland evacuated more than 400 people from Afghanistan in three weeks. This was possible through cooperation with national and international actors and between different departments of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The relief team at Kabul Airport played a key role, but the input of dozens of people both in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki and in many foreign missions was also required.

19.4.2022 | The sad news of Minister Ilkka Kanerva’s passing reached the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Thursday, 14 April. Kanerva served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2008.

5.8.2022 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of about EUR 15.8 billion for the Ministry and its administrative branch for 2023. This is about EUR 0.2 billion less than in the 2022 Budget. The decrease is mainly due to the end of the Government Programme projects and changes in the needs assessment.