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27.8.2025 | "I’m glad to see strong momentum for Nordic cooperation. Our goal is a united and strong Nordic region that benefits us all."

16.5.2024 | The Ministry of Transport and Communications has published its third sustainability report. It contains information on the measures taken by the Ministry to promote the achievement of the UN’s Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in 2023. 

16.10.2024 | The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) will convene in Cali, Colombia on 21 October–1 November 2024. The main objective of COP16 is to agree on the implementation of the global biodiversity targets and the related monitoring. Finland’s delegation will be led by Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen.

13.12.2024 | On 10 December 2024, the Finnish Ministry of Defence set up a project to examine the need to amend the Act on the Expropriation of Immovable Property and Special Rights to Ensure National Security.

26.4.2024 | On 26 April, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland’s priorities for exerting influence on the EU’s next multiannual financial framework and discussed the Commission communications on managing climate risks and on accelerating biotechnology and biomanufacturing. In addition, the Ministerial Committee outlined Finland’s positions for two upcoming informal ministerial meetings.

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.

12.4.2024 | Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman will attend the European Commission’s Cohesion Forum in Brussels on 11–12 April 2024. The 9th Cohesion Forum will discuss the importance of the European Union’s cohesion policy for the wellbeing of regions and their inhabitants.

8.5.2025 | The series of social security dialogues held by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Timeout Foundation brought out a wide variety of views and development suggestions from citizens on the future of social security. The outcomes of the dialogues will be presented at a webinar on 15 May 2025.

1.4.2025 | The security environment in Finland and Europe has changed fundamentally. Russia poses a long-term threat to Europe. This requires the Government to take action. Finland will continue to strengthen its defence on a threat-informed and needs-driven basis.

29.1.2024 | The REPowerEU call for applications in the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland (Recovery and Resilience Plan) has been launched. The call will close on 29 February 2024. Businesses and organisations can apply for financial support for energy investments that promote the clean transition. The call for applications includes approximately EUR 54.5 million in investment aid for projects where the eligible costs exceed EUR 5 million.

9.4.2025 | Prime Minister Orpo’s Government has set an objective of adjusting public sector activities to ensure that the national economy is on a sustainable footing. At the moment, it looks like it will be difficult to achieve this objective over the next few years though. The decision-makers in the wellbeing services counties are in a key role here. Reaching fiscal balance in general government finances is essential.

8.12.2023 | Finland will use new REPowerEU funding to speed up the transition to clean energy. The EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council approved the REPowerEU chapter of Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) on Friday 8 December.

23.1.2024 | The EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council discussed international trade in agricultural products, the organisation of the strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture, a proposal for a regulation on a forest monitoring framework and, on Finland’s initiative, large carnivore matters.

6.3.2025 | The Ministry of Transport and Communications has launched the TUUTTI project for security and growth through communications networks. This project will formulate national policies for developing a secure communications network infrastructure fostering sustainable growth and competitiveness through digitalisation until 2037.

3.5.2024 | On 3 May, the Ministry of Education and Culture published the 2024 Bildung Review, which compiles statistical and other information on the administrative branch of the Ministry, its development and situation in international comparison. The themes for 2024 are regionality, life cycle and the fields of education and culture. The objective of the annually published review is to create an overall picture of the extensive administrative branch as a whole.

5.10.2023 | The Government approved the proposal for the REPowerEU chapter of Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. The chapter includes measures to speed up environmental permit procedures, research on clean energy and investments in the clean transition.

4.12.2024 | In line with the Programme of Prime Minister Orpo's Government, Finland's Cyber Security Strategy has been revised to respond to the changed security environment. The objectives of the revised strategy extend to 2035. A strategy implementation plan has been drawn to describe the development measures to achieve the objectives. The plan was approved on 3 December 2024 by the steering group of the project developing an operating model for government security management.

5.9.2023 | Finland is using new REPowerEU funding to promote the transition to clean energy. The Ministry of Finance is requesting comments on its proposal for projects to be funded.

22.6.2023 | EU foreign ministers will convene in Luxembourg on 26 June. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

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...

28.6.2022 | Reports related to the evaluation of elite sports launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture in autumn 2021 have been produced. The evaluation group has identified many fundamental weaknesses in the Finnish system of elite sports. The evaluation consists of analyses by a national and an international research group.

24.7.2023 | The first stocktaking meeting of the UN Food Systems Summit held two years ago takes place in Rome on 24–26 July. Finland highlights its experiences as a frontrunner in providing school meals.

9.10.2023 | The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of EU employment and social affairs ministers is meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, 9 October 2023. The ministers are expected to adopt conclusions on issues such as mental health and precarious work. In addition, the Council seeks to reach a political agreement on a recommendation on developing framework conditions for the social economy. 

24.7.2023 | The first stocktaking meeting of the UN Food Systems Summit held two years ago takes place in Rome on 24–26 July. Finland highlights its experiences as a frontrunner in providing school meals.

15.12.2022 | On 15 December, the Government decided to appoint the Expert Panel for Sustainable Development for a new term. The Sustainability Panel, which operates as part of the Prime Minister’s Office, is an independent scientific panel tasked with promoting sustainability in Finnish society.

3.3.2022 | The Ministry of Finance has updated its strategy. The strategy was updated to better meet the challenges and changes in the operating environment. The Ministry of Finance kept its vision the same, ‘The Ministry of Finance secures future prospects.’

11.10.2023 | In the beginning of next year, an exceptionally broad group of actors will join their forces to implement a record large biodiversity project. With EUR 50 million in funding, this eight-year Priodiversity LIFE project is the largest project to combat biodiversity loss ever implemented in Finland. The aim is to collect best practices and find new forms of funding to preserve biodiversity.

17.3.2023 | The climate and ecological crisis and the sustainability gap in general government finances cannot be solved separately. Actions that strengthen general government finances can be targeted so that they systematically take the economy, legislation, taxation, incentives and governance structures towards the green transition. This is the conclusion of the Outlook Review published by the Ministry of the Environment.

27.2.2023 | For two decades, efforts were made to build a central government and a well-functioning security sector in Afghanistan. However, the country once again finds itself in the firm grasp of the Taliban, despite major international interventions. It is astonishing how quickly the Taliban were able to regain power. A Policy Brief published on 27 February aims to find out how this was possible by means of systems analysis.

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.

9.6.2023 | The level of wellbeing among people in Finland may fall if we do not invest in education, social capital and the reduction of health inequalities, according to a recent policy paper by the OECD. The policy paper describes the combined effects of the sustainability of people’s wellbeing, the economy and the environment. It is possible to create solutions to the challenges of economic sustainability with the help of information.

20.10.2021 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on 21–22 October.

29.12.2022 | On 29 December 2022, the President of the Republic approved the Act on the National Implementation of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve. Funds from the Reserve will be used to support companies that have been negatively affected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The support is channelled as business development aid from the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres). 

30.5.2022 | The misallocation of labour and capital in the Finnish business sector has increased in the 2000s, which has significantly retarded productivity growth. The concentration of labour to companies with lower productivity is a key factor in retarding growth. A more efficient allocation of labour could be influenced, for example, by dismantling incentive traps and increasing labour mobility and wage competition, states a recent study by Aalto University and ETLA Economic Research.

11.10.2021 | The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 starts today on 11 October in Kunming, China. The aim is to agree on targets and actions to halt the global biodiversity loss. Actual decisions are expected in the second part of the Conference of the Parties, which will be held from 25 April to 8 May 2022.

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

23.8.2023 | "The exceptional times we have been living in recent years have emphasised the importance of Nordic cooperation. Finland has also a lot to offer to other Nordic countries, and we should learn from others in many sectors of society. Through Nordic interaction, we will be able to effectively advance various matters," says minister Anna-Maja Henriksson in her speech.

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’.

1.3.2022 | As the impacts of climate change expand, the need for adaptation measures, and for international funding for adaptation, will increase. Finland supports the Adaptation Fund, which operates under the Paris Agreement and funds concrete projects that help the most vulnerable people in developing countries.

29.6.2022 | The UN Ocean Conference, which will be held for the second time, brings together representatives of states, researchers, civil society, and businesses to discuss the oceans’ role in climate change mitigation as well as the future of a sustainable blue economy.