Search

1.12.2025 | Finland has recently concluded negotiations with NATO’s strategic commands on an agreement to supplement the Paris Protocol, facilitating the operation of international military headquarters in Finland. The Ministry of Defence led the negotiations team on the Finnish side.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

20.2.2025 | The Czech Republic's Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan will visit Finland between 19 and 21 February. Minister Rakušan will meet Finland's Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and travel with her to Vaalimaa border crossing point, where the ministers will be hosted by the Southeast Finland Border Guard District. The topics on their agenda will include discussions on Finland's action to combat the instrumentalisation of migrants. 

27.6.2025 | At the presidential session on 27 June, the President of the Republic appointed Juha Mustonen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Doha and Sirpa Oksanen to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Zagreb.

25.8.2025 | "We are living through an exceptionally powerful transformation on the international scene. In the current challenging operational environment, we need a strong Foreign Service to promote Finland’s interests."

10.3.2025 | In 2024, about 3,200 hectares of forest habitats were protected under the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO. Last year Finnish forest owners protected about 2,900 hectares of forest on a permanent basis and concluded ten-year environmental aid contracts that covered about 260 hectares. About 20 hectares of forest was protected for 20 years and nature managements works were carried out on about 200 hectares.

9.1.2026 | Radical Health Festival, Europe’s leading health sector event, will take place in Helsinki from 19 to 21 January 2026, offering an international setting for leading health sector experts to discuss how to leverage artificial intelligence and data in healthcare. The event will gather professionals, decision-makers and businesses in the field to accelerate renewal in health and social services.

1.12.2022 | On Thursday 1 December, the Government appointed Kirsi Henriksson (MA) to continue as Director of the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) Finland. The post will be filled for the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.

8.12.2022 | The wellbeing services counties have been awarded discretionary government grants following the second application round for government grants under Finland’s Sustainable Growth Programme. In total, the counties have received nearly EUR 300 million in funding. Funding is directed especially to improving the availability and continuity of healthcare and social welfare services.

25.8.2025 | Speech by Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen at the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission on 25 August 2025 Publication date 25.8.2025 15.05 | Published in English on 31.10.2025 at 15.26 Type: Speech Distinguished Ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen, D...

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."

3.6.2022 | Children and young people are experiencing more mental strain than before, and as a result, their need for and use of services has also increased. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these problems, it is not the only reason for them. It is therefore necessary to gain an overall picture of the situation to find the best solutions and identify the social changes needed to help children, young people and young adults.

4.12.2025 | Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen hosted an informal meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the Nordic and Central Asian countries on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council in Vienna on 4 December 2025. The meeting brought together ministers or their representatives from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

1.2.2023 | Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen and Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs Tiago Antunes will meet in Helsinki on Thursday 2 February. Topics on the agenda for their meeting include security issues and preparations for the February Special European Council.

15.6.2023 | The Finnish Science Award 2023 has been awarded to Olli Ikkala, Professor of Physics at Aalto University. Ikkala’s research interest is to develop new functional materials that are often inspired by materials found in nature. Ikkala's internationally recognised career is based on a combination of profound multidisciplinary expertise, networking skills and an ability to train new researchers.

8.2.2024 | Last year, almost 10,000 hectares of forest habitats were protected under the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO. The ten-year environmental aid agreements concluded by Finnish forest owners covered more than 5,100 hectares of forest and about 4,300 hectares were protected permanently. Besides these, about 90 hectares were protected for 20 years and nature management work was carried out in an area of about 160 hectares.

17.9.2025 | Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand gave a keynote Address to the Institute of International and European Affairs on the 17th of September 2025 in Dublin, Ireland. Check against delivery.

12.1.2022 | The European Commission wants to increase opportunities for a successful social economy in Europe. The Commission’s interest in the matter is based on the benefits that the social economy can bring for employment and the economy as a whole. The Commission published its action plan for the social economy on 9 December 2021.

13.8.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of about EUR 16.6 billion for the Ministry and its administrative branch for 2021. This is about EUR 1.7 billion more than in the 2020 Budget. The increase is mainly due to the growth in unemployment and in the number of persons laid off. The coronavirus epidemic and the consequent weakening of public finances have a significant imp...

26.6.2023 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has invited Henrik Vuornos, Kirsi Hölttä, Katri Manninen, Mikko Martikkala and Tuomas Tikkanen to serve as his Special Advisers. Jori Arvonen will serve as Orpo’s State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs. The diplomatic advisers who will assist the Prime Minister in international affairs will be appointed later.