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4.12.2025 | The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of the Environment have begun legislative drafting to ensure consistent and predictable application of the obligations under the Birds Directive. The need to amend the Forest Act and the Nature Conservation Act stems from a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union on felling trees during the period of bird breeding and rearing.

5.2.2025 | The Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO (2008–2025) has had a positive impact on forest biodiversity. This is the conclusion of the independent final evaluation of the programme. A working group of the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is preparing the next period of the programme that will start in 2026.

12.11.2025 | The Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO has established its position as part of nature conservation in Finland. The programme has developed a high-quality network of protected areas that already covers almost 100,000 hectares. The closing seminar of the programme period 2008–2025 presented some of the success stories of the widely appreciated METSO Programme.

13.11.2025 | With a budget of almost EUR 28 million, the ACWA LIFE project is one of the most significant projects during the history of water resources management in Finland. The eight-year project to be started in the beginning of 2026 will improve the status of waters by enhancing river basin management planning and actions based on this in five areas.

17.12.2025 | The organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will be reformed, with the new organisational structure taking effect in the beginning of 2026. The reform was based on the Ministry’s strategy, where the aim is that Finland will be a leading country in a sustainable bioeconomy by 2035.

12.5.2021 | On 12 May, the Government approved the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2022-2025. The Plan includes the decision on spending limits for central government finances.

12.3.2025 | The last projects of the Catch the Carbon package of climate measures ended at the end of 2024. The implementation of the knowledge and climate change resilient solutions produced in the package of 180 measures will continue and be further intensified through cooperation in different parts of the country. The processes to support this include the activities of the National Climate Unit of the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres).

29.4.2025 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government, Finland vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 VALTIONEUVOSTO PL 23, 00023 Valtioneuvosto vn.fi p. 0295 16001 1(11) Government discussions on the General Government Fiscal Plan 22–23 April 2025 Entries in t...

22.11.2024 | Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland Sari Essayah met Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Portugal José Manuel Fernandes in Helsinki on 22 November. The bilateral meeting between the ministers was part of Minister Fernandes’s programme of his visit to Finland. During the visit, Minister Fernandes met various representatives of the administrative branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

26.1.2026 | EU:s jordbruksministrar samlades till det första mötet i rådet för jordbruk och fiske under Cyperns ordförandeskap i Bryssel den 26 januari 2026. Rådet diskuterade EU:s nya bioekonomistrategi och kommissionens förslag till förenkling av lagstiftningen om ekologisk produktion och livsmedels- och fodersäkerhet. Jord- och skogsbruksminister Sari Essayah representerade Finland vid mötet.

9.10.2024 | On 9 October 2024, the Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy discussed and supported the new outlines for the ownership policy concerning Metsähallitus for 2024–2027. Besides the reconciliation of different needs, new objectives have also been included. Among the topics concerned are the economic benefit from the operations of Metsähallitus to the State and promotion of biodiversity and renewable energy.

11.9.2024 | FINNISH GOVERNMENT PO BOX 23, 00023 GOVERNMENT, FINLAND vn.fi/en Tel. +358 295 16001 1(8) Budget session of Prime Minister Orpo’s Government 3 September 2024 Government’s fiscal policy line The priorities of the Government’s economic policy are ec...

25.1.2024 | Today, on 25 January 2024, the Government has appointed M.Sc. (agriculture and forestry) Pekka Pesonen to the post of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the period from 1 February 2024 to 31 January 2029. The term of the current Permanent Secretary Jaana Husu-Kallio ends on 31 January 2024.

26.10.2023 | On 26 October 2023, the Government appointed Timo Jaatinen, Master of Social Sciences, as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment for the period of 6 November 2023–5 November 2028.

14.12.2023 | An extensive network of Finnish research institutes, public administration, companies and foundations was successful in an application for funding for climate projects under the EU LIFE Programme. The project ‘Accelerating Climate Efforts and Low-carbon Investments’ (ACE) will get started in the beginning of 2024 with a budget of EUR 20 million. The funding will support climate investments in Finland, with the aim to further increase these.

29.6.2023 | In its plenary session on 29 June, the Government appointed Päivi Nerg (Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry), Laura Rissanen (Master of Social Sciences), Timo Jaatinen (Master of Social Sciences), Elina Laavi (Master of Public Administration), Juha Martelius (Doctor of Social Sciences) and Teija Makkonen (Master of Military Science, Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Administrative Sciences) to serve as state secretaries.

29.6.2023 | In its plenary session on 29 June, the Government appointed Päivi Nerg (Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry), Laura Rissanen (Master of Social Sciences), Timo Jaatinen (Master of Social Sciences), Elina Laavi (Master of Public Administration), Juha Martelius (Doctor of Social Sciences) and Teija Makkonen (Master of Military Science, Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Administrative Sciences) to serve as state secretaries.

23.11.2023 | On 23 November 2023, the Government adopted a resolution on launching an auction procedure concerning offshore wind power sites located in the public water areas of Finland. 

23.11.2023 | The economic and employment situation in the regions has deteriorated and near-term expectations in many regions are more negative than before. However, the depressed economic trend is expected to be short-lived, with the outlook for the autumn of next year already looking brighter. This data comes from the publication Regional Development Prospects for autumn 2023, the results of which were presented at the Aluekehittämispäivät event in Lahti on 23 November.

14.7.2023 | At its plenary session on Friday 14 July, the Government appointed ministerial working groups of Prime Minister Orpo's Government. The ministerial working groups were appointed for a sustainable welfare society; employment and entrepreneurship; clean energy, the environment and security of supply; internal security and administration of justice; children, youth and families; physically active lifestyles and functional capacity; and social transformation.