NordenBladet — In June, the Ministry of the Interior set up a project to define long-term objectives for Finland’s comprehensive migration policy. As part of the project, citizens and immigrants are now invited to express their views on the subject.In the survey, respondents are asked to offer their views on what kind of migration policy Finland needs. Ideas and suggestions for migration policy improvement may be strategic or very concrete. Respondents are asked to provide short arguments for their views. The survey closes on 30 November.Migration policy is a broad policy sector. Its purpose is for example to provide guidelines for labour migration from abroad, the grounds for granting asylum or a residence permit, the processes that immigrants undergo when they come to Finland, and the integration services offered.With a comprehensive migration policy that involves cooperation and engagement of the different players and organisations in the field, the Ministry of the Interior wants to bring together various parties’ views and outline common objectives. The Ministry invites all sectors of society to express their views during this project.
NordenBladet — The President of the Republic appointed a new non-resident ambassador on Friday 4 November.The President of the Republic authorised Ambassador Leena Pylvänäinen, Head of the Finnish Embassy in Abuja, to represent Finland also in Liberia.
NordenBladet —According to Statistics Iceland, the third quarter of 2021 saw a record number of births in over a decade.
Between July and September 2021, a total of 1310 children were born in Iceland, increasing the population by 3260 to a total of 374,830 people.
Out of the population, inhabitants in the Reykjavík capital region numbered 240,000, while 134,780 people are living in other parts of the country.
During the third quarter, roughly 2530 people migrated to Iceland. Net migration for Icelandic citizens was 340, while it was 2190 for foreign nationals. Immigrants of Icelandic citizenship during this period mainly came from Denmark, Norway, or Sweden, with the most non-Icelandic migrants coming from Poland.
For people emigrating, the largest group of foreign citizens moved to Poland, while Sweden was the most popular destination for Icelandic citizens to move to.
Today, the Estonian Delegation to the Baltic Assembly (BA) participates in the 40th Session of the Baltic Assembly and the 27th Baltic Council, where an overview of the achievements of Lithuania’s presidency is presented and the Resolution of the Session will be adopted. At the end of the session, Lithuania will pass the presidency on to Latvia, and the new President of the BA will be elected.
Head of the Estonian Delegation to the BA Aadu Must said that the Lithuanian presidency took place during complicated times when, besides the coronavirus problem that was already demanding lots of attention and work, it became necessary to face a hybrid attack overnight. “First Lithuania, and shortly afterwards Latvia as well became victims of an attack by Lukashenka’s regime, when their borders were literally flooded with people who had arrived from third countries at the connivance of the Belarusian authorities. We understand the effort dealing with it all has required from our neighbours, and it is all the more gratifying to note that Lithuania has not cut any corners in its presidency of the Baltic Assembly, and the work of the Committees and the Presidium has proceeded as planned. I would like to express great gratitude and recognition to Lithuania and to the President of the BA Andrius Kupčinskas,” Must said.
Deputy Head of the Estonian BA delegation Sven Sester highlighted energy as one of the important topics of the Assembly’s work. “From the point of view of security and also people’s daily lives, synchronising power networks with Europe and disconnecting them from Russia is becoming increasingly important. This is not easy, and should be done by 2025. Lithuania has done an excellent job in keeping that issue in focus during its presidency of the BA, and our three countries will certainly complete this major joint task without any problems. At today’s meetings, we will also discuss what the electricity trade in the Baltic States will be like after 2025,” Sester said.
President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas will also deliver a speech at the BA Session. He thinks that in complicated times, there is no place for managing on your own. In his opinion, it is time to recall again how we supported each other through difficult times, striving for freedom and ready to do our utmost for a common goal. Ratas said that our common important areas of cooperation were security, the digital transition and environmental protection, as well as fight against hybrid attacks.
At the 40th Session of the BA and the sitting of the 27th Baltic Council, the report of Lithuania’s presidency will be presented, cooperation in reopening the region will be discussed, and energy security and the role of the Baltic States in resolving security issues on the external borders of the EU will be spoken about. The Joint Statement of the Baltic Council will be signed, and the BA Resolution and the Final Document of the 40th Session will be adopted. At the Session, Lithuania will pass the presidency of the BA on to Latvia.
Today’s session of the Baltic Assembly is attended by Deputy Head of the Estonian delegation Sven Sester and members of the delegation Erki Savisaar, Helle-Moonika Helme, Andres Metsoja and Kalvi Kõva.
NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Haavisto will meet the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs in Helsinki on 9 November.The Ministers will discuss bilateral relations, the COVID-19 situation, regional questions and international issues, such as transatlantic relations and Afghanistan. “It is important to exchange views on current issues with our close neighbour Latvia,” Minister Haavisto says.During his visit to Finland, Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs will also have a meeting with the Speaker of Parliament Anu Vehviläinen and Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen.
NordenBladet — The first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines donated by Finland have been mobilised. The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated to developing countries arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’ Ivoire, on Thursday 4 November. Based on a joint decision by the EU, vaccines are distributed through COVAX, the global mechanism for equitable access to the vaccines.Côte d’Ivoire will receive 98,400 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines donated by Finland. From now on, Finland will donate vaccines to different parts of the world on a weekly basis. During the autumn, Finland will donate approximately 3.65 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 to lower-income and middle-income countries. In September, the Government decided to donate three million Astra Zeneca and 650,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses. The total value of these vaccines is EUR 10 million. Finland, together with the other EU Member States and the European Commission, is committed to solidarity in action against the pandemic through the EU’s Team Europe package. The aim of the Team Europe collaboration is to donate 250 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines before the turn of the year to the COVAX vaccine delivery mechanism. Finland emphasises that it is important to direct vaccines via the COVAX AMC (Advanced Market Commitment) mechanism to areas where they are needed most, such as Africa. “Finland considers global vaccine solidarity very important. In order to help the poorest countries and to prevent the global spread of the disease, it is essential to support the availability of vaccines. This will also promote Finland’s health security and the recovery of the world economy,” says Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari.Donations do not influence the availability of vaccines in Finland. In the early stages of the pandemic, Finland reserved COVID-19 vaccines from the EU’s package of vaccine procurements in excess of its national needs. The vaccines that Finland will donate will be delivered directly from the international pharmaceutical manufacturers to the countries in question. The distribution of vaccines is coordinated by the global COVAX Facility. It is the most important channel for multilateral cooperation aiming to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines. The COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), which is a separate entity under COVAX, supports especially the availability of vaccines in lower-income and middle-income countries. The COVAX Facility is administered by the vaccine alliance GAVI in partnership with the World Health Organization WHO and the World Bank, among others.The EU is one of the main supporters of the COVAX Facility. Finland supports the COVAX AMC mechanism through EU cooperation, that is, Team Europe collaboration, donating vaccines to lower-income and middle-income countries.
NordenBladet — The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published Finland’s national follow-up report on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), which reviews and appraises Finland’s ageing policy. The report also describes the development work carried out in Finland and links it to the international context.The ageing policy implemented in Finland, its objectives and contents, are largely in line with the UN objectives. The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) encourages Member States to adopt a participatory ‘bottom-up’ approach involving civil society and older people themselves when preparing national reports.The purpose is to assist Member States in receiving feedback on the policies and programmes they have implemented. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requested opinions on the follow-up report from various ministries and expert organisations as well as representatives of the municipal sector, non-governmental organisations, interest groups and labour market organisations. A total of 26 out of 31 organisations that received the request for an opinion responded.National reports are an important part of the review and appraisal of ageing policy and provide the basis for a regional summary report on the implementation of the MIPAA. Following the review and appraisal at the national level, the UN Regional Commissions will coordinate the consolidation of information at the regional level. The review and appraisal processes will culminate in a global review by the UN Commission for Social Development (CSocD).The follow-up report is based on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid in April 2002. A national reporting round on the implementation of the MIPAA and the attainment of its objectives is organised every five years to review and appraise national ageing policies. The UN Economic Commission for Europe monitors the implementation of the MIPAA.
NordenBladet — The fourth supplementary budget proposal for 2021 will reduce the central government’s net borrowing requirement for this year by approximately EUR 2.2 billion. The proposal takes into account changes in needs estimates resulting from the economic upturn and increases in tax revenue estimates. On the whole, the supplementary budget proposal envisages a reduction of approximately EUR 249 million in appropriations for 2021. In addition, the supplementary budget proposes increasing the tax revenue estimate by EUR 1.5 billion.The supplementary budget proposal proposes allocations to several areas. The proposed allocations take into account the necessary spending needs arising from COVID-19, other necessary spending needs in the administrative branches, compensation for the fall in gambling proceeds, and proposals related to the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland. Economic growth has led to increased tax revenueEconomic growth has seen a relatively strong recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, which is also reflected in central government tax revenue. The Government proposes increasing the tax revenue estimate by EUR 1.5 billion. The most significant single positive change concerns taxes on earned income and capital income, the estimated accrual of which will be increased by EUR 1.2 billion.Based on the updated macroeconomic forecast and accrual data, corporate tax revenue is expected to grow by EUR 123 million, value-added tax revenue by EUR 536 million and transfer tax revenue by EUR 105 million. The estimate for inheritance and gift tax revenue has been reduced by EUR 90 million, while the estimate of revenue from the tobacco tax has been reduced by EUR 106 million. In addition, car tax revenue is projected to be EUR 261 million lower than previously budgeted.An increase of EUR 412.5 million is proposed for the estimate of miscellaneous revenue. The most significant factors behind the proposal are EUR 271 million in revenue from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and emission allowance trading income, the estimate for which will be increased by EUR 148 million due to an increase in the price of emission allowances.Additional expenditure still needed to deal with effects of COVID-19Approximately EUR 23.2 million is proposed to support the operations of cargo and passenger shipping companies, which means that the amount of support for 2021 will rise to approximately EUR 69.5 million. The goal of this support is to safeguard Finland’s essential transport connections, security of supply and foreign trade transport and to guarantee regular freight and passenger transport as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.An appropriation of EUR 100 million is proposed for implementing the fifth application round for business cost support. A sum of EUR 13.8 million is proposed for safeguarding flight connections to regional airports.An increase of EUR 23 million is proposed for the operating costs of the courts, the National Prosecution Authority, private legal counsels and the Criminal Sanctions Agency to cover the costs arising from the COVID-19 situation. A total of approximately EUR 10.4 million is proposed for the police, the Border Guard, rescue services and the Emergency Response Centre Administration to cover the costs arising from COVID-19. To mitigate the losses caused by the reduction in income from student fees and to compensate for the additional costs of health-secure teaching arrangements due to COVID-19, approximately EUR 6.8 million is proposed for providers of basic art education who receive central government grants based on the number of hours of instruction.EUR 29 million is proposed to cover the continuation of the right of entrepreneurs and self-employed persons to labour market support and the increase in the exempt amount of unemployment security from 1 September to 30 November 2021. This means that the changes made to unemployment security due to the COVID-19 pandemic will therefore continue until 30 November 2021 continue until 30 November 2021.A total increase of EUR 3.7 million is proposed for the operating costs of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The increase is due to the costs of maintaining COVID-19 testing capacity, monitoring genetic variation in virus strains and communication efforts aimed at improving vaccine coverage.The Government also proposes a number of smaller appropriations for different agencies, institutions and operators to offset operating costs arising from the COVID-19 outbreak. Decrease in gambling proceeds to be compensated for this yearVeikkaus Oy’s revenue estimate for 2021 has decreased from the previously announced EUR 740 million to EUR 700 million, which means that the central government’s proceeds from gambling activities are expected to fall by around EUR 40 million this year from the level that was expected at the time of drawing up the 2021 budget. This decline will be compensated in its entirety from budget funds within the spending limits. Of the diminished proceeds, EUR 21.2 million will allocated to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture, EUR 17.2 million to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and EUR 1.6 million to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Compensation for the decline in proceeds from gambling activities for 2022 will be agreed on in an amendment to the supplementary budget proposal.Expenditure related to the Sustainable Growth Programme for FinlandThe fourth supplementary budget proposal for 2021 includes a total of EUR 3.86 million in expenditure under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which consists mainly of administrative resources for the mobilisation of investments and an advance payment to Åland. These are costs associated with implementing the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Plan for Finland.Other changes included in the supplementary budget proposalThe proposal includes many specifications to needs assessments and changes to the timing of projects. A reduction of EUR 217 million is proposed in central government transfers to cover the costs of unemployment security due to an increase in the employment rate. A reduction of EUR 40 million is proposed for the central government’s share of the costs arising from the Health Insurance Act. The need for the reduction is due to a lower than expected number of COVID-19 tests reimbursed by health insurance, among other factors. A reduction of EUR 14 million in the appropriation reserved for the costs of family benefits is proposed due to a more accurate needs assessment. A reduction of EUR 30 million in the appropriation for basic social assistance expenditure is proposed as a result of the upturn in the economic situation and the drop unemployment.A reduction of EUR 65 million is proposed for the central government share of expenditure arising from the National Pensions Act, as the number of beneficiaries has been lower than anticipated. An increase of EUR 30 million is proposed for the costs of the general housing allowance due to a higher number of beneficiaries than expected.An increase of EUR 12.6 million is proposed for the exclusive ODA budget item administered by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs due to Finland’s COVID-19 vaccine donations. Finland is participating in the donations with earmarked support via the COVAX AMC Facility administered by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The condition for support is the purchase of vaccines from Finland’s quota. The increase will be allocated as earmarked support tied to vaccines purchased by Finland as part of the EU’s joint vaccine procurement. A corresponding amount will be deducted from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s vaccine procurement item. As the State of Finland has committed to paying for the procured vaccines in any case, the effect of the arrangement on central government expenditure will be neutral or nearly neutral.A total of EUR 30.6 million is proposed for the police to safeguard operations and combat crime targeting critical sectors, and for a project aiming to uncover corruption and improve the efficiency of investigative support.An additional appropriation of EUR 65 million is proposed for the Border Guard for the procurement of two offshore patrol vessels in 2021. Within the framework of total funding, the Border Guard is entitled to conclude a contract on two new offshore patrol vessels, provided that the overall value of the contract does not exceed EUR 325 million by 2026. The previous appropriation is not enough to procure new Turva-class offshore patrol vessels, above all because of the increase in the market prices of raw materials and components caused by the pandemic.To compensate for the costs of the wildfires in Kalajoki, a grant of EUR 1.6 million is proposed for the Jokilaaksot Rescue Department.An additional appropriation of EUR 7.6 million is proposed for the Governing Body of Suomenlinna for the renovation and maintenance of facilities and real estate assets.An allocation totalling approximately EUR 4 million is proposed for the Finnish Food Authority for the agency’s work to combat food chain crime, for developing the supervision of distance sales and as compensation for the effects of the IHN fish disease.The following revisions are proposed to the authorisations for previously decided projects: The authorisation for the project to improve the Luumäki—Imatra—Russian border rail link will be revised by EUR 15 million (from EUR 195 million to EUR 210 million) in order to achieve the quality objectives set for the rail structure in the project. The authorisation for the project to deepen the fairway to Ajos in Kemi will be revised by EUR 15.2 million (from EUR 26.5 million to EUR 41.7 million) due to an increase in the cost estimate. The authorisation for the project to improve main road 68 and construct a new overpass in Kolppi, Pedersöre will be revised by EUR 1.2 million (from EUR 5 million to EUR 6.2 million) due to an increase in the cost estimate. The authorisation for the project to improve the Oulu—Kemi intersections on main road 4 in Simo will be revised by EUR 5 million (from EUR 20 million to EUR 25 million) due to an increase in the cost estimate.An increase of EUR 2 million is proposed to the support for building electric car charging infrastructure network for residential buildings, and an increase of EUR 10 million from the Housing Fund of Finland is proposed to the authorisation for energy grants aimed at promoting energy efficiency in limited liability housing companies.EUR 2 million will be allocated for advancing the support functions of the RYHTI built environment information system project.Impact on central government debt and the balance of central government financesTaking into account the increase of approximately EUR 1.9 billion in actual revenues and the decrease of approximately EUR 249 million in appropriations, the fourth supplementary budget proposal for 2021 will reduce the central government’s net borrowing requirement by EUR 2.2 billion. An increase of EUR 534 million will be entered under debt management items, because low interest rates have generated issue premiums when loans have been issued in 2021. Taking into account the difference between revenue and expenditure and the debt management items included in the fourth supplementary budget proposal, a total of EUR 2.7 billion will be entered as a deduction in nominal net borrowing, bringing the amount of net borrowing at nominal value to EUR 11.7 billion in 2021.The amount of Government debt at the end of 2021 is estimated to be approximately EUR 136 billion, which is around 55 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
NordenBladet — The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As a result of changes in the epidemiological situation in the region of Kymenlaakso, the restrictions for the community transmission phase will be applied to food and beverage service businesses in the region.The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 5 November 2021.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions of Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Päijät-Häme, Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso, which are all at the community transmission phase of the epidemic, from 5 NovemberFood and beverage service businesses may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 00.00 and be open between 5.00 and 1.00.Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have only half the normal number of customer seats in use in their indoor and outdoor premises. Other food and beverage service are restricted to 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats indoors.All customers must have their own seats at a table or similar in indoor premises.Businesses who require all customers to present a COVID-19 passport are exempt from the restrictions.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses elsewhere in the country, i.e. in the regions where the epidemic is at the acceleration or baseline phase, from 5 NovemberThere are no separate restrictions on the number of customers or on licensing and opening hours.The obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance applies in all regions.Exceptions to restrictions remain unchangedThe restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers. The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
NordenBladet — On 3 November, 86 per cent of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination in Finland, i.e. people who are 12 years of age or over, had received at least one vaccine dose and 79 per cent two vaccine doses. According to the current estimate, Finland will achieve 80 per cent vaccination coverage by the end of this week.Between 28 October and 3 November, the uptake of the first vaccine dose grew by 0.3 percentage points and the uptake of the second dose by 1.6 percentage points. On 3 November, a total of 102,491 people had received their third vaccine dose.Altogether 83 new COVID-19 inpatients were admitted to specialised healthcare between 25 and 31 October. Last week, 12 new COVID-19 inpatients were admitted to intensive care, while in the preceding week, the figure was 22. At the end of last week, the total number of patients in specialised healthcare was 97, of whom 74 were in inpatient care and 23 in intensive care. At the end of the week which started on 18 October, there were a total of 119 inpatients in specialised healthcare. On 3 November 2021, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths reported to the communicable diseases register was 1,176.Over the last two-week period (18–31 October), unvaccinated people between the ages of 12 and 79 with COVID-19 were admitted to specialised healthcare 12 times more often than those in the same age group who had been vaccinated twice. The risk of being admitted to specialised healthcare has been highest among unvaccinated people aged 40−69. The incidence of new COVID-19 cases over the last two-week period was 141 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period (4–17 October), the figure was 143. A total of new 4,124 COVID-19 cases were reported in Finland between 25 and 31 October, while in the preceding week, the figure was 3,682. About 77,000 COVID-19 tests were taken last week, and the proportion of positive cases of all samples taken was 5.4 per cent. In the previous week, the figure was 4.8 per cent. The epidemiological situation is monitored weekly. The situational picture is updated weekly on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. From now on, an extensive monitoring report will be published on the Institute’s webpage ‘Monitoring reports on the hybrid strategy’ every other week on Thursday afternoons.
