NordenBladet — On Friday 22 October, Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen will participate in the second day’s working session of NATO’s defence minister meeting, with the focus on geostrategic challenges and cooperation between the EU and NATO. “NATO is the key actor in advancing transatlantic and European security and stability. It is important for Finland to have regularly the opportunity to exchange views with NATO and its allies”, says Minister Kaikkonen.
In addition to the NATO countries, the Finnish and Swedish defence ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell have been invited to the meeting. The meeting will be held at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
The Head of the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mati Raidma will observe the elections in Uzbekistan on Sunday.
“In recent years, Uzbekistan has carried out several reforms, and the upcoming elections provide a great opportunity to show how these work in practice,” Raidma said. “The elections will be observed by MPs from a great number of countries, which is a testament to the readiness of the international community to support Uzbekistan and its people on their road towards democracy,” Raidma said. He added that the observers were naturally eager to assess the elections honestly and impartially.
Election observation missions have been an important part of OSCE’s activities since 1993. The missions monitor whether the elections are conducted legitimately and respect the democratic standards. Under the aegis of the OSCE PA, over 70 MPs from 24 national parliaments will be observing the elections. In total, the election observing mission in Uzbekistan will count over 300 participants.
For more information, please contact: Mati Raidma +372 507 4112
At today’s sitting of the Riigikogu, the Bill that will extend the duration of the procedure for payment of sickness benefits until the end of next year passed the first reading. According to the Bill, the sickness benefit is paid from the second day of their sick leave.
The Bill on Amendments to the Act on Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Other Acts, and the Act on Amendments to the Employment Contracts Act and Amendments to Other Associated Acts (456 SE), initiated by the Government of the Republic, will provide for continuing payment of sickness benefit until the end of 2022 from the second day of sick leave until the fifth day of sick leave by the employer, and from the sixth day of sick leave by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. Thus, the system that is currently in force, and according to which the first day of sick leave is the employee’s own liability, the second to fifth days are the employer’s liability and the liability of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund begins on the sixth day of sick leave, will continue until the end of 2022 pursuant to the Bill.
The explanatory memorandum notes that earlier compensation for days of sick leave enables people to remain at home already when the first symptoms of illness appear without losing significantly in income.
Implementation of the amendment will cause additional expenses of 19 million euro in 2022, of which 12.4 million euro will be covered form the state budget and the rest from the own resources of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund.
The Act is planned to be in force for a specified period of time, from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
During the debate, Jevgeni Ossinovski (Social Democratic Party), Oudekki Loone (Centre Party) and Mart Helme (Estonian Conservative People’s Party) took the floor.
NordenBladet — On 21 October 2021, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the new Act on interoperability of electronic road toll systems. The Act concerns amendments to the European electronic road toll system, and it does not oblige nor lead to the introduction of road toll systems in Finland.The Act is due to enter into force on 23 October 2021. Upon its entry into force, the new Act would repeal the current Act with the same name.The Act would implement the new Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of electronic road toll systems and facilitating cross-border exchange of information on the failure to pay road fees in the Union. The Directive applies mainly to the technical interoperability of electronic road toll systems.The legislative proposal on interoperability of electronic road toll systems does not implement the Government Programme’s objective of an act allowing congestion charging. That act will be prepared separately and the Ministry of Finance will be responsible for it.
NordenBladet — On 21 October 2021, the Government submitted a proposal to Parliament for an act amending the Act on Peak Load Reserve, which Secures a Balance between Electricity Production and Consumption. The content of the Act would be brought into line with the requirements of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the internal market for electricity in respect of resource adequacy assessment and introduction of capacity mechanisms.The objective of the proposal is to ensure the development of the peak-load reserve system so that it meets the new EU requirements on strategic reserves. The peak-load reserve system will continue to secure sufficient electricity supply during peak consumption in the winter season.In the future, the need for and volume of peak-load capacity would be assessed at least every two years. The assessment would be based on a national assessment under the Regulation on the internal market for electricity, which would supplement the European resource adequacy assessment. In addition, when determining the volume of peak-load capacity, the Energy Authority should take into account the target level of the security of electricity supply set by decision of the Government.Participation in peak-load reserve would be extended to cover, in addition to power plants and facilities capable of demand response, electricity storages that meet the technical requirements, and combinations thereof (aggregation). In contrast to previous practice, peak-load reserve must be reported to the European Commission as state aid. The Act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2022.
NordenBladet — The Government proposes that the Aviation Act and certain related acts be further specified to meet the recent developments in EU regulation, among other things. The key amendments proposed in the draft bill would clarify the powers of the aviation authorities and certain other aviation operators. The objective is to further improve safety in civil aviation.The draft bills would complement the powers of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom as the national civil aviation safety authority. The amendments would clarify the powers of the Transport and Communications Agency in terms of restricting the use of air traffic rights and implementing the EU Aviation Safety Regulation. In addition, the responsibility for awarding government grants to airports would be transferred from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to the Transport and Communications Agency.To make the airworthiness review of light aircraft simpler and smoother, airworthiness review staff would be authorised to grant review certificates. Currently the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency grants certificates on the review staff’s recommendation.The draft bill specifies in more detail certain roles and responsibilities concerning air navigation services and flight method design, and expands the right of aviation search and rescue service providers to obtain information necessary for completing the task in question. In addition, the carriage of passengers on historical aircraft should, in future, be reported to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency if such activities are not subject to other permit or reporting obligations.In this context, sanctioning in the aviation sector would be reviewed, including the elements of causing a traffic hazard as specified in the Criminal Code of Finland. According to the proposed amendment, unmanned aviation not complying with EU regulations would be considered a violation, and would have legal consequences. With regard to unmanned aviation, the Aviation Act would give certain operators the right to monitor unauthorised unmanned aircraft systems in areas such as airport surroundings.What next?The proposal for amendments submitted by the Government to Parliament on 21 October 2021 concerns the Aviation Act, the Act on Transport Services, the Act on Electronic Communications Services, the Criminal Code, and the Act on the Defence Forces.A preliminary debate will be held on the proposal in a plenary session. The timetable for the debate will be listed on Parliament’s website (upcoming plenary sessions).After the preliminary debate, the proposal will be referred to a committee. The committee drafts a report, which is then discussed in a plenary session.The aim is for the amendments to come into force no later than the beginning of 2022.
NordenBladet — The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Ships’ Crews and the Safety Management of Ships. The amendment would implement a Council Directive requirement that every fishing vessel must carry a crew list and its copy must be provided to the authorised persons ashore.The Government proposes that the obligation would apply only to vessels that have a hired crew. The amendment would not apply to self-employed persons engaged in fishing or to practitioners engaged in non-commercial fishing.The Government submitted its proposal to Parliament on 21 October 2021. The amendments are expected to enter into force on 19 December 2021, which is the closing date of the derogation Finland applies at the moment. Under the derogation, only fishing vessels exceeding 24 metres in length have been obligated to supply a crew list.What nextA referral debate will be held on the proposal now submitted by the Government to Parliament. The timetable for the debate will be listed on Parliament’s website (upcoming plenary sessions).After the referral debate, the proposal will be sent to the Transport and Communications Committee. Once the committee’s report is ready, the matter will be discussed in a plenary session again.
NordenBladet — A state-owned special assignment company named Työkanava Ltd will be established in Finland. Its task is to promote the employment of people with partial work ability who are in the most difficult labour market position. The company would support their skills so that the people could find employment in the open labour market after working at Työkanava.The establishment of the company is based on the aim of the Government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin to promote the employment of people with partial work ability and develop the intermediate job market in a new way.The proposal on this matter was submitted to Parliament on 21 October. The company is set to launch operations in 2022. Where applicable, the company has been modelled after Sweden’s Samhall, which has operated for a long time.“The right and opportunity to work according to their abilities is important not only for the people with partial work ability and but for the Finnish society as a whole. From this group of people, Työkanava Ltd will be able to employ the most disadvantaged people, whose employment prospects have so far not markedly improved despite different measures and services. The launch of the company is also proof that Finland is implementing its international obligations to the UN in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” says Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.Ownership steering for Työkanava Ltd is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Activities to start in stagesThe aim is for Työkanava Ltd to operate throughout the country, but the operations would start gradually. Työkanava could make use of existing services and work together with other intermediate labour market operators.Työkanava would be financed with an initial capital of EUR 20 million allocated to it in the Budget from the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland (EU Recovery and Resilience Facility RRF). In addition, the company would be provided with an annual appropriation of EUR 10 million, with the aim of employing 1,000 persons in the long term. The company would also generate income from selling its services. Employees to receive a job contract with Työkanava with the TE Office acting as public authorityEmployment with Työkanava Ltd would be the option of last resort when all other opportunities for finding employment have been exhausted. At present, the TE Offices have registered more than 30,000 unemployed jobseekers who have been diagnosed as having reduced capacity to work. Of them, the most disadvantaged are people who have an illness or disability and who are aged over 55 and have a low level of education.Employees would be hired directly by Työkanava under an employment contract. Their remuneration and other terms of employment would be determined under employment legislation and the applicable collective agreement.The company would have no public administration functions and it would not exercise public authority. The only avenue available to Työkanava in selecting employees would be the TE Office, which acts as a public authority. TE Office would direct people with partial work ability to employment with Työkanava Ltd in a centralised manner and based on the company’s needs.“Employers’ attitudes towards the employment of people with disabilities and long-term illnesses are increasingly more positive, and I am very pleased about it. People with partial work ability have a wide range of skills and their educational background is broad and diverse. We hope that Työkanava will further lower the threshold for employing people with partial work capacity,” Minister Haatainen says.Company’s services will be priced on market termsThe economic activities of Työkanava would be subject to the Competition Act, which lays down provisions on safeguarding equal operating conditions, i.e. ensuring competitive neutrality between public and private sector business activities. The company would operate in such a way that it does not distort competition relative to the service offering of entities active in the open market, such as companies and organisations. In practice, this means that the services provided by the company must be priced on market terms. Työkanava’s pricing and market share would be monitored by a separate advisory board, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment as part of its ownership steering. Työkanava is part of the Government’s employment measuresThe Government aims to reach an employment rate of 75% by the mid-2020s. This will require increased employment also among people with partial work ability. To achieve this goal and as part of the Government’s employment measures, a work ability programme is currently under way. It promotes the employment of people with partial work capacity and their wellbeing at work. Työkanava Ltd is one of the programme’s practical measures. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is also implementing a number of other measures to improve the employment of persons with partial work ability as part of the work ability programme. For example, TE Offices will recruit more work ability coordinators, and TE service pilots will improve the relevance of TE services to persons with partial work ability. In addition, the employment of people with partial work ability is also taken into consideration in the programme to accelerate employment through procurement and in the activities of the newly established centre of expertise for social enterprises.Besides the work ability programme, there are several major reforms underway to help unemployed people who are disadvantaged in the job market. Such reforms include the TE services reform where the responsibility for organising TE services will be transferred to municipalities in 2024, the introduction of the Nordic labour market service model, and the reform of the pay subsidy scheme.
NordenBladet — The universal speed of the universal service broadband, which refers to appropriate internet connections, will be increased from the current speed tier of 2 Mbit per second to 5 Mbit per second.The Finnish Government issued a Decree on the matter on 21 October 2021. The Decree will enter into force on 25 October 2021.However, under the Decree, for incoming internet traffic, the minimum speed should be at least 3.5 Mbit/s, the normal speed at least 4.5 Mbit/s and the maximum speed at least 5 Mbit/s.Minimum speed refers to the minimum speed of a subscriber connection, which is almost always maintained. Normal speed is the speed that is maintained in 90 per cent of cases during each four-hour measurement period. Maximum speed refers to a speed that is maintained at least for part of the time.What is a universal service broadband?Universal service is the last-resort safety net guaranteeing access to basic services if market-based solutions are not available. The universal service is available for consumers and micro-enterprises.The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency may designate a telecom operator for the role of a universal service enterprise within a certain geographical area. At the moment, universal service enterprises have mainly been designated in sparsely populated areas in northern Lapland and near the eastern border of Finland.
NordenBladet — The Government proposes an amendment to the Non-Military Service Act to clarify the status of persons who have refused non-military service and have received a sentence. Those who have been acquitted by a court would no longer be ordered back into service during peacetime.In Finland, persons liable for military service must complete either military service or non-military service. A person can apply for non-military service for reasons of conscience based on conviction. In the Act, a person liable for non-military service means a person whose non-military service application has been approved.If a person liable for non-military service refuses non-military service, the Centre for Non-Military Service will submit a report of an offence to the police and the matter will be referred to a prosecutor. Under the current legislation, if a court dismisses charges against a person for refusing non-military service, the Centre for Non-Military Service must order the person back into service.After the legislative amendment, such persons would no longer be ordered back into service during peacetime. The amendment would improve the legal protection of those liable for non-military service. It would also save the resources of the judiciary and the Centre for Non-Military Service.The Government gave the proposal concerning amendments to the Conscription Act and the Non-Military Service Act to Parliament on 21 October 2021. An amendment to the Non-Military Service Act is included in the Government proposal as an annexed Act. The legislative amendments are due to enter into force on 1 January 2022.
