NordenBladet — The Ministry of Defence has authorised the Defence Forces to sign an agreement with BAE Systems Hägglunds Ab, Sweden, to implement a mid-life extension of the Army’s infantry fighting vehicles CV9030. The prototype and test series will be upgraded first while the remaining life-cycle upgrades will be carried out in 2022.
The Army procured the infantry fighting vehicles between 2002 and 2007, and the agreement will ensure their usability and lifecycle until 2035. The supplier is obliged to have the assembly work of the serial production phase carried out by a Finnish subcontractor. This will strengthen the domestic security of supply. The domestic employment effect will be approximately 23 person-years.
The overall value of the procurement with options is about EUR 33 million excluding value added tax. The procurement will be financed by the funds for defence materiel procurement that are budgeted for this purpose.
NordenBladet — On 23 June, the Ministry of the Interior sent out for comments draft legislative amendments that would support preparedness for a possible mass influx of migrants. The need for change has been identified in the development work that the authorities have been carrying out since 2015.The reception act would clarify the coordination of preparedness for a mass influx of migrants. The Finnish Immigration Service is responsible for the reception system for asylum seekers. In the event of a mass influx of migrants, the Finnish Immigration Service has the lead in operational responsibility in this respect. Therefore, provisions on its coordinating role and tasks should be laid down at the level of an act of Parliament too.Low number of new asylum applicationsA mass influx of migrants is a situation in which reception centres for asylum seekers, including additional accommodation, are reaching maximum capacity and there is a constant influx of new migrants, with more arriving than leaving the country. Such a situation may arise gradually or abruptly, because of the massive displacement of people from a country towards Finland, for example.Jorma Kantola, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 215, [email protected]
NordenBladet — The Government submitted its Annual Climate Report to Parliament on Wednesday 23 June. According to the report, Finland’s emissions declined in the exceptional year, but achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 will require more and faster action also after the pandemic.“We are going in the right direction, but new climate measures are needed. We are currently preparing our most important climate plans: the Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan that extends until 2035, the Climate and Energy Strategy and the climate change plan for the land-use sector. In this work, we must find measures that will enable us to achieve Finland’s goal of being carbon neutral in 2035. It is also important to ensure that the climate measures are implemented in a way that is fair,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Krista Mikkonen says.The Government’s objective is that Finland will be carbon neutral by 2035 and carbon negative shortly thereafter. Carbon neutrality means that emissions and the sinks that sequester carbon are in balance, i.e. emissions caused by human activity are calculated to be as high as greenhouse gas removals. Carbon negativity means a situation in which greenhouse gas removals are higher than greenhouse gas emissions.A key factor for the carbon neutrality target is the expected number of carbon sinks in 2035, which determines the magnitude of the required emissions reductions. If a net sink of 21 million tonnes is aimed for in the land use sector in 2035, emissions should likewise decrease from the current 48 million tonnes to 21 million tonnes. The current measures are estimated to cover about 16 million tonnes of the necessary emissions reductions of 27 million tonnes, which means that 11 million tonnes will remain as an emissions gap. Considerable reductions in emissions trading sector in 2020, small reductions in other sectorsAccording to the preliminary data of Statistics Finland, the total emissions in Finland declined by about 9% from the previous year. In the emissions trading sector the reduction was almost 16% and in the non-emissions trading sectors the emissions decreased by 3%, which slightly exceeded the EU’s annual emission allocation for Finland in 2020.The emissions trading scheme covers electricity production and the majority of district heat production, metal production, pulp and paper industry, chemical industry, construction industry and air transport. Sectors and operations not covered by the scheme include road transport, agriculture and heating of individual buildings.The decrease in emissions was a result of the warm winter, recent structural changes in electricity production and a decrease in emissions from the transport sector. The land use sector’s carbon sinks increased while felling of forests declined, which was also relevant for the climate.Finns are consuming moreAccording to the calculations of the Finnish Environment Institute, emissions from household consumption declined between 2010 and 2015, but have remained at around the same level since then. Consumption-based emissions include emissions arising in Finland from the production of goods and services as well as overseas emissions from the production chains of imported goods. Emissions from export production chains are deducted in the calculation of consumption-related emissions. There has been an overall increase in emissions from consumption of 4% since 2000. The primary factor explaining this rise is income level: the more money people have, the more they usually consume. The increase in consumption expenditure has been partly compensated by lower-emission products and services.Decline in transport sector emissionsIn 2020, emissions from the transport sector in Finland decreased by 6% from the previous year. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, contributed to the decline in emissions from the transport sector as there was a decrease in driving distances. The target set in the Government Programme is for transport sector emissions to be halved from 2005 levels by 2030. Transport sector emissions are declining too slowly in relation to the target: the existing measures are expected to reduce emissions to 7.9 million tonnes, but emissions should decrease to 6.3 million tonnes. In May 2021, the Government adopted a resolution on a roadmap for fossil-free transport to achieve this target.Emissions from agriculture remain unchangedAccording to preliminary data, emissions from agriculture in 2020 remained the same as the previous year. The current measures included in the Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan are expected to lead to a slight downward trend in emissions from the agriculture sector. The EU Common Agricultural Policy is currently being revised for the next funding period. Measures to reduce emissions will be re-examined in connection with this. The EU’s obligation to Member States is to allocate 30% of rural development funds to environmental and climate measures at the national level.Discontinuation of oil heating will drive down emissions caused by heating of individual buildings Emissions from the heating of individual buildings have been on a downward trend in recent years due to the reduction of oil heating and improvement in the energy efficiency of buildings. Emissions from individual buildings are mainly caused by oil heating. The action plan for phasing out fossil fuel oil in heating was on a consultation round in spring 2021. Newly introduced subsidies will be used to speed up discontinuation of oil use in residential properties.Adaptation measures need to be expedited Accelerating global warming highlights the need to expedite the measures to prepare for change. An update to Finland’s National Climate Change Adaptation Plan will be launched under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2021. The aim of the implementation of the adaptation plan is to reduce the harmful effects of climate change on people’s safety, health and living conditions, nature and other environments, livelihoods, infrastructure and society’s important functions.A knowledge base of the impacts and risks of climate change and methods to prepare for these are being developed in several currently ongoing research projects. Finland’s ability to prepare for climate change will improve by strengthening broad-based cooperation, forging partnerships and developing climate-resilient solutions.Annual Climate Reports are based on the Climate Change ActThe Annual Climate Reports are based on the Climate Change Act that entered into force in 2015. This is the third annual report. The Annual Climate Reports follow the achievement of Finland’s emission reduction targets. They contain information on the trends in the emissions and sinks in Finland. They also deal with climate change adaptation and the impacts of the envisaged policy measures on emissions. The reports also consider whether new measures are needed to achieve the objectives set.To make it more comprehensive, the content of this Annual Climate Report has been developed on the basis of reports issued by Parliament and feedback received from various stakeholders. The Annual Climate Report provides extensive information on emissions trends and topical issues related to climate policy. In addition to the effort sharing sector, the emissions trading and land use sectors are also examined.Parliament will start the discussions on the Annual Climate Report after the summer holidays.
NordenBladet — Knowledge, techniques and skills related to hand-made glass are being prepared to be submitted to the UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Besides Finland, the multinational application coordinated by France includes Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic.The application has been under preparation since 2017 and is to be submitted to UNESCO in March 2022. A decision on the possible inscription to the list will be given in December 2023.In Finland, the multinational application is supported by eight different entities operating in the glass industries and twelve glass studios. The Finnish Glass Museum is the responsible party for all the entities in the glass industries. The Finnish Glass Museum, appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, is a museum with national responsibility, specialising in glass production, glass manufacturing and the history of glass artwork.UNESCO World Heritage Convention safeguards cultural heritageFinland signed the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. The Convention promotes the protection of intangible cultural heritage and makes visible the diverse cultural traditions of people, communities and groups. The Finnish Heritage Agency is in charge of implementing the Convention in Finland.Based on the Convention, an inventory of cultural heritage is kept both nationally and internationally. UNESCO keeps two lists of intangible cultural heritage and a register on the best safeguarding practices.
NordenBladet — Since 19 October 2020, ELY Centres have been able to grant business development aid as temporary State aid under the Finnish COVID-19 aid scheme. In addition, aid has been granted to small companies that have been in difficulties before 1 January 2020. The Government will continue the temporary amendments until 31 December 2021. This will enable support for business development projects not only during the coronavirus crisis but also during the gradual transition towards normal conditions.More information on the granting of business development aid as temporary State aid and for small companies in difficulty is available on a previous press release by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Commission approved extension to Finland’s aid scheme and an increase to maximum aid under temporary State aid in March The Government’s decision to extend the temporary amendments are based on the European Commission’s decision on 28 January 2021 to extend the temporary State aid rules until the end of this year. At the same time, the Commission decided to raise the maximum amount that a company can receive as temporary State aid to EUR 1.8 million from EUR 800,000. With its decision on 10 March 2021, the Commission confirmed that Finland’s COVID-19 aid scheme will be extended until 31 December 2021 and that the company-specific maximum amount of State aid under the aid scheme will be EUR 1.8 million. The increase, which entered into force in March, applies to business development aid granted by the ELY Centres as State aid under Finland’s aid scheme.The State aid scheme involves a temporary easing of State aid rules due to the coronavirus epidemic. Aid granted under the aid scheme may be granted in addition to de minimis aid. In other words, a company can receive both forms of aid. In calculating the maximum amount of aid per company, all aid granted by Finnish authorities under the aid scheme must be taken into account.Companies apply for business development aid at ELY CentresELY Centres grant business development aid to SMEs for their development measures and investments. These companies include start-ups or those looking to reform or grow. A particular focus is on internationalisation.More detailed information on applying for business development aid on ELY Centre website
NordenBladet — On 17 June, the Government submitted to Parliament a government proposal for a new act on executive assistance to the police by the Defence Forces. The key points of the proposal relate to the preparedness of the authorities, and the regulation on very exceptional situations and armed assistance. The aim is to update the legislation on executive assistance provided to the police.The new act would include more precise provisions on the conditions for providing executive assistance and on decision-making concerning executive assistance in exceptional situations. The act would also lay down provisions on implementing decisions on executive assistance and coordinating the activities of the police and the Defence Forces in situations requiring executive assistance. Similar amendments would also be made to the provisions of the Border Guard Act on critical executive assistance provided by the Border Guard to the police. Act aims to improve the preparedness and ability of the police to prevent crimes that threaten the lives and health of a large number of peopleOne of the aims of the new act is to improve the police’s ability to prevent, prepare for and immediately respond to a terrorist attack, for example. “The purpose of the amendment is to develop the process relating to executive assistance to make it more possible for the police to prevent, in advance, serious crimes against a large number of people, for instance,” says Heidi Aliranta, Senior Specialist from the Ministry of the Interior.The new act would include more precise provisions on the conditions for providing executive assistance and on decision-making concerning executive assistance. The aim is that a decision on critical executive assistance can be made sufficiently quickly with regard to the situation, and in a timely manner, based on sound information.No changes are proposed to everyday, regular executive assistance given by one authority to another; instead, the proposed amendments concern very exceptional situations in which police personnel or equipment are insufficient. Nor would the new act confer new powers on the Defence Forces or the Border Guard. The situations requiring executive assistance referred to in the act relate to the performance of police duties under the direction and guidance of the police.“Critical executive assistance is intended as a last resort to deal with very exceptional and rare situations, which the police seek to prevent primarily by other means. The hope is, of course, that the police will never have to use critical executive assistance. However, it must be taken into account that the operating environment has changed over the years and, in Finland too, we must be able to prepare for situations such as those serious incidents we have seen around the world,” says Aliranta.The legislative reform began in spring 2018 when the Ministry of the Interior launched the legislative project and set up a working group to prepare the project.
NordenBladet — The Government has granted EUR 4.2 million in business aid authorisation to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) of North Ostrobothnia to manage the sudden structural change in Kemi-Tornio. The funding will be allocated in particular to investment and development projects of SMEs that create new jobs in the region.The funding will help the Kemi-Tornio area to minimise the regional economic impact that the closure of Stora Enso’s paper mill in Veitsiluoto will cause. Measures to support the employees and businesses due to the sudden structural change in the region were launched in April when the closure of the mill was announced. The Government is scheduled to decide on the regional development funding for Kemi-Tornio on 29 June, including the total amount that the region will receive to deal with the sudden structural change. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment already granted EUR 2.3 million to the ELY Centre of Lapland in April to help employment efforts in Kemi-Tornio.“The news from Kemi-Tornio have been both negative and positive in recent years. This additional aid that the Government has now granted aims to generate new business and jobs in the area. The support will be allocated to business renewal, innovation and know-how and to improving skills for digitalisation and utilisation of technology,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. In March, the Government allocated EUR 1.1 million to the Kemi-Tornio region after steel manufacturer Outokumpu Oyj announced it would reduce its operations there.
NordenBladet — Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on 24–25 June and the Euro Summit on 25 June.Topics to be discussed at the European Council include the EU’s COVID-19 response, economic recovery and external relations, including with Turkey, Russia and Belarus. The Euro Summit will also take place on 25 June.
NordenBladet — The ministerial working group proposes easing the restrictions on food and beverage service busi-nesses and indoor public events in areas where the epidemic is in the community transmission phase. On 22 June 2021, the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services discussed the COVID-19 situation in Finland and the restrictions in place. Decisions on easing the restrictions on food and beverage service businesses would be made at a government session on 23 June.The ministerial working group proposes that the restrictions on food and beverage service busi-nesses be eased as follows:In areas where the epidemic is at a stable level, all restrictions on customer numbers and opening and licensing hours would be removed. This means that when the epidemic is at a stable level, the only restrictions in place would be the obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance and the obligation to provide customers their own seats when indoors.In areas in the acceleration phase, the opening and licensing hours of food and beverage service businesses would be extended.Allowed licensing hours would be from 7.00 to midnight.Allowed opening hours would be from 5.00 to 1.00.Customers will no longer need to be seated at a table when served outdoors.The same general obligations and restrictions in place when the epidemic is at a stable level would apply even when the epidemic is in the acceleration phase.The restrictions would be eased as of 24 June.Decisions will be made by the Government as soon as possible on the basis of the proposals out-lined in the ministerial working group. Possible amendments to restrictions on businesses serving food and/or beverages will continue to be considered weekly at the government session, based on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in different areas. Lighter restrictions proposed for public events in community transmission areasThe ministerial working group proposes that the restrictions on public events organised indoors in areas where the epidemic is in the community transmission phase be eased as follows:Participants and parties must avoid close contact with others. The number of participants may not exceed 50 per cent of the maximum number of people allowed in the premises when participants can be assigned their own seating or standing area. In case more than 25 persons are attending, the premises should be divided into separate blocks of maximum 25 persons to keep groups separate.Only 10 persons would be allowed to attend an event at the same time if they cannot be assigned their own seating or standing area. Even then, participants could be divided into separate groups.The recommendations would be unchanged in other respects.The hybrid strategy to manage the COVID-19 epidemic will be updated based on the group’s pro-posals. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will send a circular about the update as soon as possible.
NordenBladet — On 22 June, the Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy gave its support for the Finnish Government’s participation in financing domestic vaccine development and production. The Committee justified its support based on innovation and business policy and financial security of supply.According to a proposal by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Business Finland would contribute to the financing of domestic vaccine development in line with the current financing guidelines. This means that the financing of clinical trials would continue in line with the current guidelines and that phase 3 studies would not receive significant public investments at this time.In addition, the National Emergency Supply Agency will launch and resource a study to explore a potential development project that would boost national vaccination production capacity and improve the long-term availability of pandemic vaccines. The project would subsequently be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The funding required to implement the development project would be agreed on separately at a later date in line with the conclusions of the study.In addition, Finland would participate in Nordic research into the joint development and production of pandemic vaccines and link its national development activities to this work as necessary.Not a quick solution to the current situation, but justified from the perspective of preparedness for future pandemicsDomestic vaccine development and production will not solve the current challenges related to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the short term. That said, support for development work is justified from the viewpoint of innovation and business policy. It is very important to invest in the development of domestic vaccine infrastructure and expertise.Further studies and potential financing of domestic vaccine production in the long term are crucial for security of supply and preparedness for future pandemics.Furthermore, investing in vaccine research and development during the current pandemic is essential for our ability to prepare for and respond to new virus variants. At least two projects are under way in Finland to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.On 27 May 2021, the Government submitted its third supplementary budget proposal for 2021 to Parliament. The Government proposes allocating EUR 3,000,000 and an increase of EUR 6,000,000 under item 32.20.40 (Support for research, development and innovation activities) for the implementation of the health sector growth strategy and to support the vaccine ecosystem.
