NordenBladet — Money laundering aims to cover up the origin of criminally acquired property or money by circulating these assets through a legitimate payment system so that it looks like they have been legally acquired.

This can mean depositing criminally acquired liquid assets in a bank and circulating them through various other banks, giving the appearance that they originate from a legitimate source. Unlawfully acquired funds might also be used to purchase real estate or other valuable items. Recipients of such funds can also be guilty of money laundering if they were aware of the unlawful origin. Money launderers are guilty of a crime for which the punishment under Finnish law is a fine or imprisonment.

Working together to prevent money launderingAnti-money laundering work aims to combat criminal activity by making it less financially rewarding. Money laundering is a key element of organised crime and is often also connected with international crime. Companies and professionals whose products and services can be used for covering up the origin of assets or which can detect money laundering in their operations have a significant role to play in the prevention of money laundering. This is why many business operators are obliged to undertake customer due diligence measures, conduct risk assessments and notify the Financial Intelligence Unit of any suspicious transactions. Exchange of information between those involved in anti-money laundering is essential for effective prevention. Various public authorities are working closely together to prevent money laundering. For more information on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing, visit the moneylaundering.fi website.

The moneylaundering.fi website contains information on preventing money laundering and combating terrorist financing. The moneylaundering.fi website is jointly maintained by a number of different authorities and organisations.More information:Jaana Vehmaskoski, Ministerial Adviser, tel. 0295530267, firstname.lastname(at)vm.fi

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Due to the second wave of COVID-19 this autumn, air transport has not been able to recover from the COVID-19 crisis as was anticipated in the summer. This has had a particularly strong impact on the air transport situation in Finland. For example, Finnair continues to operate at only around ten per cent capacity, and the company’s operations are currently loss-making. The company has suffered and will continue to sustain substantial losses due to the pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.

With this in mind, the Government has begun preparations a financing arrangement to support Finnair. If granted, the amount of State financing will not exceed EUR 400 million, which is the amount remaining from the EUR 700 million in appropriations approved by Parliament in the spring. The financing would be granted as a hybrid bond to strengthen the company’s equity in its accounting. The final decision on the potential financing arrangement will be made by the Government plenary session. The arrangement will not necessitate applying for new funds from the State budget.

“The State is committed to its obligations as Finnair’s responsible anchor owner. Finland’s geographical location is challenging, and we cannot get by without well-functioning air transport connections. Air transport is of great importance to Finland for business and leisure, both at home and internationally. The extensive connections provided by Finnair are essential for the vitality of our counties and regions and play an integral role in our tourism and export sectors,” says Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen. Last spring, the State supported Finnair by participating in the company’s share issue and by granting a 90 per cent guarantee on the company’s earnings-related pension loan.  The Government Resolution on State Ownership Policy stipulates that all state-owned companies must base their operations on corporate social responsibility and that they must take into account the economic factors and the social and environmental impacts of their activities in their decision-making. “As part of other ownership steering work, I require Finnair to reduce its emissions in line with its responsibility programme. We will be monitoring this matter closely through active dialogue according to the principles of good governance,” Minister Tuppurainen emphasises. In March, Finnair published an ambitious corporate social responsibility programme through which it aims to halve its net emissions compared to the 2019 level by the end of 2025 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 at the latest. The future financing arrangement will require approval from the European Commission’s competition authority in line with the EU state aid rules. Finnair is a company of strategic interest to the State due to its significant positive multiplier effects on the air transport cluster and air transport connections.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — In the first half of the 20th century, when the world was not open to everyone, a career in diplomacy was thought to be grand and glorious. After the Second World War times had changed, and people around the world started to question the point in considering diplomacy as a career for the chosen few. Such changes in global contexts as the growing number of states and international organisations together with the development of faster means of communication meant that diplomacy had to be redefined. The Foreign Ministry’s Training Course for Newly Recruited Diplomats, Kavaku in short, turned 50 in autumn 2020.In 2018, students of the diplomatic course learned about the work of UN organisations on a study trip to Tanzania . Photo: Johannes PuukkiKavaku transformed application to a career in diplomacy in 1970sAt the turn of the 1970s, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs took note of a rapid change in the atmosphere in society. With the expanding range of tasks and responsibilities in the Foreign Service, the Ministry wanted to select trainees based on an open selection process, allowing for applicants from more diverse backgrounds to submit applications for the course. The idea was to get applicants from a variety of backgrounds to the course and to make a career in diplomacy accessible to anyone irrespective of their social background.The idea was revolutionary. When the first Kavaku courses were organised in 1970, the hierarchical administration in the Foreign Ministry was not saved from clashes between representatives of different generations. “A number of young people who had been active in international student politics in the 1960s were selected to the course. For them, it was a fascinating idea to challenge the ways common in the hierarchical and formal Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In this sense, we were radical. Foreign Ministry staff in the Ritarikatu premises fumed that ‘the kids are rebelling’ because the young people attending the course disobeyed to draft ‘a ministerial answer’ to a parliamentary survey, which critisised the organisation of the course. Since we refused to act according to the given instructions, we came to be called a rebel course. The Foreign Ministry was not used to fledgling public officials like us. There was no question of challenging any authorities at the time when Kekkonen was President,” says Pertti Torstila, one of those participating in the first Kavaku course.“We joined the Foreign Ministry in the decade of détente, which was marked by efforts to mitigate the east-west hostilities. The course taught us that attachés were mainly expected to run various errands and serve as messengers rather than being engaged in rosy big politics. However, what happened was that without further ado our first assignment was to work for the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, the CSCE.  Having passed this acid test, we were ready to do anything.”
 Pertti Torstila: The first Kavaku course has a story of its own that none of us will forget. The same basic model continued throughout the 1970s. The course focused on international politics, international law, Finland’s foreign trade, Finnish society, and language studies. In the selection process, scoring was based on a wide range of factors and on justice.  The Ministry’s Senior Management Group had an opportunity to influence what criteria and what kind of scoring were selected. Nowadays the entire Finland is representedIn the 1880s and 1990s, more than a half of the participants in the course have been women. A record number of women was selected in 1983, when 12 of the 16 Kavaku participants were women. After that, the Ministry’s selection and training board was convened to look into the matter and, as an attempt to strengthen men’s position, it almost decided that men should be given points for military service, but the idea was dropped. Today, women have consolidated their position as the majority in Kavaku courses.  At present, approximately half of Finnish ambassadors are women. By the start of the 1990s, the Foreign Service had advanced to represent what was aimed at as early as in the 1960s. The whole Finland was represented in the Kavaku courses: participants came from different family backgrounds and held diverse educational qualifications.Middle-aged Kavaku has changed along with the times In recent years, the Ministry has updated the content of the course in order to find new ways of training public officials for their work. Our current training philosophy emphasises work-based learning. Traditional lectures have been replaced by a more participatory approach to training, which includes exercises, discussion and visits. Instead of one long course, we now have three training modules, which are linked together by practical work as trainees in the departments and missions abroad. ”Kavaku is not only a course but an entire training programme,” emphasises Director of the Unit for Human Resources Development and Occupational Wellbeing Christian Lindholm.The fact that more than 1,080 people applied for the course speak for the fact that Kavaku continues to be an attractive option.  
The latest example of the course’s resilience and vitality is that, in 2020, Kavaku 43 was conducted in the form of a virtual course because of the COVID-19 pandemic.Digital leap and remote work in 2020 Laura Hassinen, who entered the course in the middle of the coronavirus crisis, is happy that the course started despite the exceptional circumstances. She has completed her first training period in a department mainly remotely.
 Laura Hassinen will leave to work in her first post at a mission abroad next summer. “I am a mother of three small children, which is why the decision to apply for a post at a mission must be made by the whole family.  I’m happy that the Foreign Ministry pays more and more attention to the family perspective.”“I think that the pandemic’s influence on our work has been relatively significant. All so-called cool things are excluded when we aren’t able to go on official journeys and meet our foreign colleagues. However, we have really rapidly found new ways of working and contacting people,” says Hassinen.“The digital leap has been long and the threshold to organise international webinars or informal online meetings, for example, is now much lower than it was before. Anyway, I’m looking forward to real action next year.”The Ministry for Foreign Affairs recruits new talentsThe Ministry’s most recent recruitment process started on 4 December 2020. About 10 persons will be selected to a Training Course for Newly Recruited Diplomats (Kavaku) and an Induction Course for Administrative Career Staff (Halku) respectively. Applications for Kavaku and Halku is open at Valtiolle.fi until 21 December at 16.15. The courses will start in autumn 2021.The Ministry hopes to receive applications from people with diverse educational backgrounds who are interested in different fields. Work in the Ministry is rewarding for people who are curious to learn and know things, and who are resilient and willing to develop themselves. The applicants should be capable of independent work but also inspired by teamwork. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are also assets. Success in the application process requires both professional and personal capacity and a strong motivation to work as a representative of Finland, and to serve Finland and Finnish people abroad. A career in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs comprises various tasks in the departments in Helsinki and in the global network of missions abroad. Many Finnish missions abroad are located outside the European Union, in emerging economies and developing countries. 
       

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 16 December, Finnish and Russian Foreign Ministers Pekka Haavisto and Sergei Lavrov exchanged letters of congratulation on 100 years of diplomatic relations between their countries. Diplomatic relations between Finland and Russia were established 100 years ago on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 1920.Letter from minister Haavisto (pdf, 156 KB)Letter from minister Lavrov (pdf, 2 MB)The 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations was also commemorated at a Finnish-Russian history seminar held last week on 8 December 2020, which featured speeches from experts on the history of relations between the two countries. The event was held simultaneously at the National Archives of Finland in Helsinki, at the Finnish Embassy in Moscow and online. A recording of the event is available for viewing until 25 December 2020.  Lisätietoja:Niklas Lindqvist, yksikön päällikkö, Venäjän yksikkö, [email protected], puh. +358 295 351 517

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Based on the OECD Talent Attractiveness Index, Finland is an interesting target country for international students and entrepreneurs alike. That said, when it comes to attracting skilled workers, Finland lags far behind the other Nordic countries and the Netherlands. Finland should learn from the experiences of these and other successful comparison countries when developing measures to improve its attractiveness to international experts and when working to speed up the processing of work-based residence permits.Improving Finland’s visibility through clearly defined target groups and tailored measuresA shortage of skilled labour and difficulties with internationalisation present significant obstacles for the growth of Finnish companies. With this in mind, attracting international talent is central to a successful economy. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, decision-makers should consider how to improve Finland’s visibility and attractiveness on the international stage.The Attraction and Work-related Residence Permit Process Models in Comparison Countries report seeks to learn from other countries through a series of 13 case studies.  In the light of the experiences of the comparison countries, Finland could improve its visibility among international experts by more clearly defining its target groups and implementing measures specifically tailored to them. Key measures to reach the desired target groups include focusing on Finland’s competitive advantages, investing in centres of excellence and making diverse use of digital channels.“It can be difficult for small countries to distinguish themselves from the competition. That said, Finland has a lot to offer to international experts, and targeted measures can help to create visibility for Finland among the most important groups,” says Analyst Juho-Matti Paavola from Oxford Research, the consulting firm that carried out the project.More efficient processing of work-based residence permits will boost Finland’s ability to attract talentFinland already processes residence permits for specialists relatively quickly when compared internationally, but developing the work-based residence permit process more broadly could be helpful in attracting talent to the country. Finland should look to Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands for lessons on how best to develop the process. For example, Finland could consider adopting a model through which experts could obtain a visa as soon as the decision has been made to grant them a work-related residence permit. Other measures taken in the comparison countries to increase the efficiency of the process include expanding the role of employers, centralising the process and harmonising practices.“Experiences from other countries are useful in determining how to attract talent and improve the effectiveness of work-based residence permit processes in Finland. We will put these results to use in the Talent Boost programme,” says Migration Director Sonja Hämäläinen from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, who chaired the project steering group.The publication is part of the implementation of the Government’s plan for analysis, assessment and research for 2019.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The interim report of the cross-sectoral working group surveying the data protection and security of sectors of key importance for the functioning of society has been submitted for statements on 15 December 2020. The working group’s main observation was that good data security culture is created as a result of data security requirements in the legislation, not on the basis of instructions or other voluntary measures.The working group found that data security requirements for critical sectors should be defined more precisely in the legislation of each sector and the implementation of the requirements should also be monitored actively. The authorities need more resources and the cooperation between the authorities should be more organised and efficient than currently.In November, the Ministry of Transport and Communications appointed a working group to identify needs to amend the legislation on data security and protection in sectors of key importance for the functioning of society and to submit a proposal to the Government for policy guidelines on them.The working group’s report concentrated on the key sectors of society, such as health care, energy supply, the financial sector, water supply, traffic and digital infrastructure and its services.Higher data security requirements for the critical sectorsThe working group emphasises in its interim report that the digital society sectors are dependent on each other, which means that a disruption in one sector may have far-reaching impacts. Therefore, it should be ensured that the regulations concerning the data security and protection of the critical sectors is sufficiently clear and obligations set for each sector are targeted correctly.In the policy proposals, the working group suggests that higher data security requirements be set for the critical sectors. Furthermore, sector-specific data security requirements should be specified and regularly assessed in order to ensure that they are up-to-date. It was also proposed that the compliance with the data security requirements be monitored more closely and that enough resources be allocated to these authorities’ actions.A separate statute on cooperation between the authoritiesThe working group also suggests improving the data security competence of the operators and boost the cooperation in monitoring the data security requirements between the authorities.The cooperation would be strengthened by enacting a separate statute that is inspired by the Act on Cooperation between the Police, Customs and the Border Guard (PCB). The statute would provide details for information exchange between different authorities in certain situations and the coordination of the authorities’ actions in general in cases of data breaches concerning multiple authorities and their prevention, among other things.The interim report also provides an assessment of additional needed resources, with a focus on developing the operational capacity of supervisory authorities. In addition, the working group highlights the significance of the public sector as the key operator in society and emphasises the role of the National Cyber Security Centre in particular in supporting other operators. In terms of data protection, the policy proposal underlines the role of the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman and increased use of data protection certification.Data security is part of society’s preparednessAccording to Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka, the cyber security triangle consists of the binding legislation, clear division of responsibilities and sufficient resources.“Data security is perhaps the most important part of the preparedness for exceptional circumstances in society. In this team effort, everyone must take initiative in their own roles to create the world’s most reliable and secure infrastructure and digital services.”The working group is chaired by Laura Vilkkonen, Director General at the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The group consists of representatives of different ministries and authorities.What next?The interim report of the working group has been submitted for statements on 15 December 2020. The deadline for submitting statements ends on 6 January 2021.Statements may be submitted by all organisations and citizens at www.lausuntopalvelu.fi or by email to [email protected]The term of the working group ends on 31 January 2021, after which the final report of the working group will be published.Additional information:Director General Laura Vilkkonen, tel. +358 40 500 0817Press release 9 November 2020: Working group to look into ways to improve the data security and protection of sectors of key importance for the functioning of society
Lausuntopalvelu.fi: Selvitys tietoturvan ja tietosuojan parantamiseksi yhteiskunnan kriittisillä toimialoilla; työryhmän väliraportti (VN/24348/2020) (in Finnish)
Government Project Database: Yhteiskunnan kriittisten toimialojen tietoturvan ja tietosuojan parantaminen (LVM073:00/2020) (Improving the data security and protection of sectors of key importance for the functioning of society) (in Finnish)

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi