NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has sent a draft government proposal for supplementary legislation on the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) out for comments. The purpose of the proposal is to make amendments to the national legislation as required by the relevant European Parliament and Council regulations. The Ministry of the Interior proposes that the following acts be amended: the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Border Guard, the Border Guard Act, the Aliens Act, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Police, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by Customs, and the Act on the Enforcement of Fines. The package is referred to as ‘Smart Borders’. “The term ‘Smart Borders’ refers to automation and new technology to be introduced in border checks. This means, for example, the automation of border crossings, the EU-wide registration of entry and exit data, and the prior registration of visa-free travellers from third countries, namely non-EU countries, on the internet. The amendments do not concern citizens of Finland or other Schengen countries,” says Anne Ihanus, Senior Adviser for Legislative Affairs.The EES aims to improve identification of persons at external bordersThe Entry/Exit System Regulation will establish a new EU-wide information system with the primary objectives of improving the management of external borders, preventing irregular immigration and facilitating the management of migration flows. The purpose is to register electronically the entry and exit data of third-country nationals who are authorised to stay in the territory of the Member States for a short period of time and to calculate the duration of their authorised stay. The system will replace the obligation to stamp the passports of third-country nationals.The EES data may be processed by border authorities, visa authorities and immigration authorities. In addition, the police, the Border Guard and Customs will have the right to access the system for the purpose of preventing, detecting and investigating terrorist offences and serious crimes.According to the current plans, the EES will be introduced in May 2022.The European Travel Information and Authorisation System will determine in advance the conditions of entryThe European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a pre-registration system for visa-exempt third-country nationals. It aims to determine in advance whether a person fulfils the conditions of entry into the country. The system also aims to enhance the effectiveness of border checks and support the objectives set for the Schengen Information System. The system will allow for advance assessment of potential security, irregular immigration or high epidemic risks already before the person arrives at the border crossing point.The Finnish Border Guard is the national ETIAS authority in Finland. ETIAS applications will mainly be processed automatically. The ETIAS Central Unit, maintained by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), will forward applications requiring further clarification to the national units for manual processing. Data in the ETIAS Information System may be processed by border authorities and immigration authorities. In addition, the police, the Border Guard and Customs have the right to access the system for the purpose of preventing, detecting and investigating terrorist offences and serious crimes.ETIAS is expected to be operational at the EU’s external borders at the end of 2022.The deadline for submitting comments on the proposals is 10 August.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Operators based in the Nordic countries can be taken advantage of in money laundering related to corruption, even though open corruption, such as bribery, is relatively rare in the Nordic countries. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by the Police University College on the connection between corruption and money laundering in the Nordic countries.Operators based in the Nordic countries can be taken advantage of in money laundering related to corruption, even though open corruption, such as bribery, is relatively rare in the Nordic countries. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by the Police University College on the connection between corruption and money laundering in the Nordic countries.The project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, focused on examining bribery in international business. According to the study, bribes given in international business, for example, can be concealed through using consultants or complex business structures. In the Nordic countries, cases have emerged where operators in the ICT sector, logistics, defence industry and financial sector have been taken advantage of as intermediaries in laundering corrupt funds. The international dimension makes investigating these cases challenging, and relatively few convictions have been passed for bribery in international business or money laundering of corrupt funds.Anti-corruption efforts require cooperationThe preliminary study consisted of a literature review, a statistical review and a survey addressed to the financial intelligence units in the Nordic countries. The survey examined the respondents’ views on the links between the different phenomena and collected experiences of suspected money laundering cases where the funds may originate from corrupt activities. The study showed that the obliged entities referred to in the Money Laundering Act play a key role in identifying corruption, but it is still difficult to identify and investigate corruption.The complex and ambiguous nature of corruption makes it difficult to combat. In evaluations concerning the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts, attention has been paid to the supervision of subcontracting arrangements and the protection of whistleblowers in the Nordic countries. Multi-sectoral cooperation and training are an important part of the anti-corruption efforts. The project will continue this year with a study examining good practices in the identification and analysis of corruption by the authorities and obliged entities under the Money Laundering Act.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 4 June 2021, the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services discussed the COVID-19 situation in Finland and the restrictions in place. They recommend that certain restrictions should be eased. The Government is due to decide on the matter urgently in the week starting 7 June.The previous week saw clear improvement in the epidemic situation in Finland. The ministerial group decided to propose that restrictions be eased as follows:In areas where the epidemic is at a stable level, serving alcoholic beverages should be allowed between 7.00 and 1.00, and food and beverage service establishments could be allowed to receive customers from 5.00 to 2.00.The specific ban on karaoke and dancing should be lifted at this level. The requirement for customers to be seated at a table could be removed when they are served outdoors. This would make the provision of catering services possible at public events in particular.
 In areas in the acceleration phase, the specific ban on karaoke and dancing could be lifted.
 In areas in the community transmission phase, the opening hours and licensing hours of restaurants whose main business is other that serving alcohol should be extended.Serving alcohol could be allowed between 7.00 and 20.00.Opening hours could range from 5.00 to 21.00.Possible amendments to restrictions will continue to be considered weekly at the government session, as required by the evolution of the epidemiological situation in different areas. Epidemiological situation allowing, the next extensive overall review of the restrictions is due to take place in the week starting 21 June 2021. In the same week, it will also be estimated if the requirement for customers to be seated at a table could be removed when served outdoors, subject to the prevailing epidemiological situation. Decisions will be made by the Government urgently in the week starting 7 June on the basis of the proposals outlined in the ministerial working group.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 4 June 2021, the Prime Minister’s Office received a response to the request for an opinion sent to the Finnish Tax Administration on the taxability of catering services provided at the Prime Minister’s official residence.

On 31 May, the Prime Minister’s Office asked the Tax Administration to comment on the interpretation of the Prime Minister’s Office, according to which the catering services provided at the Prime Minister’s official residence are not taxable under section 70, paragraph 3 of the Income Tax Act.

According to the opinion of the Tax Administration, the Prime Minister’s meal benefit is taxable.

Prime Minister’s Office to draw up new guidelines on catering services at the Prime Minister’s official residence
Based on the opinion of the Tax Administration, the Prime Minister’s Office will draw up new guidelines on the services provided at the residence and make changes to its practices. The Prime Minister’s Office last specified the services to be provided at the Prime Minister’s official residence in practical guidelines issued in June 2019. The guidelines clarified, among other things, the services related to residing in Kesäranta, including catering services. The guidelines were issued by Permanent State Under-Secretary Timo Lankinen. The previous guidelines date back to 2010.Prime Minister Sanna Marin will correct her pre-completed tax return for 2020 in line with the opinion of the Tax Administration.

NordenBladet — In their meeting on Friday 4 June 2021, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the preparation of the Government’s Defence Report.

NordenBladet — Finland has received positive feedback on the good quality and implementation of development cooperation. Particular praise is given for the reforms and results-based approach to development cooperation. This shows in the Mid-term Review of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Development Assistance Committee praises Finland for instilling a strong results-based culture in development cooperation.

Photo from Ethiopia: Kirsi Pere/UMThe OECD estimates that Finland’s development cooperation has been very impactful also during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NordenBladet — According to the Working Life Barometer 2020 published by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment on 4 June 2021, the coronavirus pandemic had little effect on the physical and mental strain of work or work ability among all wage and salary earners. The level of stress or work exhaustion experienced also did not change significantly from 2019. However, there were clear differences between groups.

The mental strain and stress caused by work decreased among higher-ranking salaried employees and those employed by the State, that is, those who worked remotely the most. In addition, more higher-ranking salaried employees and those employed by the State estimated their mental work capacity to be very good compared to 2019.

“The positive effects of remote work are reflected in the results. Good work capacity helps people to cope with work and stay at work longer. Employees that do well are key to productive work and lasting careers,” says Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.

With remote work becoming more common, more employees have an opportunity to choose where to work. Of wage and salary earners, 36% were able to have a significant or a fair amount of influence on where they work, compared with 29% in 2019.

Sick leaves decrease markedly
The number of sick leaves, in particular short sick leaves, decreased considerably from 2019. Of wage and salary earners, 63% had been absent from work due to their own illness in the previous 12 months in 2020, compared with 71% in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic affected in particular the sick leaves of higher-ranking salaried employees, whose absences fell by 13 percentage points from 2019.

“Remote work, improved hand hygiene and safety distances explain the fall in the number of short absences during the epidemic. However, the results do not yet reflect the long-term effects of the epidemic. There is a risk that poor ergonomics will increase the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders. We must also closely monitor the trend in mental health problems and other psychological ill health,” Haatainen adds.

Discrimination, bullying and physical violence at work continue
The amount of discrimination at work has not changed significantly in the long term. Only the discrimination of older people has decreased slightly from the beginning of the time series. As in previous years, discrimination of employees on fixed-term employment relationship was the most common reason for discrimination (11%) in 2020, according to the responses in Working Life Barometer.  Bullying at work is still common. In 2020, about 53% of wage and salary earners had witnessed at least occasional bullying by colleagues, supervisors or customers at their workplace. Women (62%) had witnessed it much more frequently than men (44%).

Women and municipal employees in particular had experienced the threat of physical violence on the part of customers or become a victim of it. In 2020, 49% of municipal sector employees had witnessed physical violence and 24% had been threatened with violence or become victims of it.

“Discrimination, bullying and violence have wide-ranging negative effects on wellbeing at work, participation in working life, length of careers and productivity. Unfair treatment undermines active participation in society and at its worst can lead to exclusion and a poorer quality of life. It is the Government’s objective to strengthen non-discrimination, gender equality and employment. By creating tools to promote equality at working life and by raising awareness, we can achieve positive development,” says Haatainen.

Membership in employee organisations on the rise during epidemic
Due to the weakening economy, more wage and salary earners than before feel insecure about their jobs, which has led them to join employee organisations in increasing numbers.  As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, membership in trade unions grew to 69% from 67% in 2019. The decline in trade union membership that has continued since 2016 seems to have come to a halt. Membership in an unemployment fund also became more common. One in five wage and salary earners said they belonged only to an unemployment fund in 2020.

What is the Working Life Barometer?
Conducted since 1992, the Working Life Barometer is a sample study that examines the development of the quality of working life from the viewpoint of Finnish employees. The data for 2020 are based on telephone interviews conducted by Statistics Finland in August and September in connection with the Labour Force Survey. 1,647 wage and salary earners responded to the barometer study in 2020. The data can reliably be generalised to apply to employees everywhere in Finland and in all sectors.

NordenBladet — On Thursday 3 June, the Government appointed Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Master of Laws, as Director General of the International Affairs Unit in the Ministry of the Interior for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 April 2026. Yli-Vakkuri has acted as Director of the International Affairs Unit since 2009. Before that, she worked in the same unit as a senior adviser for legal affairs for ten years. Yli-Vakkuri has also worked as a national expert at the European Commission, as a senior officer for legal affairs at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and as a national expert at the Council of Europe.

“I am delighted to be able to continue working at the vantage point for Finland’s international activities and EU activities. An important part of the activities of the Ministry of the Interior is to cooperate nationally, within the European Union, in neighbouring areas and as part of the international community “, says Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General of the International Affairs Unit.Director General of the International Affairs Unit is responsible for the management and effective operations of the Unit. She also directs various authorities in the domestic capacity building for civilian crisis management and the European Union Home Affairs Funds. The Director General of the International Affairs Unit is also responsible for the performance guidance of the Crisis Management Centre Finland.  A comprehensive security clearance has been conducted on the Director General and a non-compete agreement has been concluded with her under the Act on Public Officials in Central Government.

NordenBladet — On Thursday 3 June, the Government decided to renew three appointments.In its session on Thursday 3 June, the Government decided on the following appointments:Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Elina Kalkku will continue to serve as Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (development policy) for a fixed term from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022.

Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Ilkka-Pekka Similä will continue to serve as Director General of the Department for External Economic Relations at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for a fixed term from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2023.Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Johanna Kotkajärvi will continue to serve as Deputy Director General of the Department for Communications at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for a fixed term from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2023.

NordenBladet — On 3 June, the Government decided to extend the restrictions on entry into the country until 27 June 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, and we do not yet have adequate measures available to replace the restrictions. For this reason, and to curb the spread of COVID-19 variants, both internal border controls and restrictions on external border traffic will continue. Some amendments will be made to the decisions adopted on 20 May. These will enter into force on 7 June.

In addition to the restrictions on internal and external border traffic, restrictions on the opening hours of certain border crossing points at the western border in Lapland and the eastern border will continue. At the border crossing points for passenger traffic on land and water, the accepted criteria for entry are the return of persons living in Finland or in another EU or Schengen country and other essential reasons. At the border crossing points for passenger air traffic, another accepted criterion for entry is travel for work.

Travel for work allowed from now on in air traffic between Schengen countriesInternal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries. From now on, travel for work will be allowed in air traffic between EU countries or Schengen countries. Students will be allowed entry for purposes of training included in their studies.In water transport and on land borders (with the exception of border community traffic between Finland and Norway), travel for work will still be allowed for essential reasons only. Essential reasons mean work that is important for the functioning of society or the security of supply or certain specifically defined special groups. Restrictions were lifted earlier for residents of border communities between Finland and Norway.

Based on an epidemiological assessment, internal border control is lifted from travel between Finland and Malta. Finland now restricts entry from all other Schengen countries except Iceland and Malta. The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, which are EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which are non-EU countries.

The restrictions do not apply to leisure boating between Schengen countries. Restrictions on external border traffic remain unchanged External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen third countries. The Government decision of 20 May will be specified so that non-Finnish citizens living in another EU or Schengen country are not allowed to return to their country of residence through Finland if the transit is not work related. This does not apply to air traffic. Based on an epidemiological assessment, no other amendments will be made to the decision.

Restrictions have been lifted earlier for traffic arriving in Finland from the Vatican, and for traffic between Finland and Australia, South Korea, Israel, Singapore, Rwanda, Thailand and New Zealand for residents of these countries. Entry from these low-risk countries is not restricted due to the low incidence of COVID-19.For other countries, the restrictions on entry will be extended until 27 June 2021.Cruise vessels are permitted to call at ports but passengers are not allowed to come ashore.

Definition of family broadened for family reasons and imperative family reasonsThe definition of family will be broadened for travel across internal and external borders. At internal borders, family means from now on spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, siblings, great-grandchildren, uncles, aunts and cousins, and family members of those listed above. At external borders, family means spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law and grandparents, and family members of those listed above.

Government still recommends avoiding unnecessary travel abroadUnder the Constitution of Finland, Finnish citizens and residents of Finland always have the right to return to Finland, and everyone has the right to leave Finland if they so wish, provided that there is no legal impediment to this. However, the Government still recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to other countries, except for countries for which the restrictions on entry have been lifted. Travellers must be aware of the current entry and quarantine regulations of their country of destination.