NordenBladet — The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This means that the region of South Karelia and the Hospital District of Länsi-Pohja can now move from restrictions for the acceleration phase to baseline restrictions and the region of Southwest Finland can move from restrictions for the community transmission phase to acceleration phase restrictions. The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 4 June at 00.00.

The restrictions in place in other areas will remain unchanged.

Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in baseline areas in the regions of Åland, South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, North Ostrobothnia, North Savo, North Karelia, Central Finland, South Savo, Ostrobothnia, Satakunta and South Karelia and the whole of Lapland from 4 JuneFood and beverage service businesses may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 00.00 and be open to customers between 5.00 and 1.00.

Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants may seat 75 per cent of their normal number of customers inside their establishments. The restrictions on the number of customer seats do not apply in Åland.

In these areas, restaurants must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited in indoor premises.On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.

Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in areas in the acceleration phase in the regions of Southwest Finland, Kymenlaakso and Pirkanmaa from 4 June
Food and beverage service businesses may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 22.00 and be open between 5.00 and 23.00. Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants may seat 75 per cent of their normal number of customers inside their establishments.In these areas, restaurants must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited in indoor premises.

On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in areas in the community transmission phase in the regions of Päijät-Häme, Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Ostrobothnia from 4 JuneRestaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may serve alcohol between 7.00 and 18.00.

They may be open between 5.00 and 19.00. They may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 19.00 and be open between 5.00 and 20.00. They may have in use 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. The restaurants located in these areas must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited.

On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The above-mentioned customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.

Exceptions to restrictions remain unchanged
The 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 — A fourth application round for business cost support for March–May will be organised for companies. The conditions of aid would remain unchanged. In addition, medium-sized and large companies would receive separate compensation if their premises were closed by law or by order of an authority due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Government submitted its legislative proposal for Parliament’s consideration on 3 June 2021. The Act is due to enter into force on 1 July 2021. The State Treasury is scheduled to start accepting applications for closure compensation in July and for the fourth application round of business cost support in August. The Government has reserved EUR 200 million for the purpose.

The Government proposal contains three different types of aid: business cost support, closure compensation for medium-sized and large companies, and compensation for uncovered fixed costs.

Terms of business cost support to remain unchanged
The fourth round of business cost support is intended for companies whose turnover has fallen by more than 30% due to the coronavirus pandemic between 1 March and 31 May 2021, compared with the corresponding period in 2019.

All companies can apply for business cost support. The Government will separately issue a decree on the sectors that can apply for support without providing further justification. These include sectors where turnover has decreased by at least 10% during the period. If a company operates in a sector not defined in the decree, it will have to justify the loss of turnover due to COVID-19.Sole entrepreneurs could still apply for business cost support. The support would amount to at least EUR 2,000 if the conditions were met. Maximum amount of aid would remain at EUR 1 million.

Closure compensation to medium-sized and large companies available soon
The compensation would apply to large and medium-sized companies that employ at least 50 people and that have been ordered to be closed by law or order of an authority. Such companies include restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses that were temporarily closed to customers in the spring under the Act on Accommodation and Catering Operations.

Compensation could also be paid to companies, which the municipality or the Regional State Administrative Agency has closed under the Communicable Diseases Act. Such establishments include sports facilities, gyms, public saunas, swimming pools, spas and indoor playgrounds.  Large and medium-sized companies would be compensated for 70% of the losses incurred during the closure period, that is, for costs that cannot be covered by revenues. In order to claim compensation, the company’s turnover must have decreased by more than 30% during the closure period compared with the corresponding period in 2019. If the company belongs to a group of companies, the losses and change in turnover are assessed at the group level.

The maximum amount of support would be EUR 1,800,000. Insurance compensation related to the closure period and the coronavirus pandemic as well as State aid received for the same costs would be deducted from the aid.

In its application, a company should include an auditor’s statement on the turnover, profits and costs during the support period; the turnover of the reference period; insurance compensation received; and State aid received.  Small and micro-sized companies can already apply for closure compensation at the State Treasury.

More flexible support to large companies
The closure compensation would be subject to a new EU State aid scheme where the maximum amount of subsidies related to the coronavirus pandemic is EUR 10 million. The aid scheme still requires the final approval of the European Commission.

The aid scheme could also be used to grant compensation for uncovered fixed costs to companies that have already received the maximum amount of coronavirus-related support (EUR 1.8 million as defined by the EU) and therefore cannot be granted more business cost support.  This will help medium-sized and large companies in particular.

The conditions of this support differ slightly from the usual business cost support. Compensation would be paid for a portion of the losses incurred during the support period, that is, for costs that cannot be covered by revenues. The portion of support would correspond to the percentage value in the decrease in turnover, from which 30% would be deducted as the company’s own liability. In order to claim compensation, the company’s turnover must have decreased by more than 30% during the support period of 1 March–31 May 2021 compared with the corresponding period in 2019. If the company belongs to a group of companies, the losses and change in turnover will be assessed at the group level.

NordenBladet — Ilona Lundström will continue as Director General of the Innovations and Enterprise Financing Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2026.

The Government decided on the appointment on 3 June 2021. Lundström, who holds a Doctorate in Administrative Sciences, has served in the position since 2016. Before that, she worked at Tekes where she was Executive Director in 2014–2016 and Director in 2007–2014. She was previously employed by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities as Specialist in public procurement in 2005–2007 and as Researcher in 2002–2005. The Innovations and Enterprise Financing Department of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for developing business and innovation policy, enterprise policy and public business funding. Through its activities, the Department promotes the growth, internationalisation and renewal of companies and industries. The Department directs the activities of the innovation funding agency Business Finland, the Geological Survey of Finland, Finnvera Oyj, Finnish Industry Investment Ltd and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. Because of the sector where the Department operates, international activities as well as the common EU policy and cooperation and influencing work related to it play a significant role in its management and operations.The position became available following the end of the current office holder’s five-year term on 31 July 2021. There were 28 applications for the job.

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a monitoring and assessment working group and a working group consisting of public officials to reform transgender legislation. The term of the working groups will run until the end of January 2022.

The monitoring and assessment working group supports the work of the public officials to prepare legislation, participates in the assessing alternatives and proposals and produces expert information to support the preparation. To organise the status and rights of persons belonging to gender minorities, the public officials working group prepares a government proposal in line with the objectives of the Government Programme. According to Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government Programme, legislation on the recognition of gender that respects the individual’s right to self-determination will be enacted. The requirement of infertility will be removed and medical treatments will be separated from the change of legal gender. Gender can be changed, upon application, by an adult who presents a reasoned account of his or her permanent experience of representing the other gender. A period of reflection for those who wish to change their gender will be introduced.In line with the Government Programme, intersex children’s right to self-determination will be strengthened, abandoning cosmetic, nonmedical genital surgery on young children.

NordenBladet — The COVID-19 situation has improved noticeably in Finland over the past week. There are, however, major regional differences in the development of the epidemic. The incidence of COVID-19 is still higher in southern and southwestern Finland and Central Ostrobothnia than in the rest of the country. The development of the epidemic has, nevertheless, slowed down in many areas.

In May, the incidence of new cases declined in both Southwest Finland and Uusimaa. Currently, the estimated effective basic reproduction number is 0.75–0.95, with a 90 per cent probability. The total number of new cases reported between 24 and 30 May was 877, which is over 400 cases fewer than in the preceding week when the figure was 1,312. In the last two-week period (17–30 May), the incidence of new cases was 40 per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the preceding two-week period (3–16 May), it was 53.

The source of infection was traced in 70 per cent of all new cases of domestic origin. Around 27 per cent of new cases were reported among people already in quarantine. Cases where the virus was contracted abroad accounted for 7.5 per cent of all new cases, and the further infections resulting from them accounted for 0.7 per cent of all cases. More than 120,000 COVID-19 tests were taken between 24 and 30 May. The number is about the same as the week before. The percentage of positive samples declined from the previous week, standing at 0.7 per cent between 24 and 30 May. The last time the proportion of positive samples of all those tested was less than one per cent was in September 2020 before the epidemic accelerated. The vaccine rollout has progressed well. In Finland, about 54 per cent of people aged over 16 have received their first vaccine dose. The vaccine provides good protection against COVID-19 and its more serious forms as well as COVID-19 variants. It does not, however, remove the risk of contracting and transmitting the disease completely. It is therefore important that those who have already received their first or second vaccine dose continue to keep a safe distance from others, wear a mask, wash their hands and follow the guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.

Need for hospital care decreasing
The number of patients receiving hospital care due to COVID-19 has decreased since mid-May. The number of intensive care patients has also dropped. On Wednesday 2 June, there were 14 inpatients in intensive care, 22 inpatients in primary healthcare and 43 inpatients in specialised healthcare. The total number of COVID-19 inpatients was 79. On 2 June 2021, the total number of deaths related to the disease was 959.The monitoring report on the epidemic published today and the previous reports are available on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

Monitoring coronavirus (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), in Finnish and SwedishThe COVID-19 epidemic: regional situation, recommendations and restrictions (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)Coronavirus in numbers (Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa)Action plan for implementing the hybrid strategy to control the COVID-19 epidemic (Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2021:21), description sheet in English Monthly report on the situation in intensive care, 2 June 2021 (National coordinating office for intensive care), in FinnishEffects of the COVID-19 epidemic on wellbeing, services and the economy (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), in FinnishProgress with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), in Finnish and SwedishGuidelines for the controlled dismantling of restrictions and recommendations put in place due to the COVID-19 epidemic: Government memorandum 20 April 2021 (Prime Minister’s Office), in Finnish

NordenBladet — Finland will contribute EUR 10 million in 2021 to the international Vaccine Alliance Gavi.

At the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Summit on 2 June 2021, Finland pledged to donate EUR 10 million to global vaccine solidarity. To ensure improved availability of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries and equitable and fair access to vaccines, Finland will channel its support via the COVAX AMC Facility, administered by Gavi.  It is of vital importance not only from the perspective of solidarity but also from the viewpoint of health security and economy to support the availability of vaccines in developing countries.

The virtual pledging conference was hosted by the Prime Minister of Japan, Suga Yoshihide, and Chair of the Gavi Board, José Manuel Barroso. The summit brought together heads of state, representatives of the private sector and civil society as well as central technical partners. The aim of the event was to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccine doses for lower-income economies. Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari represented Finland at the meeting.

“Multilateral cooperation and global improvement of availability of vaccines are essential for ending the pandemic. Our pledge to Gavi proves that Finland is committed to enhancing vaccine solidarity. We intend to support Gavi also in 2022, because the effects of the pandemic will be felt for a long time,” Minister Skinnari says.  In addition, as part of the third supplementary budget for 2021, the Government has proposed additional funding of EUR 10 million as a response to developing countries’ vaccination needs, emphasising the humanitarian aspects of the support. The proposal is tied to the vaccine doses that are left unused from Finland’s share of the joint vaccine procurement contracts of the EU.

Finland, together with the EU Member States and the European Commission, is committed to solidarity in action against the pandemic. This means sharing the necessary medicines, vaccines and diagnostic tools equitably. The Advanced Market Commitment (AMC), which is administered by Gavi, is designed to respond to the needs of developing countries. For multilateral cooperation, COVAX provides the most important channel for ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The EU is one of its main supporters.

NordenBladet — At their video conference on 2 June 2021, the Nordic ministers of employment will exchange views over the findings of the extensive Future of Work research project. The final report of the project found that, in the long term, the Nordic welfare model will be challenged by global megatrends such as digital transformation, the ageing of the population and climate change.

This informal ministerial meeting will be hosted by Finland, who holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021. Representatives of the social partners have also been invited to participate. Finland will be represented by Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen as chair the meeting and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Anna-Kaisa Pekonen.

The challenges of the transformation of work can be turned into opportunities
The study of the Nordic Council of Ministers and the FAFO research foundation examined how the Nordic welfare model and high employment could be maintained in the changing labour market, seen that high employment actually stands as a guarantee of the welfare model. As a potential threat, the researchers identified the increasing division of the labour market with the growing number of atypical employment relationships and job descriptions. It is anticipated that unemployment may rise among the low-skilled and their working conditions may deteriorate.

“The education system must lend support to people in these changing circumstances. Continuous learning is a right and also a necessity. Learning, however, not only takes place at educational institutions but, increasingly, at workplaces. We need to involve all parties: workers, employers, policy-makers and education providers,” Minister of Employment Haatainen notes. Despite all the challenges facing the Nordic social welfare model, the study found that it can be the solution to the emerging problems.

”Nordic welfare countries are founded on a social security system, which is now being challenged by transformation of work. In order to ensure the wellbeing of people we must take care not to leave anyone without support. By investing in social security we invest in a functioning and equal labour market at the same time,” says Minister of Social Affairs and Health Pekonen.

“Strengthening the welfare state is in the interests of all the Nordic countries. I am positive that we can turn the challenges of the transformation of work into an opportunity by improving on the existing support structures and by investing in skills. A skilled workforce can create new products and services that, in turn, will lead to new innovations and pave the way for new growth,” Minister Haatainen adds.

Working life-related issues will further be addressed at three conferences to be held by Finland in autumn 2021 as part of its Presidency. They will look at the Nordic wage formation system, the future of work notably from the climate change perspective, and the promotion of inclusive labour markets. A formal meeting of Nordic employment ministers will take place in November 2021.

NordenBladet — Follow a live discussion on accessible technology on the Ministry’s Twitter page today 2 June at 12 pm EEST. Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto discusses digitalisation and accessibility with UN Special Rapporteur Gerard Quinn and experts from Abilis Foundation. The event is a part of Finland’s candidacy campaign to the UN Human Rights Council. Finland’s campaign priorities are the rights of women and girls, education, digitalisation and new technologies, and climate change. Visit fiforhrc.com to learn more.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs on TwitterFinland’s candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council
Join the conversation #FIforHRC

NordenBladet — Oulu has been selected as European Capital of Culture for 2026. The selection is recommended by a European expert panel composed of nine independent experts in the field of arts and culture. The panel, having visited the candidate cities, announced its recommendation at the end of its two-day meeting in Helsinki on Wednesday 2 June.

The concept of the European Capital of Culture project of the City of Oulu and the municipalities in Northern Finland is ‘Cultural Climate Change’, which is about reconnecting with the world and creating new kinds of togetherness. The project’s main goals are to inject new energy into the region by means of arts and culture and to meet cross-border demands through cooperation.

Oulu’s new cultural strategy is built around three themes: Wild City, Cool Contrasts and Brave Hinterland. It emphasises social, cultural, economic and ecological sustainability. Oulu2026 wants to bring culture into everyone’s lives and create new opportunities for people to participate in arts and culture.

Three Finnish cities, Oulu, Savonlinna and Tampere, bid to be nominated as Finland’s candidate for the European Capital of Culture for 2026. After a pre-selection process last summer, the three cities were shortlisted for the final selectionMinister of Science and Culture Antti Kurvinen said in his speech that he hopes that each of the candidate cities make use of all the good work they have already done and continue to develop their cultural life in innovative and sustainable ways.

“The European Capital of Culture event is a unique opportunity to create new kinds of arts and culture, boost operating conditions and encourage people to participate in and experience arts and culture together.  It is a year-long cultural programme by which the selected city showcases its arts and culture for Finnish and European audiences,” says Minister Kurvinen.

“The best part of the event is that it helps people discover the culture of the selected city and its neighbours and learn about the identities, customs, arts, cultural heritage, food culture, celebrations and large and small events of the local people. These are linked to the many opportunities for European cooperation.Another 2026 European Capital of Culture will be selected from Slovakia.

Third Finnish city to be selected as European Capital of CultureEuropean Capitals of Culture have been designated since 1985. Finland’s two earlier European Capitals of Culture were Helsinki in 2000 and Turku in 2011. The European Capital of Culture event is one of the most well-known and successful cultural measures of the EU. It aims to highlight the diversity of cultures in Europe, to boost cultural exchange and to increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area. In addition, it fosters the contribution of culture to the development of cities.

The European Commission funds the event by awarding the selected city the Melina Mercouri Prize in 2026. The main sources of funding for the event are the central government, local governments and many partners of the city.The expert panel started its work in May 2020, and it will continue to support and advise the selected European Capital of Culture until 2026. It will publish its selection report in early July. Dessy Gavrilova chairs the panel with Riitta Vanhatalo serving as vice-chair.

Read more about the European Capital of Culture project and the selection process:
Oulu2026Oulu2026 Bid Book for the Final SelectionRead more about the evaluation process of the European Capital of Culture competition

NordenBladet — Finland is coordinating cooperation between the Nordic countries and Baltic states in the Nordic–Baltic Eight (NB8) format in 2021. The second foreign ministerial meeting of the year will be held on Wednesday 2 June. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the meeting will be held virtually.

The topics on the agenda of the meeting, chaired by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto, will include topical OSCE and UN matters and other foreign and security policy questions.  “The Nordic countries and Baltic states are among Finland’s most important groups of reference. It is important for us to exchange views on topical questions with close partners also now that meetings are held virtually. Recent events in Belarus and Ukraine will definitely be brought up in the discussions, and the results of the Arctic Council’s Ministerial meeting in Reykjavik will also be handled,” says Foreign Minister Haavisto.