NordenBladet — It will become easier for seasonal workers arriving in Finland from third countries to change employers as the amendments to the Seasonal Workers Act enter into force. Meanwhile, employers will be able to notify the Finnish Immigration Service of more than one employee at a time. The amendments relate to seasonal work carried out in an employment relationship within agriculture or tourism.

The amendment, which is in line with the objectives of the Government Programme, also reduces the risk of exploitation of seasonal workers from abroad as they will be able to change employers more easily. Previously, foreign seasonal workers have been bound to the employer registered in their seasonal work permit.“It is important that the amendments to the Seasonal Workers Act strengthen the position of seasonal workers by making it possible for them to change jobs. At the same time, employers will benefit as they will be able to hire familiar employees more easily and their reporting burden will be reduced,” says Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.

Easier hiring of seasonal workers
The administrative burden of employers will be reduced, because they will no longer be required to notify authorities separately of each seasonal worker arriving in Finland at the same time for the same kind of work. Instead, the employer can notify authorities of all seasonal workers at one time.It will also facilitate the return of seasonal workers to Finland. Most seasonal workers in agriculture return to the same employer. Such seasonal workers will no longer be required to present a report on the conditions for employment, because the Finnish Immigration Service will have previously assessed the employer’s ability to act as an employer in accordance with the requirements of the Act.At the same time, the amendment will tighten sanctions for employers who fail to comply with the Seasonal Workers Act. The responsibility to comply with the Act will also lie with the person responsible for the company or organisation.

According to Parliament, the Government must also monitor the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on employers who have committed serious violations and report on the matter to the Employment and Equality Committee by the end of 2022.On 8 April 2021, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the amendments, and he is to approve them on Friday 9 April 2021. The legislative amendments will enter into force on 17 June 2021.

NordenBladet — The Government has proposed to enact a law on regional development and implementation of the European Union’s regional and structural policy (the implementation act) and a law on the funding of regional development and the European Union’s regional and structural policy projects (the funding act). The proposed laws help preparations for the new programming period of the EU’s regional and structural policy in 2021–2027.

The new laws aim to update the objectives, planning and practices of regional development so that they better correspond to changes in the operating environment as well as to national and EU objectives. The laws also aim to support and promote effective interaction and agreement in regional development, to clarify regulation and to reduce the administrative burden of public authorities and recipients of funding.

“Above all, the aim of the legislative reform is to ensure that the EU’s regional and structural policies are simple, flexible and dynamic. The national regional development policies and the EU’s regional and structural policy funds should have a similar impact. That regional and structural policies are implemented in partnership with the regions will be taken into consideration at all stages of implementation,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

Regional development to remain a remit of State and municipalities – Role of regional councils to be clarifiedUnder the proposal, the regional planning system would be streamlined, while its operators as well as the duties and powers of the authorities would remain largely unchanged.  As per the current regulations, the State and municipalities would be responsible for regional development. Regional councils would continue to act as regional development authorities on behalf of municipalities. The Government’s priorities for regional development (regional development decisions) would continue as a key document for guiding the regional development by different administrative branches and regions. Regional strategic programmes would remain key planning documents, but the drafting of implementation plans would be discontinued in order to make the procedure easier. Regular regional development discussions between the State and the regions would be introduced as a new form of cooperation in order to promote their mutual interaction and to support regional councils in their development work.

The proposed acts would include national provisions on Interreg programmes and the implementation of Interreg external border cooperation programmes, which would be new. In future, regional councils would carry out administrative checks on the beneficiaries of the Interreg programmes and Interreg external border cooperation programmes. In the Interreg programmes, the regulation of national counterpart funding would be harmonised between the different programmes so that regional councils alone would be responsible for managing counterpart funding, instead of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. No changes are proposed to the management of the EU’s regional and structural policy funds, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the new Just Transition Fund (JTF) by the regional councils and ELY Centres. The Finnish Food Authority would be a new intermediate body for EU regional and structural policy funds. The Finnish Food Authority could grant support from the European Social Fund for projects related to distribution of food aid.

No significant changes to aid procedures
The act on funding would specify and supplement the national application of the regulations on the funds for the upcoming programming period in 2021–2027. The act would also apply to the granting and payment of national funds for regional development and the national counterpart funding for the Interreg programmes and Interreg external border cooperation programmes. There would not be any significant changes to aid procedures. The proposed amendments aim to clarify the rules, reduce the administrative burden and ensure the equal treatment of aid applicants. The act on funding will be specified by government decrees on aid procedures and eligibility of project costs.The amended laws are scheduled to enter into force on 1 September 2021.Consultation round on decrees startedThree government decrees will be issued based on the legislative proposals. A Finnish-language consultation round on the draft decrees started on 1 April 2021 at Lausuntopalvelu.fi. A Swedish-language consultation round will be launched later in April at Utlåtande.fi.

NordenBladet — On 8 April 2021, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal, which would extend the national distribution obligation of transport fuels to biogas and to other renewable liquid and gaseous fuels of non-biological origin.

The purpose of the extension is to more rapidly decrease the use of fossil fuels in the transport sector in a cost-effective manner, to improve the diversification of energy sources in the sector and to promote innovation, growth and job creation.

“Promoting domestic renewable fuels will reduce transport emissions and create growth and jobs. Including biogas in the distribution obligation is a significant step towards the increased use of gas in transport. I also strongly believe that electrofuels will become more common during this decade. The proposal encourages investments in biogas and in the development and production of new low-emission fuels,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

The proposal aims to ensure that new fuels are included in the distribution obligation system in a suitable way and that the system will continue to reduce transport emissions in a cost-effective manner requiring little administrative work.The Government proposes to amend the Act on the Promotion of the Use of Biofuels for Transport, the Act on Biofuels and Bioliquids, the Act on the Promotion of the Use of Biofuels and the Act on the Energy Agency. The proposal implements the EU’s revised renewable energy directive (RED II) concerning the limits for biofuels, biogas and bioliquids produced from certain materials and the greenhouse gas emission reduction criteria for renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin.

The amendment would allow the distributor of transport fuels to fulfil its distribution obligation not only with biofuels but also with biogas and renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO fuels, incl. electrofuels).The range of renewable fuels available to distributors would expand, which in turn would increase cost-effectiveness and reduce dependence on individual fuels or fuel suppliers. Biogas will become more profitable if it is included in the distribution obligation. The extension would not immediately change the relative competitiveness of transport fuels or the price relationships between them. The commercialisation of electrofuels is only likely when their price level is competitive with corresponding biofuels and biogas.

However, inclusion in the distribution obligation will create demand for electrofuels far into the future and thereby encourage companies to invest in research, development and production facilities.The determination of the scope of the Act would still be based on the volume of transport fuels supplied by the distributor for consumption during a calendar year. In the case of liquid fuels, the limit for the application of the distribution obligation would remain at one million litres. For distributors of gaseous fuels, the limit would be nine gigawatt hours. In addition, distributors who do not fall within the scope of application would be offered the possibility of voluntarily joining the distribution obligation system through a confirmation procedure. This would mean, for example, that farm-sized units of biogas plants could join the distribution obligation system, if they distribute sufficient biogas to transport.Including biogas and electrofuels in the distribution obligation will expand the possibilities for low-emission transport. The proposal also implements the decision in the Government Programme to include biogas in the distribution obligation.

No changes are proposed to the level of distribution obligation, which is 30% in 2030. The levels will be assessed based on studies and impact assessments in autumn 2021 as part of the preparation for the climate and energy strategy. The laws are scheduled to enter into force on 30 June 2021. In accordance with the proposed transitional provisions of the Act on the Promotion of the Use of Biofuels for Transport, biogas would be added to the distribution obligation on 1 January 2022 and RFNBO fuels on 1 January 2023.

NordenBladet — On 8 April 2021, the Finnish Government issued a decree amending the radio spectrum usage and frequency allocation plan (Spectrum Decree). The decree will enter into force on 9 April 2021.

Under the Spectrum Decree, the frequency bands 2300-2320 MHz and 24.25-25.1 GHz are allocated for the provision of minor local network service in the mobile communications network. Finland is the first country in Europe to have introduced the entire 26 GHz frequency band for the use of 5G, allocating a specific frequency band for local 5G networks.

The 1.5 GHz frequency band is allocated for dynamic shared use of wireless broadband and radio equipment destined for military defence. Seen that a dynamic shared use of the frequency band reserved for mobile networks will make future use of frequencies more efficient and flexible, Finland is determined to promote this goal as a global leader.

The draft decree was available for public consultation on the online consultation service during 3-24 February 2021. A total of 32 opinions were received by the set deadline. In most of the submissions, the proposed amendments were seen as justified. It was considered that the envisaged amendments would promote novel business models, innovation and services. It was also noted that the amendments would contribute to managing the increasing demand for frequencies and also secure the operations of the defence administration. The public consultation did not give rise to any changes to the factual content of the Decree.

What next?
The decree will enter into force on 9 April 2021. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom will start to grant radio licences for the local mobile networks referred to in the Decree during the spring term.

NordenBladet — The legislative amendments included in a series of corrections introduced to the taxi regulation will enter into force mainly on 1 May 2021. The amendments on pricing and equipment, including taximeters, will come into force on 1 September 2021. The variation in the dates of the entry into force allows the taxi operators to make the necessary changes required in the amendments.

– The aim of the corrections to taxi regulation is to return the customers’ trust in safe taxi services and the entrepreneurs’ trust in the future of the sector, says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.On 8 April 2021, the Government proposed that the amendments be adopted. The President of the Republic is expected to approve the bills on 9 April 2021.

Key changes
The topics and the minimum content of the questions in the taxi driver exam will be defined in more detail to better ensure the safety of passengers and the high standard of working with special groups.In order to improve their expertise, in future taxi drivers will be able to attend a voluntary driver training for the provision of taxi services to special groups. The training can also be taken into account in public procurement for taxi transport services.

The price of the taxi journey or the basis for determining the price should continue to be indicated before the start of the journey. If the price of a journey is not fixed, a specific pricing structure should be used and the price of an example journey should be presented. In determining the price, a taximeter in accordance with the Measuring Instruments Act should be used.

If, on the basis of price monitoring, the Transport and Communications Agency Traficom considers the prices for the additional services of special groups to be unreasonable, it can set a maximum price for them.Entrepreneurs will be required to provide a business ID already at the time they receive a taxi transport licence. In future, the requirements for a taxi transport licence will include an obligation to complete entrepreneurial training and the related examination. The drivers who already have a taxi transport licence must meet the legal requirements during a transition period.

In order to improve supervision, a taxi transport licence or a copy of it must always be kept in the vehicle. The driver’s responsibility for the documents and information that must be kept in the vehicle has also been increased, and a fee for a traffic violation can be imposed on the driver for a breach of the obligations.An illuminated taxi sign will be mandatory, except for certain business and PR journeys. In order to support tax supervision, electronic data determined in legislation should be collected on all taxi journeys.

Taxi service operators and brokering service providers should inform the authorities of the prices. More specific instructions will be given on the data to be provided on the supply and demand of services.

In the future, a taxi transport licence will not be required for transport included in the service package of household service providers and tourism service companies. It is further specified that a taxi transport licence is required for professional transport of persons by vehicles defined by law and for the provision of these services to the public.

Two resolutions
The parliamentary reply to the government proposal includes two resolutions.

1. Parliament requires that the Government without delay assess and implement all legislative and other measures needed to improve the availability of taxi services in different regions.
2. Parliament also requires that the Government without delay launch and implement a legislative project and other necessary measures to improve the publicly supported transportation and to respond to the current challenges in cooperation with the sector.

Further information from Traficom
Further information on the statutes and more specific regulations will be available on the website and newsletters of the Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

NordenBladet — By the resolution on promoting a circular economy adopted today, on 7 April, the Finnish Government committed to reducing the consumption of unrenewable natural resources. The resolution also restricts the use of renewable natural resources in Finland: the total consumption of domestic primary raw materials in 2035 will not exceed the level in 2015*. The resolution is based on a vision that in 2035 the Finnish economy will be based on a carbon-neutral circular economy society.According to the resolution, the productivity of resources must be doubled by 2035 from the situation in 2015. The circular material use rate (CMU) must also be doubled by 2035.“A circular economy offers solutions to curbing the overconsumption of natural resources and the keys to halting the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity. By this resolution, we are for the first time setting concrete targets for the consumption of natural resources. The measures included in the resolution will enable us to seize the opportunities offered by a circular economy and create a more sustainable foundation for our economy,” Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen says.“The key objective of a circular economy is to keep the products, materials and their value in the economic cycle for as long as possible. The philosophy of ‘more for less’ means raising the added value, and even more efficient utilisation of raw materials. Companies are the drivers in achieving this change. This is also a great opportunity to boost exports because there is a lot of interest in Finnish circular economy expertise around the world,” Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä points out.The resolution sets out the key measures by which the ministries will promote a circular economy in 2021–2024. They will create incentives, strengthen the markets, enhance expertise, promote digitalisation, and support a foreign policy that is in line with sustainable development. A broad spectrum of stakeholders such as different ministries and research institutes, in dialogue with companies, business sectors, local governments and private citizens, participated in the process to prepare the resolution.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On Thursday 8 April, the Government submitted to Parliament a report on education policy. The Education Policy Report paves the way for equitable and high-quality education in the 2040s in Finland, where skills requirements are growing and age cohorts are shrinking. The report outlines the target state for education and research when moving forward to the 2040s and the necessary changes in resources, structures and guidance to achieve it.

The Government aims to use the Education Policy Report to set in motion a debate both in Parliament and broadly in society on the importance, problems and solutions of education and research in the future. The report is also intended to serve as the basis for future decision-making on education policy.

“Finland’s success has been based on the aim to ensure equal opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in life. Educational equity is an asset we cannot afford to lose.  With the measures in the Education Policy Report, we want make sure our education system can continue to enable everyone’s right to learn and grow to their full potential. That is the only way we can be successful in the future too,” said Minister of Education Jussi Saramo.

“It has been necessary to review Finnish education comprehensively. To respond to the big changes in our times, we need a common vision of how to develop education and research over parliamentary terms. The most important thing is to put people, learners, at the centre and to further step up interaction between education and the surrounding society, said Minister of Science and Culture Annika Saarikko.

Target state in 2040: Finland has a strong educational and cultural foundationIn the Education Policy Report, the goal the Government has set is that Finland will be a nation with a cultural and educational foundation in 2040 that draws on effective education, research and culture that are of high quality. Finland’s international competitiveness and the wellbeing of its citizens build on this foundation.

The aim is that in 2040 educational equity and accessibility will have improved, and that Finland’s level of education and competence will rank among the world’s best. Education and research contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals in society as a whole.

Selected items from the objectives and measures for education and research up to 2040:
Finnish society is facing major challenges: demographic changes and regional disparities, and rapid advances in the world of work and technology all demand new approaches and structures at all levels of education. Continuous learning, close cooperation between work and competence bring people protection in the event of restructuring and a competitive advantage for companies. To meet the challenges, the report proposes an overhaul of legislation and funding that would safeguard an equitable realisation of high quality for educational and cultural rights throughout the country. Legislation governing early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education will be brought together into one clear package. It is proposed that funding for education be boosted by allocating the imputed savings from shrinking age cohorts to develop early childhood education and care and primary and lower secondary education. It is proposed that the financing system be amended to include needs-based funding, i.e. financing for positive discrimination. This will safeguard equity in learning. Safeguarding equitable education that is free of charge, of high quality and accessible will demand significant investment of public funds into education and research in the future. A higher level of education and competence can only be achieved with adequate resources for education and research and wiser allocation of resources. The report aims to achieve a commitment to investment in education that spans over parliamentary terms. Long-term financing that is predictable is a prerequisite for achieving the objectives set for education and research. The shortfall in learning and wellbeing caused by the COVID-19 epidemic must be fixed. Students of the coronavirus epoch must not become a lost generation of learning.

One of the objectives in the Education Policy Report is to reduce the fees charged for early childhood education and care. The long-term objective is to make early childhood education and care free of charge (a minimum of 4 hours a day).Learning outcomes in primary and lower secondary education will be raised and learning disparities will be narrowed down by fostering wellbeing and inclusion in early childhood education and care and in school communities. This will be implemented by means of a new national binding model whereby school communities work collaboratively. Skills in literacy and numeracy will be strengthened and particular attention will be paid to developing the skills for critical thinking among children and young people.

General education will not be set against vocational education and training. Cooperation will be harnessed in upper secondary education and existing legislative or other obstacles in this area will be removed. In vocational education and training, general knowledge and basic skills will be strengthened, without undermining the acquisition of vocational competence. This way we can ensure that students have genuine opportunities for pursuing further studies and for upskilling during their working life. In upper secondary education, new technologies and practices will be harnessed to build personalised study paths for each learner. An apposite model of positive discrimination will also be developed for vocational education and training.

Projections show that in the future there will be a growing demand for tertiary-level expertise. One of the objectives is that by 2030 at least 50 per cent of all young adults in Finland will have completed a higher education degree. To achieve this, student intake in higher education institutions will be increased, without compromising the quality of education. The choices offered by higher education institutions will be developed on the basis of research. The aim is to triple the number of foreign degree students by 2030, and 75% of foreign graduates should find a job in Finland.

With regard to science, the aim is that in the future Finland will be an inspiring place to carry out research, and the research environments will be world class. Top talent will move to Finland and enhance Finland’s skills level. Moreover, public research funding will also encourage private sector investment in expertise and RDI activities.

An important step towards achieving these goals is that the national RDI Roadmap (2020) be implemented effectively and to a high standard.As part of higher education, the availability and competence of teachers and other staff in education and child care will be secured, by measures such as improving the knowledge base of staff members, by foresight and by the right scope of education and training, and by ensuring that the quality of education is based on research.

The report also outlines the development needs in areas such as liberal adult education, continuous learning, student financial aid, Swedish-speaking education, education for those with an immigrant background, learning for people with disabilities, and Saami education.Education Policy Report (in Finnish)

NordenBladet — The Finnish Government launched the International Gender Equality Prize in 2017, when Finland celebrated the centenary of its independence. The purpose of the prize is to promote gender equality in global contexts and to promote discussion about equality. The nominations are open until 16 May 2021.

“Inclusion, trust and justice are important elements of welfare in the Nordic countries, and they are essential for everyone’s wellbeing. When the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights was under preparation, Eleanor Roosevelt said that human rights begin in small places,” says Eva Biaudet, MP and chair of the prize jury.

“Finland’s success story is based on the objective of realising women’s rights and eliminating gender inequality. Finland has had women in decision-making positions for 115 years. We know that equality does not happen on its own. In order to take a proper leap forward in our work on equality, we need to engage in determined efforts and gather gender-sensitive information and expertise. Equality improves the lives of us all,” says Biaudet.

Nominees for the prize can be persons or organisations that have advanced gender equality in a globally significant way. The prize of EUR 300,000 is not granted for the personal benefit of the winner. Instead, the winner directs the money to a cause that advances gender equality. Due to the international reach of the prize, we expect to receive nominations from all around the world. Anyone is welcome to nominate a candidate for the prize.

An independent international jury will assess the nominations and select the winner. In 2021, the members of the international jury are Eva Biaudet, Member of Parliament and chair of the jury; Melanne Verveer, former US Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues and Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University; Dean Peacock, co-founder and Co-Executive Director of South African NGO Sonke Gender Justice; Matti Vanhanen, Minister of Finance; and Bella Forsgrén, Member of Parliament.The first International Gender Equality Prize in 2017 was awarded to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who directed the prize money to a Nigerien organisation that defends victims of domestic violence. In 2019, the prize was awarded to Equality Now, an organisation that defends the rights of women worldwide, for example by working to change discriminatory laws and to modify gendered norms.“Women are fighting for their rights in all parts of the world. We can support each other, learn from each other and take up gender equality and the promotion of women’s position and rights for discussion at all international forums. It’s time to take a leap forward in equality. Realising equality is not the sole responsibility of women. We are also committed to equality as states. By paying tribute to people and organisations that promote equality and by commending their work, we want to celebrate them and inspire others to follow suit. Gender equality is a central precondition for development and wellbeing,” says Biaudet.The International Gender Equality Prize is awarded biennially. The 2021 award ceremony will take place towards the end of the year at Tampere Hall. The ceremony will be organised in cooperation with the City of Tampere.Nominate a candidate for the prize Twitter: @igepfinlandFacebook

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments the memorandums of the working groups that examined possible needs to amend the Rescue Act. The preliminary study assessed the functioning and clarity of the provisions of the Rescue Act, and whether they are up to date. In addition to the amendments included in the legislative package of the health and social services reform, the preliminary study also examined and assessed what legislative amendments would be needed as a result of the transfer of the responsibility for organising rescue services to wellbeing services counties.

The memorandums of the working groups that were sent out for comments examine the current state and functioning of the existing Rescue Act and present proposals of the working groups for amending the Act. The proposals were prepared through extensive cooperation with operators in the sector.The preliminary study project explored possible needs for amendments to the Rescue Act from the perspectives of incident and accident prevention and supervision, rescue operations, preparedness and civil defence, as well as of the structure and common provisions of the Act. The proposed amendments are accompanied by reasoned proposals and assessments of their impact and urgency.

“The aim is to reform the Rescue Act to better reflect the operating environment of the rescue services, future developments and the ongoing wellbeing services county reform. This is the first time that the Act has been comprehensively evaluated,” says Mika Kättö, Director of Legislative Affairs.

Preparation will proceed based on feedback receivedAccording to the Government Programme of Prime Minister Marin’s Government, the responsibility for organising rescue services will be transferred to the wellbeing services counties and the Rescue Act will be amended on the basis of a comprehensive analysis.

On 30 December 2019, the Ministry of the Interior set up a preliminary study project on the need to reform the Rescue Act. The purpose of the project was to examine and assess comprehensively possible needs to amend the legislation on the rescue services, which are due, among other things, to the transfer of the responsibility for organising the rescue services to the wellbeing services counties.

The proposals of the working groups will be circulated for comments between 8 April and 31 May 2021. Any legislative amendments will be prepared in a separate legislative project on the basis of the preliminary study and the comments received during the consultation round.

NordenBladet — In its meeting on 7 April, the Government discussed the plan to lift the restrictions and recommendations put in place due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The plan also includes an indicative target schedule.

The purpose of the plan is to give the public, businesses and communities a clear picture of how society will gradually open up. The restrictions will be lifted based on the development of the epidemic. This will be possible if we all comply with the existing restrictions and recommendations.The Government will continue its work on the draft tomorrow (8 April) with all of the parties in Parliament. The discussion will take place at the House of the Estates at 10.00.

Changes will then be made to the draft based on the discussions. Once the changes have been made, the entire plan and its annexes will be published on the Government website on Friday 9 April. At the same time, a week-long consultation and comments round will begin, during which all interested parties will have the opportunity to comment on the plan. The Government will provide more information about the plan and the possibility to comment on it at a press briefing. The exact time of the briefing will be announced later. The Government will publish the final plan after examining the feedback received during the consultation and comment round.