NordenBladet — Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä held a meeting with Estonia’s new Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt on 9 February 2021. During the video conference, the ministers discussed the Finnish-Estonian cooperation and current EU issues.

In addition, the ministers exchanged views on the coronavirus epidemic and its effects on companies and tourism in particular. The ministers also touched on other issues that they consider central for Finland and Estonia, including climate objectives and digitalisation.

“The coronavirus did not have a significant impact on imports and exports between Finland and Estonia in 2020. The effects of the crisis are most evident in the service sector, such as tourism, and transport and construction. Finland shares Estonia’s concerns regarding these sectors. The current travel restrictions are based on a careful assessment and we hope that the situation will improve soon,” Minister Lintilä said.

Lintilä also congratulated Minister Sutt on his appointment. He took up his duties on 26 January.Finland and Estonia have very close economic relations. Finland is Estonia’s most important trading partner in goods and services. Estonia, on the other hand, is important for Finnish companies because many of them have production facilities there. Finland is the second most important foreign investor in Estonia. Estonian companies, on the other hand, are interested in the larger Finnish market.

NordenBladet — The Climate Policy Roundtable met on 8 February to discuss low-carbon roadmaps for individual sectors. The meeting highlighted that there is a need to take a more comprehensive account of just transition and to update and coordinate the sectoral roadmaps.In accordance with the Government Programme, 13 different sectors have drawn up a roadmap towards carbon reduction. Most of the roadmaps were completed last summer, and they identify a good number of ways to reduce emissions.

“It is most important that the Finnish industry and other sectors take an active part in building a carbon-neutral Finland. Roadmaps are a key tool as we aim for more effective climate policy and economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis”, said Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who chairs the Roundtable.An analysis by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland shows that the roadmaps have helped sectors to better understand their possibilities to reduce emissions and make it easier for them to commit to the common goal. However, it is difficult to compare individual sectors’ roadmaps because of differences in starting points, targets and approaches. Just transition was hardly discussed in the roadmaps.

“The sectoral roadmaps mainly focus on technical means to reduce emissions, and touch on innovation, research and development, all of which are essential elements of low-carbon goals. From now on the sectors should expand their roadmaps so that citizens, employees, organisations and others would feel they have been heard and that just transition would be included in the roadmaps,” said Tiina Koljonen, Research Team Leader at VTT.

“Justness is a condition for a successful transition to a low-carbon economy. Employees must have better opportunities for upskilling and reskilling. The social security system, too, must support a just transition, and we must ensure people’s livelihoods and faith in the future,” said Jarkko Eloranta, President of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK).The Climate Policy Roundtable noted that many sectors continue to work on their roadmaps. It emphasised that individual sectors should take a more systematic approach to examining not only the social dimensions of climate measures, but also their effects on biodiversity and resource efficiency. A cross-cutting and cross-sectoral approach should be taken to matters of social justice.

Finland has the chance of a bigger carbon handprint by offering solutions internationallyThe Climate Policy Roundtable agreed that the sectoral low-carbon roadmaps are internationally groundbreaking. It also highlighted that Finland can increase its global influence by growing the positive climate impacts of its measures, its carbon handprint.“We have world-class expertise in a number of fields, including smart energy systems, fossil-fuel free industrial processes and energy-efficient construction,” said Helena Soimakallio, Executive Director at Technology Industries of Finland.

The Roundtable emphasised the need to integrate the sectoral roadmaps and the export potential of Finnish solutions into the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland and into European and global coronavirus recovery efforts.To follow the work of the Roundtable in social media use #ilmastonpyöreäpöytä and #hiilineutraali2035. To follow the discussion on low-carbon roadmaps use #tiekartat.

NordenBladet — On 4 February 2021, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted its Views on the primacy of the best interests of the child in a matter concerning asylum. The Committee found that there had been violation of Articles 3 (primacy of the best interests of the child), 19 (protection of the child from violence) and 22 (right of the child to protection and humanitarian assistance; refugees and asylum seekers) of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The case is about the expulsion of a same-sex parent family to Russia, where they had returned through voluntary return in August 2017 following a negative asylum decision. The appellant is the child of the family. The Committee considers that the State party has neglected its obligation to take sufficient account of the primacy of the best interests of the child when assessing the appellant’s asylum appeal.

NordenBladet — At the request of Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, Director General of Finnish Customs Hannu Mäkinen has formulated a proposal to improve the opportunities of people with partial work ability to find employment. Mäkinen proposes that Finland should take Sweden’s Samhall company as a model, but adapt it to the Finnish needs.

The new intermediate labour market operator would improve the transition of people with partial work ability to the open labour market. By combining adequate services and actual work, the intermediate labour market would provide jobs for those who otherwise would not be able to achieve this transition.

“The new Finnish model proposed by Rapporteur Hannu Mäkinen is needed,” Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen said at the publication of the report on 9 February 2021.

“Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government wants to significantly increase the employment opportunities of people with partial work ability and disabilities,” she added.

The Government is set to make decisions on the intermediate labour market in its spending limits discussion in spring 2021. The operations would start during 2022 at the latest.“Samhall employs 25,000 people with partial work ability, and based on the number of employees, it is the largest public company in Sweden. Finland should go in the same direction,” Haatainen said.

The most important reform of the proposal would entail the founding of a new business operator to employ people with partial work ability. The Finnish model would combine work in an employment relationship and services required by the jobseeker based on their work abilities.

The model proposed by Mäkinen would solve the main obstacles to the employment of people with partial work ability:
•    Even though the need for services among people with partial work ability is common, it often goes unrecognised, and the existing services usually do not relate to working life.
•    The demand for labour among people with partial work ability is not as high as among other jobseekers. This is due to discrimination and inadequate services offered to employers, in part.

Intermediate labour market would have a complementary role
Reforms to improve the employment of people with partial work ability have already been launched in the Government’s working capacity programme. These include developing employment services, introducing conditions on employment in public procurement projects, and developing the operating conditions of social enterprises.

Mäkinen’s proposal emphasises that the new intermediate labour market operator must complement the existing employment services. It is not the intention of the new intermediate labour market to employ people who could be employed elsewhere. The new operator and the public support it receives also should not distort competition.

According to Minister Haatainen, it is also important that the expertise of organisations, foundations and associations is utilised in creating the Finnish intermediate labour market.The Employment and Economic Development Offices (TE Offices) would direct jobseekers to the new intermediate labour market operator, which would have three tasks:
1.    ensure and complement the services offered to people with partial work ability who are in the most disadvantageous position,
2.    employ people with partial work ability who are in the most disadvantageous position, and
3.    organise the employment of groups with a high employment threshold elsewhere.

“In order for the Finnish model to be successful, it is important we reach a situation in our society where different communities and companies want to bear their social responsibility by employing people with partial work ability who are in a disadvantaged position,” said rapporteur Hannu Mäkinen.

The Government’s reform of employment policy has three parts. One of them involves municipal experiments and the transfer of employment services to the local level. The second part builds a Nordic model of close and individual employment services with a reasonable system of sanctions. The creation of an intermediate labour market as proposed by Mäkinen would form the third part of Finland’s new employment policy.

NordenBladet — The Prime Minister’s Office sent a draft of Finland’s Arctic policy strategy for a broad round of consultations on 8 February 2021. The consultation period will continue until 12 March 2021, and the finalised strategy will be published in March. Drawing up an Arctic policy strategy is an integral part of Finland’s Arctic policy.

The strategy, which aims to strengthen Arctic cooperation, has been drawn up in line with the objectives set in the Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government. As stated in the Government Programme, all activities in the Arctic must be based on the carrying capacity of the natural environment, the need to protect the climate, sustainable development principles and respect for the rights of indigenous populations.The strategy covers two parliamentary terms, meaning it extends until 2030. The Arctic policy strategy defines Finland’s key objectives in the Arctic region and outlines the main priorities for achieving them. The preamble to the strategy presents the objectives and guiding principles of Finland’s Arctic policy over the next ten years. Finland emphasises the importance of the principles of sustainable development, gender equality and non-discrimination as cross-cutting themes in all Arctic cooperation. The preamble also touches on the international operating environment and security issues related to Arctic policy. The strategy highlights the importance of international cooperation.

The strategy focuses on the following priority areas:
1.    Climate change mitigation and adaptation
2.    Inhabitants, promotion of welfare in the region and the rights of indigenous peoples
3.    Arctic expertise, livelihoods and leading-edge research
4.    Infrastructure and logistics It presents the current state of play with regard to each priority area, along with the targets for development in the Arctic region and the concrete actions needed to achieve the desired outcome. The main responsibility for drawing up the strategy lies with the Prime Minister’s Office. The strategy steering group and the working group of officials responsible for Arctic policy include representatives from all ministries. The Arctic Advisory Board is also supporting the preparation of the strategy and will help in monitoring its implementation later on. The members of the advisory board represent Finland’s Arctic competence in a wide variety of ways. Both the steering group and the advisory board are chaired by State Secretary to the Prime Minister Henrik Haapajärvi. Even before the consultation round, experts and stakeholders were widely consulted during the preparation process. All of the Arctic countries and several third countries interested in the region have recently published or are publishing Arctic strategies. Sweden and Norway have already published their own strategies, while the Danish strategy will be published in the first part of this year.

NordenBladet — In their meeting on Friday 5 February, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed topical issues concerning Russia.

Topics on the agenda included the imprisonment of opposition politician Alexei Navalny and the resulting protests, relations between the EU and Russia and bilateral issues between Finland and Russia.

The President and the Committee received a briefing on Finland’s candidacy to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022–2024 term. The themes of the Finnish campaign are the rights of women and girls, new technologies and the digital transformation, sustainable development and climate change, and education.The President and the Committee also discussed the implementation of the civilian and military intelligence priorities set for 2020.

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched a project programme to reform the legislation governing social and health care information management.

The reform seeks to formulate integrated legislation governing the processing of social and health care client data that will include statutes on data protection, document handling, national information system services and information management guidance. The legal framework for social and health care information management would thereby form a clear, coherent and comprehensive package that satisfies the requirements of the Constitution of Finland and the General Data Protection Regulation, while supporting development of the social and health services system and its services, and integration of social and health care.

The first stage of the project programme will reform such aspects as the provisions governing the manner of archiving the documents of private social and health care providers that have ceased trading, and who serves as controller in relation to these documents, and the manner of processing patient information recorded by social care services. Regulations governing patient records, such as document archiving periods, would also be prescribed by law.

The second stage will involve a more detailed review of the needs for using patient and client information and the purpose of such use as part of the process of enhancing services and associated legislation.

Timetable for the reformThe reform will be a broad package implemented over at least two terms of government with a view to processing the first stage amendments during the term of the present government. The reform will be prepared under the official purview of the Ministry, while requiring extensive consultation with social and health care organisations and specialists. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will arrange working meetings and hearings with stakeholders during 2021.

Why pursue this reform?
Current legislation is fragmented and partly outdated, and problems have arisen in applying and harmonising various laws. The new opportunities afforded by technological progress have also brought about novel needs for regulation. Changes are required in particular with respect to processing client and patient information, and releasing information between social and health care services and in joint services.For further details, please contact:
Anna Kärkkäinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 3702
Marja Penttilä, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 3682
Joni Komulainen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 29 516 3453

NordenBladet — The Climate Policy Roundtable will hold its sixth meeting on Monday 8 February. The main topic of the meeting are the low-carbon roadmaps for individual sectors. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

In accordance with the Government Programme, 13 different sectors have drawn up a roadmap towards carbon reduction. Most of the roadmaps were completed last summer, and they identify a good number of ways to reduce emissions. Assessments on e.g. the trends in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption and investment needs of the sectors are also presented. The work on the roadmaps is coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

The Roundtable will discuss steering instruments by which the emission reduction potential identified in the roadmaps can be realised.In international comparison, the Finnish industry is energy-intensive. About a quarter of the emissions in Finland are produced by the industrial sector. During the roadmap process it was estimated that bringing the emissions from the energy system down to a level close to zero will require investments of at least EUR 20 billion in clean energy production by 2050. Investments are also needed in the energy networks and systems and renewable processes in energy-intensive industries.

The Climate Policy Roundtable brings together a broad spectrum of stakeholders from different sectors of society. The purpose of the Roundtable is to create a common understanding of how Finland can make a just transition to a carbon neutral society by 2035. With its work, the Roundtable supports the preparation and implementation of Finland’s national climate policy.To follow the work of the Roundtable in social media use #ilmastonpyöreäpöytä and #hiilineutraali2035. To follow the discussion on low-carbon roadmaps use #tiekartat.

NordenBladet — Communications Minister of Brazil Fábio Faria will visit Finland on Friday 5 February 2021. His visit is part of a wider five-country tour that key Brazilian decision-makers undertake to survey potential 5G network suppliers in the world. Brazil is planning to organise an auction of 5G frequencies in spring 2021.

From the Brazilian point of view, Finland is among the more natural and reliable partners for digitalisation projects. Finland’s strengths include high technological expertise as well as digital safety, reliability and transparency. Security and legislative matters concerning 5G networks are among the main topics of the visit. Among others, the Brazilian Communications Minister will meet Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari in person and Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka via video connection.

Finland and Brazil have a close and constructive partnership relationship. Brazil is Finland’s biggest trading partner in Latin America, and as a country with 220 million inhabitants, it offers Finnish companies many opportunities to expand cooperation and partnerships.

NordenBladet — On Monday 15 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will visit St Petersburg and have a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Foreign Ministers will discuss the situation of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, EU-Russia relations, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Belarus and Ukraine, as well as arms control.

Ministers will also discuss regional cooperation in areas such as environmental protection and nuclear safety, and preparations for the upcoming Russian chairmanship of the Arctic Council and the upcoming Finnish chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. Discussions will also touch on bilateral issues.  During his visit, Foreign Minister Haavisto will meet representatives of civil society organisations too.