NordenBladet — The purpose of the reform of the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings is to improve the interaction between employers and personnel and to create a framework for developing the company and the work community. The reform would improve employees’ access to information and their opportunity to exercise influence. The report of the tripartite working group on the Government proposal will be circulated for comments between 19 November 2020 and 15 January 2021.

The new Act on Co-operation within Undertakings would consist of three entities:Continuous dialogue between employer and employeesNegotiations in changing circumstances (change negotiations)Personnel representation in company administrationThe Act on Co-operation within Undertakings would continue to apply to companies and organisations employing at least 20 persons. The provisions on employee representation in company administration would apply to companies with at least 150 employees in Finland.

Continuous dialogue to develop the company and work communityThe working group proposes a new practice for developing the relationship between the employer and employees in the long term. The employer and the employee representative should have regular interaction at least quarterly, unless they have agreed otherwise. The practical ways of implementing the dialogue would be agreed at workplaces.The continuous dialogue could address, among other things, the financial situation of the company or organisation, rules and practices of the workplace, structure of personnel, and needed skills and well-being of employees.

As part of the dialogue, the employer would create, in cooperation with the employee representative, a work community development plan, based on which the personnel’s skills and well-being would be developed and improved.A larger role for employee representatives in change negotiationsBefore the employer makes a decision on matters that have a significant effect on the employees, such as reductions in workforce, the employer must consult the employees or employee representatives. In the amended Act, this negotiation process would be called change negotiations.The right of the employee representative to make proposals and propose alternative solutions would improve. In addition, the Act would specify the time when the negotiations must start.The continuous dialogue and change negotiations would form an interrelated continuum. Possible developments could be discussed during the continuous dialogue even before the change negotiations, which would improve the flow of information and the premise of the negotiations. Similarly, the continuous dialogue would play an important role in the further processing of changes after the change negotiations had ended.

Specifications to employee representation in company administrationThe representation of employees in the company administration promotes the flow of information and allows the personnel’s expertise to contribute to the decision-making in the company.

Provisions on employee representation would be transferred to the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings. Employees should be represented in the body of the company or organisation, which effectively deals with important business matters, finances and personnel issues. Employee representatives would have the right to receive training in order to perform their duties as an employee representative in the body.

Government aims to increase trust in the labour market
The purpose of the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings is to improve the company’s operations and the employees’ ability to influence decisions made in the company concerning their work, working conditions and position. The current act has been in force for more than ten years, and its functionality has been evaluated numerous times. Many in working life feel that the act no longer fulfils its objectives.According to the Government Programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s government, the legislation on cooperation will be amended in structure and in substance in order to improve the trust between employers and employees.

The task of the tripartite working group was to examine whether the current Act on Co-operation within Undertakings meets the present and expected needs of working life and to submit proposals for legislative amendments. The working group prepared a report drawn up in the form of a government proposal, which will be circulated for comments between 19 November 2020 and 15 January 2021. The report includes a dissenting opinion from the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, a supplementary statement from the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK) and a supplementary statement from the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) and the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (Akava).

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 20 November 2020, Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will participate in an informal video conference of EU competitiveness ministers, which will address the space policy. The ministers will discuss Europe’s role in the international space economy, market developments and common principles in the sector.

The topic of the EU ministers’ meeting will be the growing space market, which has attracted both private and public operators in recent years. The meeting will address, among other things, Europe’s position in the international space market. It will be followed by a joint Space Council meeting of the EU and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Finland’s space strategy targets international markets
The objective of Finland’s current space strategy is to make Finland the world’s most attractive and agile space business environment by 2025. The development would benefit both companies sending their own satellites and operators using satellite data in their business activities.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Based on a recent evaluation, the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE is a progressive research institute that is widely appreciated in society. It produces research and expertise of a high standard and its societal impact is significant. What SYKE could do, however, is show even stronger leadership as a promoter of sustainable development, both internationally and nationally.

The Ministry of the Environment commissioned an international expert group to conduct the evaluation. The task of the group was to assess the quality and impact of the expert services of SYKE, societal impact and sustainability leadership, cooperation and role in networks, and foresight and innovation. The group was appointed in May 2020, and it was chaired by Hanne Bach, Director of the Danish Centre for Environment and Energy of the Aarhus University.

Based on its work, the group also gives a number of recommendations to further improve the impact of SYKE. This impact could be strengthened if SYKE would also serve the private sector more broadly, define its priorities more clearly, focus more strongly on network leadership, and communicate on the basis of this in a more targeted manner. To crystallise its role in society, SYKE should also tell more clearly about its services to relevant stakeholders. The ministries responsible for the guidance of SYKE should cooperate more closely, which would ensure a more strategic approach to the guidance.

“The evaluation confirmed my view that SYKE is highly capable of producing important information for the needs of society and policy-making. It also gives us useful proposals for developing SYKE into an even more influential player, as well as suggestions how we can improve our work as one of the ministries responsible for the guidance of SYKE,” says Juhani Damski, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment.

“The report gives us good ideas of how to develop our solution-driven and cooperation-based activities and aim for even more innovative and international sustainability leadership,” says Eeva Primmer, Acting Director General and Research Director at the Finnish Environment Institute.The evaluation was conducted in June-September 2020.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has opened a call for applications to select Finland’s candidates for the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). The EDIHs will support businesses and the public sector in the utilisation and deployment of digital solutions. Applications will be accepted until 15 January 2021.

The call for applications is open to organisations and groups that can provide and supply services to support the digital renewal of business. Only non-profit organisations can apply.

In the next phase, a limited call for applications for nationally selected candidates will be organised by the Commission. According to a preliminary schedule, the European call for applications will be held from the end of January until the end of April. The final selection of the EDIHS will be made by the European Commission. The Commission has proposed that 2–4 EDIHs be set up in Finland.Innovation hubs to form an EU-wide networkThe EDIHs are part of the EU’s new Digital Europe Programme and will become service centres for promoting digital investments.

They aim to make new technologies more widely and rapidly available to companies and the public sector. It is the EU’s objective to build the EDIH network based on existing actors. The network will offer customer-oriented services and support a sustainable digital renewal of the economy. The Digital Europe Programme has provisionally allocated approximately EUR 14.8 million to funding the Finnish hubs in 2021–2027. A corresponding amount of funding must come from the Member State, for example the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), companies or hubs. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will continue preparations for the national funding and support of hubs as part of the Artificial Intelligence 4.0 programme.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The EU ministers responsible for competitiveness will discuss the future of European industrial policy at an informal video meeting on 19 November 2020. The three key themes of reform are digitalisation, carbon reduction and capacity to change.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will represent Finland at the meeting.Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will attend a video conference of EU competitiveness ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy on 19 November 2020. The meeting will discuss how the economic recovery can be used to reform industry. The aim is to strengthen cooperation at European level, promote the green transition for the reform of industry and improve the competitiveness of businesses at the same time.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will meet Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif on 18 November 2020 as part of a virtual Team Finland visit. The main themes of the meeting will be energy and Indonesia’s new intelligent energy projects.

The aim of the ministerial meeting is to improve the operating conditions of Finnish companies in the Indonesian energy markets and to promote business partnerships between Finland and Indonesia.  Indonesia’s growing economy offers a wide range of opportunities for Finnish companies in the Southeast Asia region. In particular, the expertise of Finnish companies in renewable energy, electrification of society, bioeconomy and circular economy can be utilised for Indonesia’s economic development.

“I welcome the good relations between Finland and Indonesia. The energy sector in particular has played an important role and I hope that cooperation in the sector will become even closer in the future, for example within energy solutions promoting the circular economy,” says Minister Mika Lintilä.

As a large and growing economy, Indonesia is a potential partner for Finnish businesses. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä visited Indonesia in 2017 with a Team Finland business delegation. During the visit, Lintilä met Deputy Minister Arcandra Tahar of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.The International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA estimates that the demand for energy in Indonesia could increase by one quarter and the demand for electricity could triple between 2015 and 2030. Although the country’s dependence on domestic coal and imported oil products has grown, it is also increasingly using renewable energy sources. Indonesia aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 23% of energy consumption by 2025 and to 31% by 2050.

Clean energy and waste recovery among topics of Finnish-Indonesian business seminarAfter the ministerial meeting, Business Finland will organise a virtual energy sector seminar (“Smart Energy, Waste to Energy and Waste to Value”) on 24 November 2020. Nine Finnish companies together with representatives of the Indonesian public and private sectors will participate in the seminar. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will present a video greeting at the beginning of event.Team Finland is a network of public sector actors providing internationalisation services to Finnish companies.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — A parliamentary steering group has approved a draft for the 12-year national transport system plan to be sent out for consultation. It has been published in the Gateway to Information on Government Projects.

The next step is to assess the impacts of the draft plan. The plan and the results of its impact assessment will be sent out for consultation in January 2021.The national transport system plan has been prepared at parliamentary level and in close interaction with stakeholders since June 2019.

The national transport system plan aims to add a longer-term perspective to the development of the transport system across Finland. The plan is approved for 12 years at a time.

Minister Harakka: Long-term perspective to the transport system development across Finland
“Our aim has been to improve efficiency, accessibility and sustainability throughout the country. Both businesses and citizens can better anticipate the provision of transport services. With better planning we can make full use of the EU funding,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

“The draft plan that was now published pays even more attention than before on the condition of our transport network, which will result in a reduction of the repair debt. Development needs are being identified throughout the country and I will respond to them when the plan is being implemented, says Minister Harakka.

The draft plan includes substantial measures to develop travel chains and public transport services, among other things. In addition, the transport system will be improved by investing heavily in the utilisation of information and digitalisation. The draft plan also contains guidelines on how transport issues will be dealt with in future agreements between the state and urban regions, for example.

Economic framework outlined – EUR 500 million annually for the development of the transport infrastructure network
The previous draft version of the transport system plan was published in September 2020. After that, the parliamentary steering group has outlined the economic framework from 2025 onwards.

Until 2024, the annual funding levels would be in line with the General Government Fiscal Plan.

According to the draft plan, the funding for basic transport infrastructure maintenance would be increased to EUR 1.4 billion a year starting from 2025.The funding for the development investments would be around EUR 500 million a year. According to the draft plan, the central government would allocate approximately EUR 6.1 billion to the development of the transport infrastructure network during the first 12-year planning period from 2021 to 2032, of which some EUR 3.35 billion would be available for new development projects. The development funding would be divided so that 44% be allocated for roads, 52% for the rail network and 4% for waterways.

In the preparation of the draft plan, the needs for the development of the transport network, including the state network, have been compiled in a strategic situational picture of the transport network. The national transport system plan defines how the transport network will be developed and the funding allocated.Parliament will ultimately decide on the state funding in connection with the annual budgets.

Next steps
The impacts of the draft plan will be assessed in November-December 2020.The draft plan and the results of its impact assessment will be sent out for consultation in January 2021. The comments will be taken into account when the plan is finalised.The Government will submit the first national transport system plan as a report to Parliament in spring 2021.

Based on the national transport system plan and the strategic situational picture of the transport network, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency will draw up an investment programme for the state transport infrastructure networks for the next 6-8 years. The investment programme to be drawn up for the first time in 2021 is a knowledge-based view of how the development projects of the transport infrastructure network will be implemented. It will be used in the preparation of budget proposals.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Minister Skinnari will visit Oslo on 17–19 November 2020. Finland and Norway have strong and versatile bilateral relations. Both countries have a common will to further deepen their mutual cooperation. During his visit to Oslo, Minister Skinnari will particularly focus on the commercial and economic relations between the countries and topical regional and international issues.

Minister Skinnari will meet Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide, Minister of International Development Dag Inge Ulstein, Minister of Trade and Industry Iselin Nybø, Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tina Bru and Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen. He will also meet representatives of the Norwegian business sector and Finnish companies operating in Norway. Minister Skinnari will discuss with his Norwegian colleagues topics such as opportunities for cooperation in the areas of the green transition, digitalisation and logistics as well as topical issues relating to trade policy, development policy and Arctic policy.

“The green transition provides significant opportunities for expanding cooperation between Finland and Norway. In uncertain times, the importance of both unrestricted trade and development cooperation is highlighted. With this in mind, it is important to meet my Norwegian colleagues and to seek common solutions to improving the sustainability of societies”, says Minister Skinnari.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi