NordenBladet — On 29 October, the Government has submitted a proposal to Parliament, according to which the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment as well as the Employment and Economic Development Offices could acquire and offer studies leading to a university degree as labour market training when certain preconditions are met between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2022. The aim of the proposal is to promote employment and secure the availability of competent workforce especially in growing sectors and, simultaneously, take the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the labour market into account.It is proposed that the Act on public employment and business service (916/2012) be amended temporarily so that the following could be acquired as labour market training, in addition to the current training:studies leading to a university degree in order to complete interrupted university studies,studies leading to a university degree for a person who already has a post-secondary level degree or a similar level degree completed abroad in the same field,studies leading to a new university degree for a private customer who has already completed a university degree if the person can be accepted, based on their previous degree, to an education targeted at a limited group of people for which the eligibility of the applicants is defined separately by the university and if the studies are estimated to be completed within 24 months.To be admitted as a student would require, similar to all labour market training, that the person is suitable for the training and for the profession or task pursued and that the Employment and Economic Development Office has stated that the person needs training. When acquiring studies leading to a university degree as labour market training, the Employment and Economic Development Office would select the students and the university or university of applied sciences would decide on the admittance of the student.The amended act is to take effect on 1 January 2021 and be valid until the end of June 2022. The act would be applied to studies referred to in the proposal which start, at the latest, on 30 June 2022 and end, at the latest, on 30 June 2024.The labour market training leading to a university degree is a response to the changes and skill shortage in the labour market brought about by the coronavirus pandemicAccording to the valid Act on public employment and business service, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment as well as the Employment and Economic Development Offices can acquire vocationally oriented training, but not university-level studies which lead to a degree.In certain sectors, there has been a shortage of university of applied sciences and university professionals already before, and the coronavirus pandemic has partly changed the dynamics of the labour markets and the need for new type of skills has been highlighted. For example, it is estimated that the demand is higher for ICT, environmental technology, biotechnology, health care and social services professionals during the coronavirus pandemic and resultant economic crisis as well as after the situation improves. In order to be prepared for this situation, the Government proposed temporary changes to the provisions concerning the labour market training.The labour market training would be a quick and flexible tool for the acute need of implementing a maximum 24-month studies leading to a degree and would supplement the offering of the education system. It is also the benefit of the labour market training that the acquired training programmes are planned especially stemming from the needs of the labour market of each area.Similar opportunities were previously available until the end of 2017. For example, the foremen shortage in the construction sector in 2017 was successfully addressed with two training programmes in which the construction sector companies, the Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries RT, the Employment and the Economy Administration and universities arranging the training engaged in extensive and good cooperation.“All measures that have proven effective to improve the skills of job seekers and address the competence needs of the labour markets must be utilised in order to minimise the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic,” says Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen.Competence development is part of the Government ProgrammeOne of the objectives of the programme of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Government is to create security amidst the working life revolution by means of competence. The possibilities of changes must be supported by all means by promoting competence, renewal, deployment of new technologies and spread of new ideas. One of the measures to achieve this goal stated in the Government Programme is the increase of labour market training jointly arranged with companies.The proposed amendment would be temporary, since the reform of continuous learning under parliamentary preparation will cover the target groups and needs presented in this draft proposal. The reform of continuous learning includes also the development possibilities of the competences of those employed, unemployed and not part of the workforce. The reform policies will be completed at the end of 2020 and their implementation will start in 2021.Further information:Special Adviser to Minister of Employment Piia Rekilä, tel. +358 29 506 4115 
Special Advisor Johanna Laukkanen, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 7017 
Senior Officer Meri Pensamo, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 7257

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The negotiations on the Climate Change Act between the Ministry of the Environment and the Sámi Parliament under section 9 of the Act on the Sámi Parliament were held on Tuesday 27 October. The Government proposal for the reformed Climate Change Act should be ready in spring 2021.In the negotiations the representatives of the Sámi Parliament presented their views on how the rights of the Sámi people should be taken into account in the Climate Change Act.“Climate change is a very serious threat especially to the Sámi culture and its traditional nature-based livelihoods. In the reform of the Climate Change Act we want to strengthen the rights of the Sámi as an indigenous people and their opportunities to participate in climate policy,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Krista Mikkonen, who also took part in the negotiations.The topics raised included the importance of climate change adaptation and support for this, and the need to create a knowledge base, expert assessments and monitoring related to the impacts of climate change from the perspective of the Sámi people.“I wish to thank Minister Mikkonen for participating in the negotiations with the Sámi Parliament in person, which is quite exceptional. For developing a climate policy of and for the Sámi people, it is important to include a climate panel and climate change adaptation programme of the Sámi people in the Climate Change Act. Taking the rights of the Sámi people more broadly into account in the Climate Change Act is most welcome, as well as highly necessary,” says Tuomas Aslak Juuso, President of the Sámi Parliament.Online survey on citizens’ views concerning the Climate Change ActA public online consultation is currently open to collect the citizens’ views. The consultation consists of two surveys, and in one of these the key focus is on how the rights of the Sámi people should be incorporated into the Climate Change Act.The surveys are available on the Otakantaa website, also in the Sámi languages. They will be open until 12 November 2020. A summary of the replies will be compiled and delivered to the working group tasked with preparing the new Act and published on the Ministry of the Environment website.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 29 October 2020, the Government submitted a proposal on an act on the placing on the market of conflict minerals and their ores. The proposal aims to improve the transparency of supply chains.Conflict minerals originate in conflict and high-risk areas and include tin, tantalum, tungsten and their ores as well as gold. These minerals are widely used in phones, computers, cameras, aeroplanes, medical devices and jewellery, for example.

Conflict minerals and their production offers a great deal of development potential, but they also involve problems. In some areas, the proceeds from the sale of the minerals are used to finance violent conflicts or human rights violations, for example. In order to reduce these problems, the European Union has established a system for supply chain due diligence that imposes new obligations on importers of conflict minerals. With the help of responsible business activities, natural resources can be used to support the development of the areas.The Government’s proposal will bring Finland’s conflict minerals regime into line with EU requirements.According to the proposal, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency would be the competent authority in Finland.The act is intended to enter into force on 1 January 2021.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Government submitted the seventh supplementary budget proposal for 2020 to Parliament on Thursday 29 October.In the proposal, appropriations are increased by EUR 1.5 billion and revenue reduced by EUR 341 million, which increases the net borrowing requirement by EUR 1.8 billion. Net borrowing in 2020 is expected to total about EUR 19.6 billion.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The purpose of business cost support is to help companies survive the difficult financial situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The support is a compensation for the company’s fixed costs and payroll expenditure, not for loss of revenue. The Government proposed an extension for business cost support on 29 October 2020.Certain amendments are now being proposed for the support to align it better with the needs of those businesses that have suffered the most. The principles for granting support for business costs will stay the same, however.The amendments are planned to enter into force in December 2020, and the aim is to start accepting applications around the end of December. As before, companies will apply for the support from the State Treasury. The Government Proposal may yet change in Parliament.“The coronavirus situation remains difficult for many companies and sectors. We are responding to these companies’ distress and helping them over the COVID-19 epidemic by reimplementing support for business costs. We have also begun the further preparation of support for sole entrepreneurs,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.All companies are eligibleSupport for business costs is meant for companies that have experienced significant reductions in turnover due to the coronavirus pandemic and consequently have trouble coping with the fixed payroll and other costs of their business operations.A company can apply for business cost support even if it has already received other direct forms of support intended to alleviate the consequences of the pandemic. However, previously granted subsidies will be counted against the overall support cap of EUR 800,000, which the total aid granted to a company may not exceed. The maximum amount of support paid to a company is provided for in the European Commission’s temporary rules on state aid.Being eligible for business cost support still requires a significant reduction in the company’s turnover. The reductions in turnover are examined at the level of individual companies and for the sector as a whole. Comparing sectors enables the support to be allocated to the companies that have suffered the most from the coronavirus pandemic.A sector whose total turnover has decreased by at least 10 per cent is considered to have been hurt by the coronavirus. If a company operating in a sector whose turnover has not decreased by 10 per cent or more considers that the COVID-19 pandemic has nevertheless affected its business operations, it must present compelling evidence of this in its application.Applications for support are processed individually for each company, and a reduction of at least 30 per cent in turnover is currently required for a company to be eligible for support. The company must also meet the other conditions for granting support laid down in the Act.Support period extended to five months – minimum turnover requirement removedThe Government is proposing a five-month support period from 1 June 2020 to 31 October 2020. The previous support period was two months.The reduction in turnover is compared to the corresponding period in 2019. For companies established on or after 1 May 2019, the reference period will be from 1 January to 28 February 2020.The minimum turnover threshold (EUR 20,000 during the four-month reference period) will be removed in order to better allocate support to small enterprises. The minimum amount of support would still be EUR 2,000.The sectors eligible for support will be provided for in a separate decree issued later. The sectors will be chosen on the basis of turnover data from June to October 2020 obtained from the Tax Administration.Support for business costs one way of supporting entrepreneurs during COVID-19 pandemicThe support for business costs now being reimplemented is one way for the State to support businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus support previously granted by Business Finland and the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment enabled companies to develop and refocus their operations due to the coronavirus.Other support methods include Finnvera guarantees, Finnish Industry Investment Ltd’s funding programme, and the employment package assembled in cooperation with the labour market organisations, which eased the requirements on layoffs and cooperation negotiations, among other things. A temporary reduction in earnings-related pension contributions and a temporary amendment to the Bankruptcy Act have also been implemented. Other forms of support already granted include the special support for the food and beverage service sector and COVID-19 support for sole entrepreneurs and self-employed people.For further information, please contact:
Jenny Hasu, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 29 504 7213
Sampsa Nissinen, Ministry of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 29 504 7189

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Mexican and Finnish forest experts will strengthen their cooperation in forest sector. Forest cooperation between the two countries is based on a five-year Memorandum of Understanding. The parties to the MoU are the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland and National Forestry Commission of Mexico CONAFOR.

Topical topics in cooperation include e.g. forest inventories, drafting of national forest programmes and role of forests in mitigation and adaptation to climate change.Forest inventories are among the key priorities of Finnish-Mexican forest cooperation. On the global perspective, Finland has a very long history in conducting forest inventories. Besides the work on inventories as such, Finland has a lot to offer in the use of satellite images in surveys, management of forest resources data and distribution of data to users.“However, many of the new challenges relating to e.g. the methods for calculating carbon sinks are quite similar for both countries,” says Kari T. Korhonen, Principal Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland. Mexico is also interested in Finland’s experiences in drafting national forest programmes. In Finland, national forest programmes have been drawn up since the 1990’s. Mexico’s first national forest programme was drawn up at the turn of the millennium and the work to prepare a new forest programme has now been started in Mexico. The objectives set for forestry have changed a lot over the past 20 years in both countries.“What is common to Finland and Mexico is that there are many different objectives for forest management. In both countries forest policy preparation takes place as a participatory process where the relevant stakeholders are closely involved. Both parties benefit from the exchange of experiences in drafting forest programmes,” says Marja Kokkonen, Head of the Unit, Forests and bioenergy at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Long history of cooperation with Mexico
Forest cooperation between the two countries is based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2018. “I am very happy for this opportunity for Finnish and Mexican forest experts to share knowledge and expertise,” says Ambassador Päivi Pohjanheimo from the Embassy of Finland in Mexico. Despite the considerable differences in the management of forests in Finland and Mexico, both countries are seeking solutions to climate change mitigation, safeguarding biodiversity and planning related to forest policy and forest resources. “We have a long history of cooperation in forest issues between Mexico and Finland. The first contacts between forest experts date back to the 1960s. Forest cooperation with Finland is highly appreciated in Mexico, and it is important for both countries to continue this interaction,” says Ph.D. Markku Simula, who has been involved in the cooperation since the 1980s.

In connection with the implementation of the MoU, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, the Finnish Embassy in Mexico and CONAFOR organised on 3rd and 4th of November two expert webinars. The main topics discussed were forest inventories, drafting of national forest programmes and role of forests in climate change mitigation. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Today, on 29 October 2020, the Government adopted the Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy and submitted it to Parliament. The report, being drawn up once during each government term, assesses Finland’s foreign and security policy operating environment and defines the goals and priorities for Finland’s actions within the next few years.Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto considers it important that the Finnish foreign and security policy strengthens Finland’s security and prosperity in a situation where our operating environment is in an intense state of flux. “Global challenges, such as climate change and pandemics, require global responsibility sharing. Common solutions to global challenges can efficiently be sought only within the rules-based international system.”“Our goal is a more stable, predictable and safer world. The universality of human rights, the equality of all population groups and human rights agreements are being increasingly challenged around the world. In this context, it is of great importance that the Finnish foreign policy is based on human rights, which means that the human rights impacts of all actions taken in foreign and security policy are assessed,” Minister Haavisto says.An important objective is to take national action and to engage in international cooperation in order to prevent the emergence of armed conflicts and situations endangering Finland’s security and societies’ ability to act, and Finland ending up a party to a military conflict. We produce security and participate in international cooperation with an aim to secure peace and human rights and to promote societal development.“The Finnish foreign and security policy is defined by continuity, predictability and long-term approach. This is visible, for example, in the fact that our priorities are largely the same as they were in the 2016 Report. At the same time, foreign policy is pursued under today’s conditions – the new priorities including, among other things, health security, climate change and digitalisation,” Foreign Minister Haavisto says.Changes in the operating environment and Finland’s goalsThe report consists of two parts: The first part is about the operating environment, presenting Finland’s view of the world situation in foreign and security policy. The present operating environment is especially affected by the change in the relations between the great powers. In various issues, the divisions in great power relations have deepened, which makes the activities within the rules-based international system more difficult. At the same time, no nation is capable of solving global challenges on its own. The coronavirus pandemic has made the need of cooperation particularly clear.The second part of the report seeks answers to, for example, how we should react to changes in our operating environment.  Our goals include promoting foreign and security policy cooperation, strengthening multilateral cooperation, sharing global responsibilities and peacebuilding. Under these goals, we list a total of 18 priorities the implementation of which will enhance Finland’s security and well-being.In Finland’s activities, particular emphasis is laid on the development of foreign and security policy cooperation. We seek this goal by means of enhancing the European Union’s capacity to act, deepening our cooperation with the Nordic Countries – Sweden in particular – developing NATO partnership, and maintaining bilateral relations and partnerships. Close national and international cooperation is important also with a view to maintaining societal crisis resilience.We strive to strengthen multilateral cooperation. Finland underscores the importance of the rules-based international system, the respect for its obligations, and the universal and binding nature of human rights. One of the key elements is a more efficient UN system. We also support open and fair trade. Strong multilateral cooperation is also needed for fully seizing the opportunities of digitalisation. The same applies to the Arctic region and to preventing the growth of regional tensions in a situation where the geopolitical, environmental and economic importance of the area is increasing.The increasingly varied and interdependent global challenges require stronger global responsibility sharing between governments. Finland responds to this need by underscoring the importance of human rights, the mitigation of climate change, global health security, the achievement of sustainable development goals and comprehensive understanding of migration issues.Finland also aims to build peace. For this purpose, Finland will use its robust mediation competence. Sustainable peace is also being built through participation in crisis management. Stability and security are also generated by strengthening the agreement system on arms control and disarmament, and securing the functioning capacity of the treaty organisations.Extensive preparationThe Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy is the most important guidance document of Finland’s foreign and security policy. It specifies the foreign and security policy guidelines provided in the Government Programme. Parliament will draw up its own report on the Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy adopted by the Government today.The description of Finland’s operating environment given in the Report will steer the policies of many other reports and strategies to come. The reports currently under preparation include the Defence Report, the Report on the EU Policy, the Report on Human Rights Policy and various others. “Of this process, we have often used the train metaphor. The Foreign and Security Policy Report is the engine of the train, being followed by the other carriages, in this case a range of other reports and strategies,” the Minister for Foreign Affairs describes.The Report has been prepared in extensive collaboration between ministries, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the President of the Republic of Finland. The political steering of the process was conducted by the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy. Parliament participated in the work through the parliamentary observation group separately appointed to monitor the preparation of the Foreign and Security Policy Report, and the Defence Report. The work has been coordinated by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Hearing experts and citizens has also been an important part of the process. In spring 2020, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs organised a series of panel discussions with four universities about central foreign and security policy themes.Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The amendments to the Act will promote equal treatment of posted workers vis-à-vis national employees as regards terms of employment. In addition, the Act aims to improve equal competition between companies. Amendments to national law will implement the amendments made to EU legislation.

Amendments to the Posted Workers Act will enter into force on 1 December 2020. A 12-month transition period will apply to posting agreements concluded before the entry into force of the Act.  This will give companies an opportunity to make adjustments to their agreements reflecting the legislative amendments.

The amendments concern, among other things, pay provisions applicable to posted workers and the employer’s obligation to compensate the posted worker’s travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

A press release on the Government’s proposal dated 19 May 2020 provides more detailed information about the amendments.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi