NordenBladet — The EU ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy will meet to discuss the Union’s measures to develop its crisis resilience. The meeting will be organised by France, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The ministers responsible for the internal market and industrial policy will meet in Lens, France on 31 January and 1 February 2022. They will discuss the EU’s measures to reduce strategic dependencies as well as the challenges related to critical materials. Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä will represent Finland. Finland considers it important that the supply of raw materials is evaluated as part of the green transition. Finland also emphasises that sustainable bioeconomy solutions should be added to the EU’s strategic toolbox. “The bioeconomy, circular economy and innovations play a crucial role in the industry’s transition towards a carbon-neutral economy. For example, new bio-based alternatives are key to solving the challenges concerning raw materials. This should be recognised more widely at the EU level,” Lintilä says. The EU reviews and monitors the Union’s strategic dependencies at regular intervals. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for the EU to strengthen its crisis resilience and ensure the availability of certain critical raw materials and equipment, such as medicines and protective equipment. Improving crisis resilience should be evaluated from a broad perspective, which takes into account the economic renewal and ensures a level playing field for all in the EU market. An efficient internal market and an open and rules-based trade policy play an important role in ensuring security of supply. In the EU’s informal meetings, ministers discuss current issues, but no decisions are taken.
NordenBladet — The Ministers will discuss bilateral issues, European security and topical international questions.Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will meet Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis in Helsinki on 31 January. The Ministers will discuss bilateral issues, European security and topical international questions.Follow the live webcast of the press conference at 13:10: https://www.mediaserver.fi/live/formin
NordenBladet — From February 2022 onwards, EU COVID-19 vaccination certificates will be accepted for travel purposes for a period of nine months since the administration of the last dose of the primary vaccination series. As of yet, no acceptance period will apply to certificates issued following the administration of booster doses.Once more than 270 days have passed from the second shot of a 2-dose series, the EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate is no longer accepted in travel within the EU.Here’s how it works Make sure that your EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate is valid. Get a third vaccine dose before nine months have passed since your second dose. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare recommends a third vaccine dose for everyone aged 18 years or over. Check the recommended vaccination schedule on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.Download a new certificate from the My Kanta pages after you have received your third dose. You need to download a new certificate from the My Kanta pages because the certificate you have already downloaded and saved on your mobile phone or printed out will not be automatically updated with information about your third dose. Get the new certificate from the My Kanta pages before the acceptance period of 270 days expires. Make sure that you use a certificate that has information about the vaccine you received and the information ‘3/3’ indicating you have received a booster dose.Before travelling, check from the country of your destination what kinds of certificates you need to cross the border. Countries may have have different practices and rules for COVID-19 certificates. Before travelling, you should also check the COVID-19 situation in your destination and, before returning home, you should check the situation in Finland and take care to follow the latest guidelines. The Re-open EU website (reopen.europa.eu) compiles information on travel instructions and restrictions in place in the EU Member States.It will be decided later whether an acceptance period of COVID-19 certificates will be introduced for the Finnish COVID-19 passport.Further information
NordenBladet — In line with the Government decision of 27 January, internal border control between Finland and all Schengen countries will end on 31 January. Restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 14 February.In addition, entry restrictions for non-Schengen EU countries will be lifted entirely as of 1 February due to the end of internal border control.However, all passengers are required to present certificates laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act and comply with the decisions made by the Regional State Administrative Agencies on compulsory health examinations.Visit the website of the Finnish Border Guard for more information about the restrictions on entry and the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare for more information on health security measures.Travellers should note that many countries and transport companies are not permitting entry into the country of destination unless passengers present proof of a negative COVID-19 test, proof of recovery from COVID-19 or proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Travellers must be active and contact the authorities of the country of destination, shipping company or airline concerned to find out which certificates are required.
NordenBladet — On Friday 28 January, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and UN Secretary-General António Guterres discussed the security situation in Europe and ways to strengthen the UN and the multilateral international system. They also highlighted global challenges such as climate change and discussed the opportunities offered by digitalisation.The discussion emphasised the importance of respecting the UN Charter and the role of the UN as a defender of peace and stability. Marin expressed her serious concern over Russia’s actions, which have weakened the security situation in Europe. She stressed the importance of dialogue, the role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the value of the fundamental principles of European security.
NordenBladet — The Government has extended the validity of the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will continue until mid-February and the restrictions on serving and opening hours of food and beverage service businesses will continue until the end of March. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be eased for businesses serving food.The amendments will enter into force on 1 February 2022. The restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will remain in force until 15 February 2022 and the restrictions on food and beverage service businesses until 31 March 2022.Until 15 February 2022, COVID-19 passport cannot be used as an alternative to restrictionsThe Government has updated the decree on temporary restrictions to the use of the COVID-19 passport issued under section 58i of the Communicable Diseases Act. In practice, this means that until 15 February 2022 the COVID-19 passport cannot be used as an alternative to regional restrictions on public events and customer premises.The decree will apply to all public events and customer premises that are subject to existing restrictions. Regional authorities will decide what restrictions are in place in their areas. The decree will apply to the areas of the hospital districts that meet the characteristics of community transmission areas.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in community transmission areas from 1 February at 00.00Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be in place in all community transmission areas.The restrictions for community transmission areas will apply to the regions of Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Kainuu, Kymenlaakso, South Karelia, North Karelia, Central Finland, Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, Lapland, South Savo, North Savo and Åland.Serving of alcoholic beverages in food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages will end at 17.00. Such businesses may keep their premises open to food and beverage service customers until 18.00. Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve food may serve alcoholic beverages until 20.00. Such businesses may keep their premises open to food and beverage service customers until 21.00.Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have only half the normal number of customer seats in use in their indoor and outdoor premises. Other food and beverage service businesses are restricted to 75 per cent of their normal number of customer seats indoors.All customers must have their own seats at a table or similar in indoor premises.Businesses cannot avoid restrictions by using COVID-19 passportUsing COVID-19 passport does not exempt food and beverage service businesses from the restrictions on the number of customer seats and on the licensing and opening hours.The restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will be in force until 15 February 2022.The obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance applies in all regions.Even if the use of the COVID-19 passport does not exempt food and beverage service businesses from the restrictions as before, all food and beverage service businesses in Finland will still have the right to require customers to present the COVID-19 passport at all hours.Exceptions to restrictions remain unchangedThe restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers. The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
NordenBladet — Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Saudi Arabia and Oman from 30 January to 3 February 2022. During his visit, the Minister will meet Saudi Arabian and Omani ministers and representatives of business life. He will also participate in LEAP, a global technology and innovation event, held in Riyadh from 1 to 3 February 2022.The aim of the visit is to strengthen the commercial and economic relations between Finland and the two countries. Minister Skinnari will be accompanied by a business delegation consisting of representatives from about ten companies. Saudi Arabia is Finland’s most important trading partner in the Persian Gulf region. Saudi Arabia has launched a major economic reform and investment programme, Vision 2030. The country aims to achieve carbon neutrality (net zero) by 2060. In order to achieve this objective, it has announced significant circular economy projects. For example, the country aims to recycle 80% of all waste by the end of this decade. The Saudi Arabian market offers many opportunities for Finnish companies both in the utilisation of AI and digitalisation and in the circular economy, green energy production, education, healthcare and mining. Oman’s vision for the future, Oman 2040, aims to build an information society that is based on high-quality education, research and innovation. Opportunities will open up for Finnish companies, especially in the fields of renewable energy, education, healthcare and mining, as well as in digitalisation and logistics.“The ambitious visions of Saudi Arabia and Oman will require innovative solutions both in environmentally and climate-friendly technologies and in digitalisation, education and many other sectors. The visit will offer an excellent opportunity to present Finnish top expertise to local decision-makers and to strengthen the position of Finnish companies in the market,” Minister Skinnari says.
NordenBladet — Entrepreneurs have been temporarily entitled to labour market support on more flexible terms during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the deteriorating coronavirus situation, this temporary amendment will continue. The President of the Republic confirmed the legislative amendment on 28 January 2022, and it will enter into force on 31 January 2022.As a rule, a person who has been self-employed on a full-time basis is entitled to unemployment benefit once the business activities have ceased completely. During the coronavirus pandemic, entrepreneurs have been temporarily entitled to labour market support if their full-time work has ended or their income has decreased due to the pandemic. To be eligible for the temporary labour market support, an entrepreneur must meet the following conditions:full-time employment of the entrepreneur has ended orthe monthly income from their business activities is less than EUR 1,103.92 per each person engaged in these activities as an entrepreneur.The entrepreneur does not have to cease their business activities in order to receive labour market support.Applicants should register as jobseekers at TE Office by 15 February 2022According to the temporary amendment, labour market support can be paid for the period of January–February 2022. The temporary act will be in effect until the end of February 2022. In order to receive labour market support, a person must register as a jobseeker with the TE Office and the TE Office must issue a labour policy statement on their entitlement to labour market support to Kela. The entrepreneur can then apply for labour market support from Kela.Entrepreneurs applying for labour market support should register as jobseekers with the TE Office no later than 15 February 2022 in order to be eligible for labour market support for the entire period of January–February. More detailed instructions will be available on the TE Services website.The first similar temporary amendment to the Unemployment Security Act entered into force on 8 April 2020, and the amendment has been extended several times due to the pandemic. The most recent amendment was in force until 30 November 2021.
NordenBladet — Finnish diplomats have been targets of cyber espionage by means of the Pegasus spyware, developed by NSO Group Technologies, which has received wide publicity. The highly sophisticated malware has infected users’ Apple or Android telephones without their noticing and without any action from the user’s part. Through the spyware, the perpetrators may have been able to harvest data from the device and exploit its features.The Ministry for Foreign Affairs inquired into the case together with different public authorities and stakeholders in autumn and winter 2021–2022. The case was directed at posted employees working in Finnish missions abroad. The inquiry has enabled to Ministry to determine the timeline of the activities. The espionage is no longer active.The Ministry for Foreign Affairs processes information at different security levels using different methods. Information transmitted by telephone is public or classified at level 4 at the maximum, which is the lowest level of classified information. However, it is worth noting that even if information is not directly classified, the information itself and its source may be subject to diplomatic confidentiality.The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is continually monitoring events and activities in its operating environment and assessing related risks. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs monitors its services and strives to prevent harmful activities. The preparation of and decisions on foreign and security policy, in particular, are matters that attract much interest, which may also manifest itself as unlawful intelligence. The Ministry responds to the risk by various means, but complete protection against unlawful intelligence is impossible.
NordenBladet — On 28 January, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the EU’s Strategic Compass, which focuses on developing the Union’s crisis management, resilience, capabilities and partnerships.The President and the Ministerial Committee also addressed the actions taken by Russia and the security situation in Europe. The discussion focused on the situation concerning Russia and Ukraine and the ongoing diplomatic efforts in different discussion formats.