NordenBladet — EU foreign ministers will convene in Luxembourg on Monday 18 October. The main items on the agenda will be the EU’s Eastern Partnership, Ethiopia, the Persian Gulf and Nicaragua. Topical issues on the agenda will include Afghanistan, climate diplomacy, Tunisia and the Western Balkans.The Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the Eastern Partnership summit (EaP summit) to be held in December, which is expected to agree on the priorities for the Eastern Partnership in the coming years. Finland considers the success of the summit important and stresses that, in addition to a comprehensive economic and investment programme, the work programme should emphasise the rule of law, anti-corruption activities, good governance, fundamental rights, and a common value base as well as the related conditionality. Foreign ministers will also discuss the current situation in Ethiopia and explore ways in which the EU can promote a ceasefire and dialogue between the parties to the crisis. The Foreign Affairs Council will also discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf. It is in Finland’s interests to strengthen regional stability and to promote dialogue in the Persian Gulf. Concerns have been expressed regarding the presidential elections in Nicaragua in November, which is why foreign ministers will discuss the EU’s approach to Nicaragua’s future governance and look into ways to support the democratic opposition. The Foreign Affairs Council is expected to adopt conclusions on Bosnia-Herzegovina and the ongoing Operation EUFOR Althea.
NordenBladet — Finland bears its responsibility as part of the climate finance pledge of the Paris Agreement. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Finland will announce support for adaptation measures in developing countries in particular. The COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.As part of responsible climate policy, Finland participates in supporting climate action in developing countries. In addition to climate finance, Finnish innovations and expertise are also important in this context.Finland has increased its international climate finance during the current government term by 80%, almost doubling it from the previous four-year period. Around two-thirds of climate finance is investment finance in the form of loans and equity, which is also used to leverage a significant amount of private finance. The financing model helps to multiply the climate impact.Finland will return as a donor to the Adaptation Fund (AF) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with EUR 7 million and continue to support the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). In addition, a financial package of EUR 30 million will be announced to support weather and early warning services in developing countries.Weather services and early warning systems are one example of the significant results achieved with Finnish finance. An estimated 1.4 million people in the least developed countries have lost their lives in various weather and water-related natural disasters since 1970. Finland has responded to these needs by strengthening the ability of its partner countries to cope with extreme weather phenomena. Ongoing projects allow nearly 300 million people in Nepal, Sudan, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Ethiopia to benefit from improved weather and early warning services.Finland’s support also strengthens the capacity of people, communities and small and medium-sized enterprises to adopt clean basic energy solutions, especially in rural areas. Energy and Environment Partnership Programme EEP Africa has invested EUR 50 million in 270 early-stage renewable energy companies since 2010. The business generated by the programme has created almost 9,000 jobs – 3,500 of them for young people – and it generates a total of 263 GWh of energy per year for a total of 900,000 households. Finland ensures that renewable energy solutions benefit women and girls in particular.Finland has been promoting carbon pricing globally for many years. Carbon pricing is one of the most important means of reducing emissions globally. Finnish finance has helped develop carbon pricing mechanisms in seven countries and supported a total of 28 emissions trading systems, carbon taxes and carbon offset mechanisms globally.“Finland has vast research and business expertise in many areas that are crucial to climate action. In addition to the meteorology and energy sectors, the soil carbon sequestration and circular economy sectors also provide new solutions and technologies for climate action in developing countries. However, the fact is that the public sector alone will not solve the climate issue. We need everyone’s contribution, and it is essential that citizens can also support climate action,” says Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.Finnfund is a significant actor in the Finnish impact investing and developing country investment ecosystems. In its recent Climate and Energy Statement, Finnfund commits itself e.g. to make 1 billion euros worth of new climate investments by 2030 and to keep its investment portfolio net carbon negative. Currently, about half of Finnfund’s funding is targeted to climate actions.The significant increase in our international climate finance is in keeping with the statement in the Government Programme that Finland will scale up climate finance as a part of its development finance, taking due account of its contribution based on the Paris Agreement. The objective is a balanced distribution of finance for mitigation and adaptation. Finland’s finance is part of a joint commitment by developed countries to support developing countries’ climate action with USD 100 billion per year from 2020 to 2025. During this period, Finland will support developing countries’ climate action with a significant financial contribution of approximately EUR 900 million. Finland’s international climate finance as a whole will be reported to Parliament annually in connection with the annual climate report.Examples of the results of climate finance can be found in the ongoing #munvaikutus campaign of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More information on Finland’s international climate action is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NordenBladet — The first phase of a meeting of parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity provided good prospects for further negotiations aimed at halting biodiversity loss. Hosted by China in Kunming and partly arranged as a virtual event, the main achievement of the meeting was a unified message concerning the level of ambition in necessary measures. The Declaration stresses the need for swift action in all areas of society to halt the loss of biodiversity.“The environment is a cornerstone of our existence. The common message from the countries assembled in Kunming was clear: we must finally raise the issue of halting biodiversity loss and protecting ecosystems at the core of all of our economic activities,” explains Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.Biodiversity loss recognised as a crisis threatening the existence of mankindBiodiversity loss means a decline and disappearance of habitats and species that threatens many ecosystem services provided by the natural environment as it worsens. The second part of the UN Biodiversity Conference in April-May 2022 is due to agree on the common goals, objectives and measures of countries to halt global biodiversity loss. The main aim of the first stage was to seek a common policy in support of the preparations. This policy took the form of the Kunming Declaration adopted on Wednesday by all 196 countries involved in the UN Convention on Biodiversity and the European Union. The USA is not a party to the Convention.The Kunming Declaration states that biodiversity loss threatens the existence and wellbeing of mankind, our societies and our cultures. The Declaration also includes a 17-point list of principles to which the parties are committed. These include mainstreaming biodiversity into all aspects of society and strengthening resources to safeguard the environment. The Declaration is strongly based on scientific assessments.“The Declaration is precisely what the European Union and Finland were seeking. It provides a strong mandate to promote an ambitious global environmental policy. The target of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s land and sea areas enjoyed a great deal of support at the Conference. Restoration efforts were similarly supported. We shall negotiate further on these aspects in January,” says Chief Negotiator Marina von Weissenberg.The countries state in the Declaration that reversing the course of biodiversity change will require a combination of measures. These include protecting and restoring biodiversity, sustainably using natural resources, soil, waters and seas, mitigating climate change, controlling invasive alien species, eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies, and reorienting post-pandemic recovery policies towards solutions that are sustainable with respect to climate and the environment.“It was also considered important for indigenous peoples and local communities to be involved in promoting environmental conservation and sustainable use. The role of women, girls and young adults in this work was also stressed,” Chief Negotiator Marina von Weissenberg continues.Highlighting the link between biodiversity loss and climate changeBiodiversity loss is closely linked to climate change. Climate change is a major threat to biodiversity, and loss of biodiversity accelerates the climate crisis. Safeguarding biodiversity correspondingly promotes mitigation of climate change and adaptation to such change. The link between biodiversity loss and the fate of climate change was also highlighted in Kunming.New financing commitments from such parties as the European Union, France, Japan and the host country, China were heard at the Conference. China is establishing its own fund for biodiversity, and France proposed the use of 30 per cent of the country’s emissions trading revenues for biodiversity.“Biodiversity is now mainstreaming at a rapid pace in all areas of society. The private sector is also committed to halting biodiversity loss, with many international financial institutions placing biodiversity loss on their agendas, for example,” von Weissenberg notes.Geneva will be the venue for further negotiations in January, with decisions prepared for the April-May meeting of parties. The May Conference in Kunming will seek to confirm concrete and numerical targets to halt biodiversity loss.
NordenBladet — The centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017 showed that small-scale everyday matters with positive aspects that are characteristic of Finnishness can also be celebrated in connection with official anniversaries. This emerges from a study produced by the Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore, Owal Group and Demos Helsinki. The three thematic reports of the study assessed the impacts of Finland’s centenary year.The open call for projects and the thousands of project proposals submitted for the centenary were a phenomenon that differed from previous official anniversaries. With this approach, citizens and actors in society were able to define the content of the anniversary year through their own activities. The democratic way of implementing the centenary events is characteristic of Finnish society in 2017 and the model of extensive inclusion can also be applied in future national celebrations and anniversaries.A broad range of different topics connected with Finnishness were covered during the year but no specific themes concerning Finnish society were highlighted during the centenary. Many of the centenary programme projects discussed such themes as equality and non-discrimination and in addition to history and the present, the focus was also on the future in general. However, there were no attempts to present any visions for Finland as a society. The debate on social issues was left to individual programme projects and the parties behind them.According to the study, the anniversary year did not have any major impacts on the diversity of Finnish society. Citizens experienced the centenary as an inviting but brief phenomenon. According to the study, the sense of togetherness among Finns seems to have weakened somewhat during the three years following the anniversary year.The programme projects of the anniversary year provided an opportunity to look back at major national narratives and spectacular heroic acts but also to reflect on such matters as daily life, work and events of local importance during the decades of independence. During the anniversary year, joy coexisted with dignity, and this change was welcomed by the citizens. It seems that there was a stronger emphasis on the joyful aspects of the celebrations than during past anniversaries.It also emerges from the study that the centenary year did not change the way in which Finns celebrate their country’s independence or the key themes of national identity and Finland’s country image. The focus remained on the traditional themes of Finnishness and national independence. The film ‘Unknown Soldier’, war veterans and the Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace still play a key role in the celebrations.Thus, according to the study, the diversity of the centenary year did not give rise to any new national narratives of major importance. Nevertheless, potential new themes and traditions reflecting the national identity in such areas as joy, daily life and diversity emerged during the centenary year. The programme and tone of the anniversary year will provide building blocks for a multifaceted Finnish national identity well into the future. The social situation in 2017 in the aftermath of the refugee crisis of 2015 was one reason why the anniversary year was presented as a cheerful celebration characterised by openness. The third sub-report on the impacts of Finland’s centenary year discusses national identity and image. The fourth sub-report sums up the results of the report series examining the impacts of the centenary year. The first report, discussing cooperation and organisation, was published in September 2020. The second report, focusing on participation and inclusion, followed in December 2020.
NordenBladet — The three-year term 2022-2024 is Finland’s first full membership in the Human Rights Council. Finland will continue its long-term work to promote universal human rights.Finland received 180 votes in the election held at the UN General Assembly in New York on 14 October. Together with Luxembourg and the United states, Finland was elected to the Council as a Member of the Western European and Others Group. Finland has previously been a Member of the Council for one year in 2006-2007 when the Human Rights Council was established.“Finland is prepared to assume responsibility and cooperate with different actors to ensure that human rights are not just empty words. A well-functioning multilateral rules-based system and the realisation of human rights are the key to the wellbeing and security of Finnish society as well as to the promotion of global peace, security and sustainable development,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto.“Finland has, as I have, excellent experience of involving civil society in the management of matters. We will work in close cooperation with both domestic and international NGOs and human rights defenders. It is vital that not only the voice of states but also the views and expertise of civil society, researchers and the private sector are heard in the work of the Human Rights Council,” Minister Haavisto says.The Human Rights Council of 47 member states convenes in Geneva and is the United Nations’ most important body on human rights. Its mission is to promote and protect human rights worldwide, for example by addressing serious human rights violations. The Council has taken a stand and appointed independent experts to monitor the situation in different countries, such as Syria, Myanmar and recently Afghanistan.In addition, the Human Rights Council adopts initiatives and issues recommendations on human rights themes. These include the rights of women, children and different minorities, human rights issues related to climate change and digitalisation, and the rights and safety of human rights defenders, journalists and civil society. Membership in the Council continues Finland’s human rights based foreign policy
NordenBladet — The Ministers will discuss the experiences gained in research and innovation cooperation between Finland and China and their future. A particular aim is to accelerate joint projects in the fields of low-carbon economy, circular economy, and food and health.Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä and the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang will hold a video conference on Friday 15 October 2021. This is their first meeting. “Finland is interested in strengthening cooperation with China in smart energy solutions and the health and food sectors, for example. We have a great deal of expertise in these fields. The green transition requires technological solutions, and it is important to discuss their development and introduction with major innovator countries,” Lintilä says. Finland and China could cooperate in low-carbon and circular economyThere are opportunities for cooperation between Finland and China related to low-carbon, circular economy and wellbeing technologies. China has stated its aim to cut carbon dioxide emissions starting at 2030 and to become carbon neutral by 2060. In its new five-year plan, China emphasises the importance of innovations. This is an opportunity also for Finnish companies and research. The cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology is based on a treaty adopted in 1986. Follow-up meetings on the treaty are held on a regular basis. In addition, Finnish funding organisations, higher education institutions and research organisations have diverse cooperation relationships with China. The Ministers want to support the active interaction between those involved in cooperation and help them find solutions to common challenges through research and product development.
NordenBladet — The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has confirmed the user fees related to electronic prescriptions and the Patient Data Repository for the years 2022 and 2023.Doctors and dentists may continue to issue prescriptions in the Kelain online prescription service without any user fee when the service is not used for the purpose of profit.The fee charged to pharmacies will be EUR 0.054 for each electronic prescription dispensed by pharmacies and their subsidiary pharmacies. The fee charged to municipal healthcare service enablers will be EUR 2.509 per each resident of the municipality per year. The fee charged to private healthcare service enablers will be EUR 0.489 for each electronic prescription issued by them. However, the minimum chargeable fee will be EUR 90 per year. The minimum fee will also apply to those private healthcare service enablers who do not issue any prescriptions.The fee charged to state healthcare units will be EUR 2.509 per client per year. The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) will pay EUR 50,000 per year for the use of medicine reimbursement data.Costs to be estimated in advanceThe fees will cover the certificate services provided by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and the maintenance costs incurred by Kela in managing the Kanta Services. The Kanta Services include the following services: the electronic prescription service; the national Patient Data Repository; My Kanta Pages, which is a citizen user interface to the Kanta Services; the Information Management Service; and the service for recording declarations of intent.The costs will be estimated in advance and the fees will be determined on the basis of this estimate. The purpose is that every user, i.e. public and private healthcare service enablers and pharmacies, will pay only for the actual use of services.The total costs for 2022–2023 are estimated at EUR 46.8 million, of which Kela’s share is EUR 42.43 million and that of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency is EUR 4.4 million. Kela’s share includes accumulating a buffer to safeguard liquidity. Of this sum, pharmacies account for EUR 7.36 million, public healthcare for EUR 27.77 million and private healthcare for EUR 8.51 million.
NordenBladet — The Talent Boost Summit, which will be held at the end of October, will draw attention to the role of diverse work communities for business activities and the importance of international talents for Finland’s growth and competitiveness. Employers and employees will also be able to meet at the event.In her keynote speech at the Summit, Nokia’s Head of Inclusion & Diversity Anneli Karlstedt will describe how diversity of staff and an inclusive culture that takes everyone into account support business activities. The part of the Summit open to all will be concluded by Aki Kangasharju, Managing Director of Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA), who will speak about the significance of international talents for the Finnish economy.The annual Talent Boost Summit is a cooperation forum for public and private sector representatives and international talents. The Summit seeks cooperation models and other solutions in order to increase the inclusion of international experts in Finnish working life and society. A panel discussion in virtual event on 28 October 2021 will explore how cooperation between the public and private sectors could make Finland a more attractive destination for international experts. Private meetings and improved employer profilesThe event offers employers a good opportunity to meet international talents and raise their profile beyond Finland’s borders. At the same time, employees will be able to showcase their expertise. Information is also available on current vacancies and services that support international recruitment.As in the previous years, the event will end with virtual one-to-one meetings between employers and employees. The platform is also open on the Summit’s second day.Summit is free and open to all registered participantsThe fourth Talent Boost Summit will be held in English. Those interested can register for the free event by 20 October by using this form. Registered participants will receive an invitation to the virtual platform. The Talent Boost Summit will be organised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry of Education and Culture, Business Finland, the ‘Kokka kohti Suomea’ project of the ELY Centre of Southwest Finland, and TE Office of Uusimaa, which is responsible for the national coordination of the international recruitment model.The City of Espoo is responsible for coordinating this year’s event.
NordenBladet — Restrictions on entry will be lifted for residents of the countries and regions on the EU’s green list. In addition, the Vainikkala border crossing point will open to passenger traffic. The Government adopted a decision on the matter on 14 October and the decisions will enter into force on 18 October. Other restrictions on entry at external borders will be extended until 7 November. However, people may still enter Finland from all countries upon presenting an approved certificate of a full course of vaccination.Countries on the EU’s green list mean countries with a sufficiently good epidemiological situation for which the Council of the European Union has decided to allow free travel to the EU. Finland has previously applied a limit value of 25 (a maximum of 25 cases per 100,000 persons during the previous two weeks) to these countries as the limit for permitted traffic. With this removal of the limit value, restrictions will be lifted for residents of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Jordan, Qatar, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay in traffic arriving in Finland from these countries. Restrictions have already been lifted for residents of Hong Kong, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan.External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen third countries. If a person arriving from a country subject to the restrictions is not fully vaccinated, the accepted reasons for entry are return travel to Finland, return travel to other EU or Schengen countries, transit on regular, scheduled flights at an airport or other essential travel.See the websites below for more information on the entry restrictions and health security requirements in place.
NordenBladet — The Government has submitted to Parliament a government proposal for supplementary legislation on the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). The purpose of the proposal is to make amendments to the national legislation as required by the relevant European Parliament and Council regulations. The Government proposes that the following acts be amended: the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Border Guard, the Border Guard Act, the Aliens Act, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by the Police, the Act on the Processing of Personal Data by Customs, the Act on the Enforcement of Fines, and the Act on the Use of Air Carriers’ Passenger Name Record Data in the Prevention of Terrorist Offences and Serious Crime.The package is referred to as ‘Smart Borders’. The term refers to automation and new technology to be introduced in border checks. This means, for example, the automation of border crossings, the EU-wide registration of entry and exit data, and the prior registration of visa-free travellers from third countries, namely non-EU countries, on the internet. The amendments do not concern citizens of Finland or other Schengen countries.The EES aims to improve identification of persons at external bordersThe Entry/Exit System Regulation will establish a new EU-wide information system with the primary objectives of improving the management of external borders, preventing irregular immigration and facilitating the management of migration flows. The purpose is to register electronically the entry and exit data of third-country nationals who are authorised to stay in the territory of the Member States for a short period of time and to calculate the duration of their authorised stay. The system will replace the obligation to stamp the passports of third-country nationals.Data in the EES may be processed by border, visa and immigration authorities. In addition, the police, the Border Guard, Customs and the Defence Forces will have the right to access the system for the purpose of preventing, detecting and investigating terrorist offences and serious crimes.According to the current plans, the EES will be introduced in May 2022. However, it is likely that the introduction will be postponed. The timeline is currently being reassessed.ETIAS will determine in advance the conditions of entryThe European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a pre-registration system for visa-exempt third-country nationals. It aims to determine in advance whether a person fulfils the conditions of entry into the country. The system also aims to enhance the effectiveness of border checks and support the objectives set for the Schengen Information System. The system will allow for advance assessment of potential security, irregular immigration or high epidemic risks already before the person arrives at the border crossing point.The Finnish Border Guard is the national ETIAS authority in Finland. ETIAS applications will mainly be processed automatically. The ETIAS Central Unit, maintained by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), will forward applications requiring further clarification to the national units for manual processing. Data in ETIAS may be processed by border and immigration authorities. In addition, the police, the Border Guard, Customs and the Defence Forces will have the right to access the system for the purpose of preventing, detecting and investigating terrorist offences and serious crimes.ETIAS is expected to be operational at the EU’s external borders at the end of 2022. However, it is possible that the introduction will be postponed. The timeline is currently being reassessed.
