NordenBladet — The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health have reviewed the grounds for the recommendation on remote work. The ministries propose to lift the recommendation on 15 October. The ministries estimate that by then the vaccination coverage will be close to the goal set by the Government. This would enable a safe transition to combined remote and office work.  The COVID-19 situation and vaccination coverage have improved throughout the country. However, the current vaccination coverage for the working-age population has not yet reached the minimum of 80 per cent specified in the Government’s revised hybrid strategy. In addition, a large number of new infections are still reported.   Return to workplaces may begin earlier if this is possible based on risk assessment and the regional epidemiological situation.  Workplaces are responsible for ensuring health security at work  Extending the recommendation on remote work until mid-October gives workplaces, in consultation with employees, an opportunity to flexibly transition to an increasingly hybrid model that combines remote and in-office work. Various aspects regarding the transition to a hybrid work model are discussed nationwide by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, ministries, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and labour market organisations, and they will be included in guidelines for workplaces. This preparatory work will provide a smoother transition to new routines in workplaces. As the national recommendations on remote work are being lifted, workplaces assume more responsibility for health security at work.  With more people present in the workplace, protection against the coronavirus continues to be necessary.   The Government assessed the different measures to prevent infections in January 2021 and decided on drafting an action plan concerning a gradual process to prepare for opening up society. As part of the action plan for implementing the hybrid strategy, the ministries were tasked with reassessing the grounds for the recommendation and its duration by mid-September. It was also recommended that national preparatory work should begin immediately for the transition from remote work to combined remote and office work.   In their work, the ministries made use of the assessments of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health concerning both the epidemiological situation and its development and impacts of remote work as a measure to prevent COVID-19 infections. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during this decade will require significant changes to the way the public and private sectors allocate their investments. Finland’s sustainable financing roadmap, which will be published on 24 September 2021, will provide guidelines for the allocation of funding solutions to sustainable investments that need to be increased during this decade.Several national and international initiatives aim to support the transformation of the financial sector and to promote the comprehensive allocation of funding in accordance with the SDGs. The EU has shown great leadership in this matter and, at the same time, several countries have drawn up national strategies and programmes for the systematic promotion of sustainable financing. Finland has played an active role in sustainable finance initiatives internationally, and the Finnish Roadmap for Financing a Decade of SDG Action (to be published on 24 September 2021) will provide guidelines for the Finnish operators to implement the necessary changes. The roadmap is part of the project on Developing Finland’s Sustainable Finance Ecosystems. -Finland has performed very well in international comparisons of sustainable development. Promoting a sustainable financing system offers us an economically cost-effective way of responding to the challenges of sustainable development in Finland. At the same time, it helps us attract more investments and improves our competitiveness in the international market, says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.Success in the necessary transformations requires determined development of sustainable financing skills and coordinated public sector measures to mobilise private funding more comprehensively than now, specifically in line with the UN’s objectives. Implementing the transformation also requires the ability to identify and report on the impact of investments on economic, social and environmental sustainability. Four pilot projects to promote implementation of the roadmap The roadmap provides an opportunity for different operators to recognise their own role in promoting sustainable financing. Four ecosystem projects that help identify concrete sustainable financing solutions are currently underway to speed up the implementation of the roadmap. These include scaling up offshore wind power and sustainable protein production in Finland and promoting climate-smart water solutions and exports of vocational education. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for the national coordination of the project. The steering group includes representatives of key ministries and the Finnish National Agency for Education. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will visit Washington DC on 24 September. The aim of the visit is to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and to discuss topical foreign policy themes, focusing on questions relating to Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.During his visit, Minister Haavisto will meet representatives of the US administration and members of the US Congress and hold discussions with representatives of think tanks and non-governmental organisations.The bilateral relations between Finland and the United States are extensive and intergovernmental cooperation is close. The close relationship between the European Union and the United States is important for Finland from the perspective of security, trade and the economy. Finland and the United States also cooperate in responding to such global challenges as climate change and pandemics.“The US is an important partner for Finland both bilaterally and internationally. We need close transatlantic cooperation to be able to respond to global challenges. I therefore welcome the US administration’s deepening transatlantic relationship and commitment to multilateral cooperation,” says Foreign Minister Haavisto.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 24 September 2021, Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen will attend a defence minister meeting of the European Intervention Initiative (EI2) countries. The meeting will be held in Sweden.
The Ministers will discuss topical international security and defence matters as well as the achievements and future development of the EI2 initiative.
Besides Finland, the participating countries include Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Finland became a member of the European Intervention Initiative in 2018. The purpose of the EI2 is to develop European strategic culture and the relations between defence administrations, to support the creation of a common situation picture and the capacity for prediction and sharing of information, and to develop Europe’s readiness on the politico-strategic level in order to respond to the crises and security challenges facing it.
On 25 September 2021, Minister of Defence Kaikkonen will learn about the Joint Protector 21 command-post exercise in Älvdalen, Sweden. The exercise is part of the multilateral military JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force) defence cooperation framework, in which Finland participates. The framework is led by the United Kingdom. The purpose of JEF cooperation is to develop the military readiness of the participating countries, to prevent different types of crises, and if necessary, to work together in crisis situations.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 20 September 2021, Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen listened to the views of Vantaa upper secondary students on future working life. The discussion centred on young people’s wellbeing and equal opportunities to study and work in the EU. The event was part of the Government’s “We are Europe” tour.Of the upper secondary school students participating in the event, 44 had answered a questionnaire about their thoughts, which served as a basis for the discussion. According to the survey, young people are fairly confident about the future working life. For them, pay, success and reconciling work with leisure time are the most important issues of the future working life.Concerns over wellbeing during studies and at work“I think more attention should be paid to coping at work so that nobody has to face the risk of a burnout,” said Anni Juulia Tuominen, a student at Sotunki upper secondary school.Minister of Employment Haatainen also emphasised the importance of wellbeing. She mentioned the European Parliament’s initiative on the right of employees to disconnect from work outside their working hours. Haatainen hopes that the discussion on the matter will continue both at the EU level and in Finland.“If work is on your mind all the time and you are always available, you’ll exhaust yourself. I know that myself and it is important to draw the line somewhere. For me, this may be easier because I am of the older generation that was not born with a mobile phone in my hand,” Haatainen said.Wellbeing is something we should all pay attention to even before we start to work. The minister was asked how the Government supports young people during and after the coronavirus crisis.“The Government is particularly concerned about young people and how they are managing during this time. We want to alleviate the situation through a number of measures. For example, we have increased resources at TE Offices and Ohjaamo service points so that they can help young people better. Ohjaamo service points can be accessed at a low threshold. They are places where young people can easily find answers to any questions they may have. Even short-term therapy is available for those feeling anxious about life,” Haatainen added.More use of the opportunities offered in the EUAccording to young people, education, traineeships and work in another EU Member State should be made as simple as possible. Qualifications received elsewhere should be recognised and opportunities should be open to everyone, regardless of the young person’s financial means.Risto Rajala, President of JEF Finland (Young European Federalists), referred to a new EU programme that the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen mentioned in a recent speech. The ALMA programme would provide young people with an opportunity to gain work experience in another Member State. It would be a kind of Erasmus programme for working life. “When preparing the ALMA programme, it is important to make sure that people with all kinds of backgrounds can make use of the opportunities offered in the EU. My impression is that the programme is headed towards that direction, in fact,” Rajala said.“I encourage you to be mobile and take advantage of the opportunities that the EU offers. Education, traineeships and work abroad always bear fruit and they have broad appeal in working life,” Haatainen said.Different paths to dream workSaana Ylikruuvi, student representative at Akava (Central Organisation of Professional Associations in Finland) and Sonja Tikkanen, vice chair of STTK Students (Finnish Confederation of Professionals), told the audience that based on their own experiences life sometimes takes another turn than originally planned. It is important to study a field that interests you.“Expertise in digitalisation and climate change will certainly be in demand in future and there will be plenty of jobs available in the care sector,” said Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Member of the European Parliament.
“Learning cannot be separated from work anymore, because new skills are continuously needed in working life.Education must therefore be seen as a lifelong project,” Haatainen added.Young people’s thoughts to be heard in discussion on the EUThe discussion between the Minister of Employment and the upper secondary school students in Vantaa was part of the Government’s “We are Europe” tour. This autumn and winter, ministers will tour Finland to listen to people’s ideas and hopes for the future of Europe. The tour is part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The citizens’ messages will be passed on as part of an EU-level discussion on what kind of Europe we want to build.More information:
Iiris Niinikoski, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 295 047 372 
Leila Vilhunen, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 120

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The development of interoperability between EU information systems will improve the identity management of third-country nationals staying in the Schengen area. The package includes a number of extensive EU information systems related to internal security, migration management and travel. The EU regulations concerning the framework for interoperability were adopted in 2019. The legislative proposal submitted to Parliament on Thursday 23 September allows the police, Customs and the Border Guard to make queries in the common identity repository of the European Union’s information systems for the purpose of identifying a person.Identification of a person is a prerequisite for reliable official activitiesThe purpose of the legislative proposal now submitted is to make the amendments required by the EU regulations concerning the interoperability of EU information systems to the national legislation. Provisions on the grounds for queries are laid down in the EU regulations.
The EU regulations aim to simplify access to data by authorities, protect the EU’s external borders, improve migration management and enhance internal security.  Correct and reliable identification of a person is also a prerequisite for reliable official activities.
The EU interoperability regulations apply to the following EU-level information systems:EU Visa Information System (VIS)Schengen Information System (SIS)Entry/Exit System (EES)European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) andcentralised system for the identification of Member States holding conviction information on third-country nationals and stateless persons (ECRIS-TCN).A revised European system for the comparison of fingerprints of asylum applicants (Eurodac) is also intended to be included in the package. The systems complement each other and, with the exception of the Schengen Information System, only data on third-country nationals are stored in them.Data from EU security information systems to be pooledThe interoperability of information systems will be implemented with four components:A European search portal to search simultaneously in multiple EU information systems for data, including biometric data.A shared biometric matching service that allows to compare the biometrics to be entered in one system with those in other systems. A common identity repository for storing biographical and biometric data and travel document data. A multiple identity detector to check if the same data match persons entered in several systems, allowing to detect possible multiple identities.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On 23 September 2021, the Government submitted a U-communication to Parliament on legislative proposals to tighten the EU’s renewable energy targets. In July, the European Commission published its proposals to amend the Directive on the promotion of energy from renewable sources (RED II), the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and the Fuel Quality Directive. The proposals are part of the broader package of measures called Fit for 55.The proposal aims to bring the RED II Directive in line with the EU’s new emission reduction target of 55% by 2030. Renewable energy plays a significant role in meeting the emissions targets and the measures outlined in the Directive in their current form are not, according to the Commission’s assessment, sufficient to achieve this overall objective. The proposed changes will also take into account new EU strategies on marine energy, sector integration, hydrogen and biodiversity. The proposal aims to have positive effects on employment and economic growth.According to the proposal, the EU’s common renewable energy target will be raised from 32% to 40%, which would require new measures from the Member States to increase the use of renewable energy. According to the impact assessment, Finland’s target for the share of renewable energy would rise to 57%. The Member States would continue to set their national climate and energy objectives under the Governance Regulation. The Member States’ obligation to report on this progress in 2023, as included in the original Directive, would be eliminated.In addition to raising the renewable energy target, the key proposals concern the use and sustainability criteria of forest biomass as well as the heating and transport sectors.The original RED II Directive was issued in December 2018 with expected implementation by 1 July 2021. The Directive lays down provisions on support schemes for electricity, rights and treatment of consumers of self-generated renewable electricity, permit-granting procedures for producers of renewable energy, mainstreaming the use of renewable energy in heating and cooling, guarantees of origin, use of biofuels and other renewable energy in transport, and sustainability of biofuels, bioliquids and solid biomass. Union communications are prepared on those matters to be decided by the EU which, due to their content, would fall within the competence of Parliament if Finland was not a member of the EU. A communication describes the essential content of the EU’s proposal and the Government’s position on the matter. 

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — In its plenary session on Thursday 23 September, the Government decided on the thematic areas and priorities for strategic research in 2022. The thematic areas are: Children and young people – flourishing future actors and Security and trust in an era of algorithms. The Government also adopted equity as the cross-cutting priority of both themes for 2022.The Government made its decision on the key thematic areas and priorities for strategic research based on a proposal from the Strategic Research Council. In 2022, the proposed authorisation for strategic research amounts to EUR 55.631 million. The Strategic Research Council will announce the launch of the call for funding at a later date.Strategic research refers to high quality, long-term and problem-oriented research that contributes to the making of social policy and the development of society’s functions and aims to find solutions to the major challenges and problems facing Finnish society.Matters decided by the Strategic Research Council include the research programmes, organisation of funding calls and selection of research projects, and it is also responsible for monitoring and impact assessments. The projects to be funded are selected based on a review of their societal relevance, impact and scientific quality.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Government proposes amendments to certain laws regulating market surveillance in Finland. The amendments will update national market surveillance structures to correspond with the new EU Market Surveillance Regulation. The proposal also aims to harmonise the regulation of market surveillance in Finland. The amendments are set to enter into force during autumn 2021.Market surveillance ensures that products do not endanger the health or safety of consumers and that they meet the requirements imposed on them. The EU Market Surveillance Regulation applies to surveillance of 70 different EU product regulations, including elevators, cosmetics, fertilisers and toys. In Finland, the Regulation will be implemented in phases in different administrative branches.The aim of this reform is to create a more modern and clearer operating environment for consumers and businesses. In practice, this means that fewer products not meeting product safety requirements will be sold on the EU internal market. The reform will also improve market surveillance and improve the functioning of the internal market.Market surveillance Act to apply to new productsIn addition to the amendments made to the Act on the Market Surveillance of Certain Products (hereafter, the Act) required by the EU Regulation, the scope of the Act will be extended. The Act already covers several product groups. In future, the Act would also apply to surveillance of following product groups: recreational craft, radio equipment, ship equipment, energy-related products, electrical and electronic equipment containing dangerous substances, chemicals, cosmetic products and tobacco products.With the extension of the scope the Act, it will apply to the activities of an increasing number of Finnish authorities. Most of the products will continue to be subject to surveillance by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency. The Act would also be applied by Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Finnish Medicines Agency (certain electrical and electronic equipment), National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (tobacco products), and municipalities in their territory (tobacco products). Finnish Customs is the authority responsible for external border control.The proposal would harmonise the powers and surveillance procedures of the authorities in the product sectors that fall within the scope of the Act. This is expected to benefit all operators.
 
A new feature is a regulation on sanctions that operators could be subject to for non-compliance with certain obligations laid down in the EU Regulation. This would complement the current sanctions regime in Finland.New measures to control online salesMarket surveillance in Finland is already on a good level. Above all, the EU Regulation will affect market surveillance of products marketed from non-EU countries and online.The proposed provisions to the Act would give authorities new powers in the online environment and powers to obtain product samples using a fake identity. New enforcement methods would enhance market surveillance of online sales.Ministries cooperated to prepare amendmentsThe Government’s proposal to amend the Act and the product laws that will fall within its scope has been prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of the Environment.Pauliina Kanerva, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 060160
Emilia Tiuttu, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel.  +358 295 047127

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Based on the current epidemiological situation, the restrictions on the maximum permitted number of customers and on opening and licensing hours will be lifted in North Ostrobothnia. In addition, restrictions will be eased in Kymenlaakso and Pirkanmaa and tightened in Satakunta.The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 24 September 2021.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions that are at the community transmission phase of the epidemic — Southwest Finland, Uusimaa, South Karelia, Ostrobothnia and Satakunta — from 24 SeptemberFood and beverage service businesses may serve alcohol between 7.00 and 23.00 and be open between 5.00 and 00.00.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 in indoor and outdoor premises.All customers must have their own seats at a table or similar in both indoor and outdoor premises. Customers are instructed to stay seated in indoor premises. Businesses must draw up and provide their customers with instructions on how to enter or leave the premises or access the area designated for smoking or the toilets and washing facilities and how to collect their takeaway orders of food and drinks. In practice, dancing and karaoke, for example, are not allowed.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions of Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme, North Savo, South Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Kymenlaakso and Pirkanmaa and in the Hospital District of East Savo, which are all at the acceleration phase of the epidemic, from 24 SeptemberFood and beverage service businesses may serve alcohol between 7.00 and 1.00 and be open between 5.00 and 2.00. Food and beverage service businesses that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have half the normal number of customer seats in use in indoor premises. Other restaurants may seat 75 per cent of their normal number of customers inside their establishments. As before, all customers must have their own seats by a table or counter when indoors. The number of customer seats in outdoor terraces is not limited. Baseline restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in the regions of Åland, Central Finland, Lapland, North Karelia, Kainuu and North Ostrobothnia and in the Hospital District of South Savo from 24 SeptemberNo separate restrictions on the number of customers or on licensing and opening hours.The obligation to observe the general hygiene guidelines and to keep a safe distance applies in all regions.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.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi