Finland: Next application round of EU Innovation Fund in autumn – advice available for project preparation

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — The European Commission has informed the Member States about the next application rounds of the EU Innovation Fund and the situation with respect to last year’s applications. In addition, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has created an advisory service that will provide immediate assistance for the preparation of energy investments.

The European Commission is preparing the next application rounds of the Innovation Fund. The application, targeted to funding larger projects, should open on 26 October 2021 and will continue until spring 2022. The planned amount to be offered in total will be about EUR 1.3 to 1.5 billion. The next application round for smaller projects will open in March 2022. The planned amount available will be about EUR 100 million. The application rounds concerning larger projects have aroused particular interest, which is why the Commission’s resources will now be specifically targeted to these. The Commission also wishes to speed up the decision-making process so that the application starting in the autumn will be a one-stage process and the decisions will be made already in July 2022. The application requirements should be about the same as before. Decisions on applications opened last autumn expected soon The decisions on the first application rounds concerning larger and smaller projects opened in autumn 2020 should be ready within the next few weeks. The selected applicants will be invited to negotiate on the support decisions with the EU. The authorities of the Member States will also be informed about the projects prepared within their territories that will proceed to the negotiation phase.

Advisory service to assist in planning energy investments
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has created a new advisory service that will help plan energy investments so that they will be eligible for the funding. Customers are invited to seek the advisory service immediately. Using the service does not require that an application has been or will be submitted to the Innovation Fund. The number of companies to be selected should be about 60, and the advice to be provided to them will be free of charge. The contact person for the advisory service at the EIB is Catherine Bender (c.bender(at)eib.org). More information on the EU Innovation Fund and applications for large and small projects can be found on the Commission’s Innovation Fund website. For more information on fall application processes, visit the site later.

Finland: Certain unemployment security tasks to Uusimaa TE Office

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — In future, the Employment and Economic Development Office (TE Office) of Uusimaa will give certain labour policy statements on the eligibility conditions for the unemployment benefit with respect to the territories of all TE Offices. The aim is to further harmonise the processing times and decision-making practices. Another aim is that statements on the eligibility conditions for the unemployment benefit will be processed without delay.

Moving these tasks to the Uusimaa TE Office is well justified because it has the ability and capacity to lead the operations of a large unit. In addition, the Uusimaa TE Office has strong expertise in the tasks concerned and established, well-functioning processes and practices.

The Uusimaa TE Office will be responsible for labour policy statements when it is a question of work other than that done in an employment relationship, employment as an entrepreneur and self-employment, study, obligation of young people to apply for a place to study as an eligibility condition for the unemployment benefit, and reprehensible conduct with respect to labour policy. All TE Offices will continue to give statements in their respective territories on eligibility conditions for the unemployment benefit related to job search status, seeking full-time employment and unemployment benefit paid when using services in support of finding employment.The transfer of these tasks will not cause any changes to how jobseekers use the TE Offices’ services.

The Government issued the decree on the matter on 8 July 2021. The decree will enter into force on 1 October 2021.

Finland: Internal border control will continue until 25 July – changes to external border control as well

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — The Government has decided to continue internal border control until 25 July to ensure the introduction of health security measures at borders. After this short transitional period, internal border control and entry restrictions at internal borders will be lifted. Internal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries. Changes will be made to external border control as well.

Internal border control will be restored for the period between 12 and 25 July to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus varieties in traffic between Finland and Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. However, leisure boating from these countries is still allowed.

Certificate of a negative COVID-19 test result or one dose of vaccine not enough to allow entry to the country
As announced by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on Tuesday 6 July, with respect to health security measures a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test prior to the entry or of the first dose of vaccine at least 14 days prior to the entry will be enough to allow a person to enter Finland. However, persons travelling to Finland should remember that, with respect to countries that continue to be subject to internal border control and entry restrictions, such a certificate will not be enough to allow entry during the transitional period 12-25 July.

Validity of the decision on external border traffic extended
The decision on external border traffic will be extended until 22 August 2021 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus varieties. External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen third countries.

Finland: Internal border control continues until 25 July

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — Internal border control by the border control authorities that will continue until 25 July will give the municipalities and joint municipal authorities time to prepare for the implementation of health security measures under the Communicable Diseases Act. Internal border control will end after that.

According to the Government decision of 8 July, internal border control will continue between 12 and 25 July. During this time, both the entry restrictions to be complied with at Finland’s internal and external borders and requirements of the Communicable Diseases Act will be applied. The purpose of the decision is to ensure a smooth transition from the travel restrictions applied in spring 2021 to health security measures at border crossing points and to prevent cross-border COVID-19 infections during this short transitional period. In practice the continuation of internal border control means that between 12 and 25 July the border control authorities will first assess whether a person is entitled to travel to Finland. If a person is entitled to enter the country, the health authorities will then assess which health security measures under the Communicable Diseases Act apply to the person.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Minister Harakka: Winter navigation to be taken into account in EU emissions trading proposal

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka has sent a letter to European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans concerning emissions trading in maritime transport. Minister Harakka stresses that the special circumstances related to winter navigation should be taken into account in the Commission’s proposal for emissions trading, and the proposal should also include an assessment of its impacts on the relative competitiveness of Member States.

The proposal of the European Commission to be published on 14 July 2021 will extend emissions trading to maritime transport as part of the Fit for 55 climate package. Finland has made efforts to influence the upcoming proposal in such a way that emission reductions will be achieved while also taking into account the relative competitiveness between countries and special circumstances related to winter navigation. At the moment it seems that the Commission will not take Finland’s perspectives into account.

“Due account for the special characteristics of winter navigation is an absolute necessity to ensure both the safety of transport operations and relative competitiveness. We are demanding this special attention because our distances and climate conditions are facts that cannot be changed by any regulatory frameworks,” Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka says.

“If the special characteristics of winter navigation are not taken into account in emissions trading for maritime transport, the costs for Finland will be huge, and the competitiveness of our export sectors will also be seriously weakened,” Minister Harakka says.

By ignoring winter navigation and ice-classed ships the EU would deviate from international regulation. The safety aspects of winter navigation and equitable operating conditions relative to other maritime transport have been taken into account, for example, in the energy efficiency rules of the International Maritime Organization IMO.Maritime transport is vital for Finland: about 85% of our total foreign trade and 95% of our goods trade with other EU countries rely on maritime transport.

Ice-classed ships combine environmentally safe and logistically efficient maritime transportUnder the EU’s emissions trading scheme the operators must, on an annual basis, acquire and return emission allowances corresponding to the volume of their emissions. Emission allowances can also be bought and sold. The operators are driven to reducing their emissions by gradually decreasing the total quantity of emission allowances.

What Finland is worried about in the Commission’s proposals is that it will guide the shipping companies to using weaker vessels just because they are more energy-efficient and produce less emissions. Such vessels are not intended for harsh icy conditions and they need more icebreaker assistance. This will not decrease emissions on the transport system level, and the likelihood of oil and chemical spills in wintertime would increase. About 70-80% of visits of ships to Finnish ports from foreign ports are made by vessels in the best ice classes. Heavy ice-strengthened vessels inevitably consume more fuel and produce more emissions even when sailing in open water. These vessels obviously need more power when navigating in ice.

Next steps
The EU’s emission reduction target by 2030 has been tightened from 40% to 55%, compared to the level in 1990. To achieve this target, the Commission has drawn up a Fit for 55 climate package that is to be published on 14 July 2021. The package will include a proposal for emissions trading in maritime transport and several other proposals concerning the transport sector. The current estimate is that the earliest time when emissions trading could be started is in 2025-2026.

Finland: EU COVID-19 test certificate and proof of recovery from COVID-19 available in My Kanta Pages as of 14 July

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — More information will be added to the EU Digital COVID Certificate on 14 July, when COVID-19 test results and certificates of recovery from COVID-19 are made available in the My Kanta Pages. The EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate has been available in the My Kanta Pages since 22 June.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate can be used when crossing borders within the EU. The aim is to facilitate safe and free movement. Each EU Member State can decide for itself on other uses of the certificate.

Before travelling, it is important to find out which EU Digital COVID Certificate is needed to cross the border of your destination country. An EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate may be sufficient. The EU COVID-19 vaccination certificate will be visible in your My Kanta Pages once you have been vaccinated. The certificate shows the name of your last vaccine, the date it was administered and the number of vaccine doses you have received. If you have received two doses, only the name of the second vaccine dose received will appear on the certificate.

The EU COVID-19 test certificate will be visible in your My Kanta Pages once you have undergone a COVID-19 test and it has come back negative. The certificate in the My Kanta Pages is based on the results of your most recent test.The EU certificate of recovery from COVID-19 will be visible in the My Kanta Pages once you have recovered from the disease and your COVID-19 infection has been confirmed with a positive PCR test result. There are two types of COVID-19 tests: PCR tests and rapid diagnostic test (antigen tests).

A rapid test result is not sufficient proof of recovery from COVID-19.COVID-19 tests for travel are administered by private healthcare providers
In line with the Finland’s national COVID-19 testing strategy, COVID-19 tests carried out for the purpose of travelling abroad are mainly administered by private healthcare providers. These COVID-19 tests are subject to a fee.

However, tests undergone upon return to Finland are administered by public healthcare services and are free of charge. Please book your return test in advance using the FINENTRY service, for example.

Kela will not reimburse you for a test carried out by a private healthcare provider for the purpose of travel. Under the Health Insurance Act, Kela only reimburses COVID-19 tests for symptomatic persons and for those asymptomatic persons who are ordered by a doctor to undergo a test due to possible exposure as defined in the guidelines of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

All EU certificates are free of charge. The EU COVID-19 test certificate will appear in the My Kanta Pages regardless of whether your test was carried out by a private or public healthcare provider. Exercise special caution when travelling in general. Before travelling, you should always 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 recommendations. The COVID-19 situation in different countries and regions may change abruptly.

Travellers are responsible for determining the criteria for the validity of COVID-19 test results in their destination countryThe validity of the test result begins at the time of sampling or at the beginning of the day on which the sample was taken.According to the recommendation in the EU Regulation, people who have received a negative test result may travel 48 hours after sampling in the case of a rapid test and 72 hours after sampling for a PCR test.

The recommendation states that a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 may be valid 11 days at the earliest and 180 days at the latest after the person has received a positive COVID-19 test result.The COVID-19 vaccination certificate is valid for 12 months.

There are restrictions on the validity of test certificates and certificates of recovery from COVID-19. Travellers are responsible for determining the latest border crossing criteria in their destination country with regard to testing methods and the period of validity of the results. The Re-Open Europe website compiles information on travel instructions and restrictions in place in the EU Member States.

Travellers must download the certificate from the My Kanta Pages before travelling. If a person is unable to download the certificate, they must contact the healthcare provider that issued the certificate and request a certificate in printed form. The printed certificate must contain the same information as the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Finland: Round of statements on amendments to the Seafarers’ Employment Contracts Act: Employers to have the right to oblige employees to take a breathalyser test

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 8, 2021

NordenBladet — It has been proposed that provisions be added to the Seafarers’ Employment Contracts Act on breathalysing of employees. The legislative draft to be sent out for statements proposes that the employer be given the right to oblige an employee working on their vessel to take a breathalyser test to determine whether the employee is under the influence of alcohol during working hours. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will organise a round of statements on the amendment from 8 July to 3 September 2021.

Breathalyser tests for employees on vessels are justified from the perspective of maritime safety and the special conditions of maritime travel. Current legislation does not contain provisions that would allow the employer to oblige an employee on a vessel to take a breathalyser test. Under to the proposed amendments, the employer could oblige employees to take breathalyser tests, if the conditions laid down in the Act are met. Random breathalyser tests or regularly conducted tests, for example, at the beginning of each shift would be possible for people whose tasks where working while intoxicated could endanger safety on vessels. An employer could also oblige an individual employee to take a breathalyser test if the employer has reason to suspect that the employee is intoxicated at work.In addition, it has been proposed that provisions that require the use of appropriate procedures for organising breathalyser tests and provisions on the processing of personal data in connection with breathalyser tests be added to the Act.

The new legislation would also apply to pontoon ferries that are not covered by the Seafarers’ Employment Contracts Act

Finland: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey to visit Finland

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 7, 2021

NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will meet Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on 8 July in Helsinki.

The Foreign Ministers will discuss such topical matters as the bilateral relations between Finland and Turkey, the relations between Turkey and the EU, and international issues of current interest.

Finland: Health security at Finland’s borders: Government decides on requirements for people arriving in Finland from abroad

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 6, 2021

NordenBladet — On Tuesday 6 July, the Government decided on temporary amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act and on a model for preventing the spread of COVID-19 infections to Finland from abroad.From 12 July 2021 onwards, people arriving in Finland will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or of recovery from COVID-19 within the past six months. Those who show proof of one of the above will not be subject to other health security obligations upon arrival in Finland.

All other persons must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken before entering the country or proof of a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine received at least 14 days prior to entry. In both of these cases, the person must also take a COVID-19 test 3–5 days after arriving in the country. They must avoid contact with others and remain at home or in their place of accommodation until they receive confirmation of a negative test result.

If a person arriving in Finland does not have proof of full vaccination against COVID-19, recovery from COVID-19, a negative test result or a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine received at least 14 days prior to arrival in Finland, they must be tested for COVID-19 as soon as they arrive in Finland and a second time 3–5 days after arrival.The obligation to show proof or be tested for COVID-19 does not apply to people arriving in Finland from countries or regions where the incidence of COVID-19 or the prevalence of virus variants does not pose a particular risk. The Government has issued a decree on these countries and regions. They are: Australia, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, China, Macao, Malta, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, New Zealand and the Vatican, and the Norwegian municipalities of Storfjord, Kåfjord, Nordreisa, Kautokeino, Karasjok, Tana, Nesseby and Sør-Varanger. The decree will be amended if the epidemiological situation so requires.The obligation to be tested for COVID-19 applies to people over 16 years of age. The amended Act also specifies exceptional categories of people who are not subject to this obligation. Under the Communicable Diseases Act, neglecting to undergo the required COVID-19 tests is a punishable offence.The government decree and the temporary amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act will enter into force on 12 July 2021. The temporary amendments to the Communicable Diseases Act will remain in force until 15 October 2021. The decree will remain in force until 31 August 2021.

Finland in lead role in negotiating the Ministerial Declaration of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on 6–15 July

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Helena-Reet Ennet

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July 6, 2021

NordenBladet — This year, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will focus on sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Finnish delegation will be headed by Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari.Finland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jukka Salovaara together with the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the UN are co-facilitating the consultation process leading to the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration. In the important role of co-facilitator, Finland aims to ensure that the Ministerial Declaration will bring added value to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

FINLAND