9.12.2020 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday 10 and 11 December and will take part in the Euro Summit on Friday. The meeting will focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, security issues and external relations. In connection with the European Council, the EU leaders may also discuss the recovery package agreed on at the July European Council and its rule of law mechanism.

13.3.2020 | On 13 March, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health issued practical instructions to oral healthcare providers on how to prepare for the coronavirus outbreak in their clinic activities.

23.9.2021 | 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.

16.9.2020 | “We agreed on significant measures to safeguard the cost-competitiveness of Finnish business and industry,” Minister of Economic Affairs Lintilä says. In its budget session, the Government agreed on its commitment to secure a stable, encouraging and predictable business environment and good operating conditions for companies as well as predictable taxation.

20.5.2021 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend a video meeting of EU leaders on Thursday 20 May. 

29.9.2020 | EU ministers responsible for regional and structural policy, or cohesion policy, will hold a high-level video conference on 29 September to discuss ways of using the EU’s recovery instrument in the Member States to address the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. State Secretary Kimmo Tiilikainen will represent Finland at the meeting on behalf of Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

16.12.2020 | Due to the second wave of COVID-19 this autumn, air transport has not been able to recover from the COVID-19 crisis as was anticipated in the summer. This has had a particularly strong impact on the air transport situation in Finland. For example, Finnair continues to operate at only around ten per cent capacity, and the company’s operations are currently loss-making. The company has suffered and will continue to sustain substantial losses due to the pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.

26.8.2021 | The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health have reviewed the rationale for the national recommendation to work remotely. In view of the epidemiological situation the vaccine coverage is not yet sufficient, which is why no changes are proposed to the recommendation. The recommendation will continue to be in force until 30 September in areas that are in the acceleration or community transmission phase.

11.6.2020 | At the invitation of the Croatian Presidency, the EU health ministers will meet to discuss a new EU-wide health programme via videoconference on Friday 12 June. Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru will represent Finland at the meeting.

22.7.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The amended decree will enter into force on 24 July 2021. In line with the decree, restrictions on the opening and licensing hours of food and beverage service businesses will be in force in the following regions where the epidemic is in the acceleration phase: Kymenlaakso, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Uusimaa and Southwest Finland.