Cooperation in the EU and at other international forums

The EU and international activities of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment aim to promote sustainable growth and strategic competitiveness by:

  • promoting business and employment growth, the availability of skilled labour and the achievement of climate objectives through clean investments
  • promoting a well-functioning and resilient EU internal market by striving for better and lighter EU regulation
  • ensuring that EU legislation creates a predictable and stable operating environment for investments 
  • promoting research, development and innovation as well as a sustainable, competitive and secure energy policy and bilateral economic cooperation with key partner countries.

The Ministry’s EU and international activities are based on Finland’s international commitments, the Government Programme, the Government’s strategic EU policies and the Ministry’s strategy. 

Broad activity in different forums

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment engages in international cooperation in various forums and bilaterally with key partner countries. 

The most important forums are: 

  • European Union (EU)
  • Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM)
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
  • International Energy Agency (IEA)
  • United Nations (UN) and its various agencies - International Labour Organization (ILO) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) - World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
  • World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • European Space Agency (ESA)

The activities to exert influence in the EU aim to promote the conditions for sustainable growth effectively for the long term. The EU sub-committee system is utilised in the formulation of positions aimed at exerting advance influence in the EU. Interest groups are also consulted. 

The starting point for exerting influence is to strengthen the EU’s strategic competitiveness on the basis of the EU’s own strengths and market-based solutions. At the core of this are a well-functioning internal market and effective competition and state aid policy that promote a predictable and favourable investment environment. The goal is that EU funding is increasingly allocated to quality-based measures promoting research, innovation, competence, digitalisation, comprehensive security and the clean transition.

The Ministry’s bilateral international cooperation focuses on cooperation with countries that play a key role in Finland’s economy and trade, technology and innovation, and the availability of labour. The cooperation is based on treaties, memorandums of understanding and other cooperation arrangements. 

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is also a partner in the Team Finland network. The Team Finland network promotes Finland and its interests abroad: Finland’s external economic relations, the internationalisation of Finnish businesses, investments in Finland and the country brand.

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