Economic Development Centres

At the beginning of 2026, a reform entered into force where the operations of regional state administration were organised into ten Economic Development Centres with offices in each region.

The Economic Development Centres will carry out a wide range of tasks relating to:

• business and industry,
• employment,
• skills and culture,
• immigration and integration,
• agriculture and rural development,
• transport and road maintenance,
• promotion of land use,
• water management,
• promotion of biodiversity and good state of waters and marine areas and climate,
• fisheries,
• and the implementation of the EU’s regional and structural policy programme, and the tasks of the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Read more about the tasks of the Economic Development Centres at finlex.fi (in Finnish)

The reform will support growth and regional cooperation throughout Finland. The objective is for the regional state administration to support the vibrancy of the regions as well as regional development at both the national and regional levels based on local strengths and special characteristics.

The Centres will make use of digitalisation and operate in a customer-oriented manner in cooperation with others.

The Economic Development Centres were established on the basis of 15 Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, i.e. ELY Centres.

• ELY Centres | tem.fi
• Implementation project on the Economic Development Centres | tem.fi

Offices of Economic Development Centres

The Centres have either a main office or an office in all regions.

• Economic Development Centre of Uusimaa: main office in Helsinki
• Economic Development Centre of Southwest Finland: main office in Turku, office in Pori
• Economic Development Centre of Southeast Finland: main office in Kouvola, offices in Lahti and Lappeenranta
• Economic Development Centre of Inland Finland: main office in Tampere, office in Hämeenlinna
• Economic Development Centre of Central Finland: main office in Jyväskylä
• Economic Development Centre of Eastern Finland: main office in Kuopio, offices in Joensuu and Mikkeli
• Economic Development Centre of South Ostrobothnia: main office in Seinäjoki
• Economic Development Centre of Ostrobothnia: main office in Vaasa, office in Kokkola
• Economic Development Centre of Northern Finland: main office in Oulu, office in Kajaani
• Economic Development Centre of Lapland: main office in Rovaniemi

 

Guidance and direction of Economic Development Centres

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for coordinating the guidance and direction of the Economic Development Centres and the common administrative tasks contained in the guidance.

Within their sectors, the activities are directed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of the Environment, the Finnish Food Authority and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
To coordinate planning and guidance, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment appoints a coordination group for four years at a time. The group consists of representatives from the relevant ministries and government agencies as well as the Economic Development Centres and the Employment, Administration and Development Agency.

Strategic planning and performance guidance

In order to achieve the general objectives of Economic Development Centres and to consider the views of the regions, a joint strategy document (strategic planning) will be drawn up for the Centres to guide the overall planning, management and organisation of their activities. What is more, a strategic performance agreement (performance guidance) will be created for each Economic Development Centre. The strategy document and the performance agreements are prepared for the term of the Government and their content is reviewed each year, as necessary, based on the central government spending limits and the Budget.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment prepares a strategy document and performance agreements in cooperation with the relevant ministries and government agencies, Economic Development Centres, the Employment, Administration and Development Agency and, where necessary, regional councils. 
The first strategy and performance agreements of the Centres will be drawn up for 2026–2027.

• Strategy of the Economic Development Centres