The EU ministers responsible for competitiveness will meet in Brussels on 23–24 May 2024. Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman will be Finland’s representative at the meetings of the ministers responsible for space, research and innovation on 23 May. Meanwhile, Minister of Employment Arto Satonen will represent Finland at the internal market and industry meetings on 24 May.

The number of unemployed jobseekers rose by 29,200 from April of last year. The number of new vacancies reported totalled 56,100. In all, the number of unfilled vacancies in April was 114,500, which is 55,900 fewer than a year ago.

According to the programme of the Petteri Orpo’s Government, state capital investment activities will be enhanced by centralising them in Finnish Industry Investment Group. Since autumn 2023, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has comprehensively evaluated the various options for the implementation of corporate restructuring and has decided on a model in which the operations of Climate Fund and Oppiva Invest will cease in their entirety in 2024 and the operations of Business Finland Venture Capital will cease in their present form.

In 2020–2023, more than 50 projects tackling the shadow economy and economic crime were carried out in Finland. They succeeded in preventing abuses, promoting healthy competition between companies and supporting a fair labour market by improving the transparency and openness of business activities, for example.

The Government proposes that the President of the Republic approve the amendments to industrial peace legislation at the presidential session on 17 May 2024. The amendments would enter into force on 18 May 2024.