International and EU cooperation in the energy sector
International cooperation in the energy sector has been undertaken via various forums for a long time and diverse global issues have only increased the need for such collaboration. The forms of this collaboration include international treaties and conventions, the development of European Community law and various projects undertaken together.
Finland has been involved in the operation of a variety of international organisations since the 1950s and has acceded to the key agreements and initiatives of the energy sector.
The goals of the EU energy policy are sustainability, competitiveness and security of supply. These goals are also consistent with Finland’s national targets. The purpose of the common EU energy policy is to achieve competitive energy prices, secure energy supply under all conditions and reduce the environmental impact of the energy sector.
In Finland, the energy issues handled Europe-wide by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) are the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The TTE Council meets at an assembly of energy ministers approximately three times a year. In addition, each member state holding the presidency of the Council of the EU has usually organised one unofficial meeting of energy ministers during its six-month presidency. The Council meetings address all issues related to EU energy policy, excluding nuclear energy. Together with the European Parliament, the Council passes acts concerning the activities of the energy market.
Euratom, the European research programme for nuclear research and training, was founded in 1957 to promote the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in Europe. Euratom has almost the same legislative power as the European Union, although some of its decision-making procedures are different. Matters relating to Euratom are decided by the General Affairs Council. Within the framework of Euratom, the EU states have passed several legal acts concerning, for example, nuclear safeguards and radiation and nuclear safety.
Further information:
Director General Riku Huttunen, [email protected]
Ministerial Adviser Elina Johansson, [email protected]
Senior Ministerial Adviser Juho Korteniemi, [email protected]
The energy cooperation of the Nordic countries falls under the authority of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This Council is the official collaborative body of the governments of the Nordic countries. The target of the Nordic countries’ work together within the fields of economic development, energy and regional policy is to promote an efficient energy economy with acceptable environmental impacts in the Nordic countries, the Baltic Sea region and other neighbouring areas. The most significant results have been achieved in the development of the Nordic electricity market.
The Committees of Senior Officials in the Nordic Council of Ministers are comprised of national officials whose duty it is to prepare for and monitor issues in several focus areas. The Committee of Senior Officials for Energy Policy prepare for issues concerning energy.
Finland participates in the Nordic collaboration regarding renewable energy within the Working Group for Renewable Energy (AGFE) of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The group contributes to the support given to Nordic politicians and experts in their work through information exchange and cooperation projects.
- Working Group for Renewable Energy
- Further information: Senior Specialist Tuula Savola, [email protected] (Working Group for Renewable Energy of the Nordic Council of Ministers )
Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS), which focuses on reactor safety and emergency preparedness, is also implemented as a Nordic collaboration. Its target is to fortify information-related and strategic preparedness. All the key authorities, research institutes and nuclear power companies from the Nordic countries are involved in this cooperation.
- Further information: Senior Ministerial Adviser Juho Korteniemi, [email protected] (Nordic Nuclear Safety Research )
Finland is an active member of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA is an autonomous organisation within the framework of OECD. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment participates in its activities as Finland’s representative. The organisation’s head office is located in Paris.
Finland joined the IEA in 1992. The IEA is a forum for extensive collaboration in the various sectors of energy policy, especially the energy market and the stockpiling of oil. The IEA has expanded its operations and cooperation worldwide. In addition, specialist statistical work and collaborative research is performed within the IEA. One important form of cooperation is the country-specific assessment of energy policy. The IEA has a significant expert role, for example, in international climate negotiations and G7/G20 cooperation.
Further information:
Director General Riku Huttunen, [email protected] (IEA Governing Board)
Senior Specialist Eero Karjalainen, [email protected] (IEA cooperation)
The International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA
The International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA is an intergovernmental organisation that focuses on promoting renewable energy. It was founded in 2009 and Finland became a member in 2011. IRENA’s head office is in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Its Innovation and Technology Centre is located in Bonn, Germany.
- International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA website
- Further information: Senior Specialist Tuula Savola, [email protected], (IRENA)
CEM and Mission Innovation
Finland is working together internationally with the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and the Mission Innovation (MI) initiative created alongside CEM. Practically all the G20 countries and four of the Nordic countries are involved in these forums.
CEM has several collaboration initiatives ongoing in the field of clean energy and, based on their own interests, each participating country decides which ones they want to participate and invest in. Previously funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the CEM secretariat has now moved to the IEA and its operations are funded by the CEM states.
Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative announced at the Paris climate conference in 2015. Its goal is to increase ecological energy innovations in order to mitigate climate change and secure clean energy sources. Finland became a member in September 2016.
MI’s Innovation Challenges (MICs) incorporate innovation cooperation in seven areas, including smart grids, sustainable biofuels and affordable heating and cooling of buildings.
- Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) website
- Mission Innovation (MI) website
- Further information: Senior Specialist Päivi Laitila, [email protected] (CEM and Mission Innovation)
OECD Nuclear Energy Agency NEA
Finland works together with the industrialised countries within the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA). A total of 32 member countries participate in the organisation’s work, including all the Nordic countries. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy participates in NEA’s activities as Finland’s representative. The organisation’s head office is located in Paris.
Finland joined the NEA in 1976. NEA’s mission is to help its member countries to maintain and further develop, through international cooperation, the technical and legal prerequisites for the safe, environmentally sound and economical use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Work at the NEA is conducted in eight task areas, mostly performed in groups and as projects. These areas are nuclear safety and regulation, nuclear energy development, radioactive waste management, radiological protection and public health, nuclear law and liability, nuclear science, the Data Bank, and information and communication.
International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA is an autonomous UN organisation. IAEA was established in 1957 and Finland became a member in 1958. The IAEA head office is located in Vienna.
One of IAEA’s key tasks include monitoring compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT entered into force in 1970. Its aim is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons outside the five original nuclear weapon states – the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and China. Other objectives include furthering the goal of nuclear disarmament and promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The NPT has been signed by 191 countries, while India, Pakistan and Israel have not joined the Treaty. North Korea has withdrawn from the Treaty.
IAEA’s other duties include the promotion of radiological and nuclear safety and the promotion of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes through technical assistance. Conventions on nuclear safety, nuclear waste and the physical protection of nuclear material, among others, have been concluded within the organisation’s framework. In 2022, at the request of the ministry, the Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) and the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) Missions were organised by the IAEA. The Government, STUK and the waste management organisations were praised for being the first in the world to move the spent fuel disposal project towards commissioning readiness.
There is also cooperation to improve nuclear safety in neighbouring areas. Its main implementer is the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, which has coordinated and implemented improvement projects at the Leningrad and Kola nuclear power plants and supported the Russian Nuclear Safety Authority until February 2022. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, cooperation with Russia ended. At the moment, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority's cooperation to improve radiation and nuclear safety in the neighbouring areas is aimed at supporting Ukraine and intensifying Nordic cooperation.
- Integrated regulatory review service (IRRS) 2022
- Integrated review service for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and remediation (ARTEMIS) 2022
Read more
- Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) website
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website
- Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) website
- Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland (STUK)
- Nuclear energy | Finnish Government
Further information: Senior Ministerial Adviser Juho Korteniemi, [email protected]
The Energy Charter
The Energy Charter controls investment protection, the trade of energy raw materials and products, transit and the settlement of disputes. The European Energy Charter was signed in 1991. It was modernised in 2015 and its name was changed to the International Energy Charter. This modernised charter was signed by more than 70 states. A legally binding agreement, the Energy Charter Treaty, was made in 1994 and it has 52 signatories, including Finland. The European Commission has made a proposal for the EU and Euratom to withdraw from the Energy Charter Agreement.
Further information: Ministerial Adviser Elina Johansson, [email protected]