Current affairs

The municipal elections will be held on Sunday 18 April 2021. Advance voting will be possible abroad from 7 to 10 April 2021. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the organisation of advance voting abroad. Eligible voters are requested to order the postal voting documents also in the case that they are planning to cast their vote abroad during the actual advance voting period. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that voting cannot be organised in the advance polling stations as planned because local authorities may impose restrictions or lockdowns at short notice.

In 2020, the Unit for Consular Assistance provided nearly twice as much guidance compared to the previous year. In the spring, during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, personal guidance and advice were given to tens of thousands of travellers stranded abroad. Thousands of travellers were assisted in returning to Finland after air traffic ground to a sudden halt.

In accordance with Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare's recommendation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland recommends to avoid all travel to the UK to avoid the spread of the new COVID-19 variant to Finland. Restrictions on movement and gatherings remain in place in Great Britain. Restrictions have been tightened in January due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. Coronavirus guidelines vary depending whether you are in England, Scotland, Wales of Northern Ireland. Please check guidelines prior to travelling to your destination.

Finland is seeking membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2022–2024. The campaign slogan: ”A Diverse World, Universal Human Rights”, underscores the universal nature of human rights. The election will take place at the UN General Assembly in October 2021.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all travel to the Brazil, Ireland, Portugal, South Africa and the United Kingdom in accordance with the recommendation of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. For all other countries, the Foreign Ministry’s general travel advice due to the COVID-19 pandemic is to avoid all but essential travel.

HEL-LO! Climate Calling –podcast explores climate solutions and sheds light on the people and projects working towards a more sustainable world. The podcast features top-level climate experts from Finland and the UK. The podcast kicks off an important year in global climate talks, with the Glasgow Climate Change Conference COP26 expected to produce significant national climate commitments in November 2021.

Finnish education is world famous with Finland continuously claiming top spot in international comparisons. How did the transition to distance learning succeed in Finland and what have we learned from schools being forced into remote learning due to COVID-19 pandemic? The Finnish Embassies in London and Dublin brought together different perspectives from Finland, the UK and Ireland to discuss lessons learnt and digital education models for the future. The event was organised in collaboration with Business Finland, Education Finland and the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.

In accordance with Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos THL's recommendation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland recommends to avoid all travel to the UK to avoid the spread of the new COVID-19 variant to Finland. Passengers arriving from the UK to Finland should follow the health security instructions from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. You can get the most up-to-date information regarding your flight connection from your own flight operator.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs urges to avoid all travel to the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa in accordance with the recommendation of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. For all other countries, the Foreign Ministry’s general travel advice due to the COVID-19 pandemic is to avoid all but essential travel.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has decided that the suspension of direct passenger flights from the UK, Ireland and South Africa to Finland be continued until 25 January 2021. Due to the decision, many travellers find that returning to Finland is even more difficult than before or may be prevented altogether.