Advisory board to promote Finland’s Arctic policy

Government Communications Unit
Press Release 120/2010
8.4.2010

On Thursday 8 April, the Government set up an Advisory Board on Arctic Affairs to support and monitor Finland’s activities in the Arctic region and the coordination of Finnish policy in relation to it. In addition, the Advisory Board is responsible for raising awareness about Arctic issues and for forging connections with corresponding bodies in other countries.

The Government is to prepare a report on Finland’s policy for the Arctic region to be submitted to Parliament before the Parliament’s summer break in 2010. The Advisory Board on Arctic Affairs will be heard in conjunction with the preparation of the report.

The chair of the Advisory Board is State Secretary Risto Volanen from the Prime Minister's Office and the vice-chair is Jaakko Laajava, Under-Secretary of State from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Hannu Halinen from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs serves as Secretary-General of the Advisory Board. Members of the Advisory Board represent a number of different administrative branches, other stakeholders and experts with an interest in Arctic policy issues.

The term of the Advisory Board is from 8 April 2010 to 7 April 2013.

Inquiries: Kari Peltonen, Senior Adviser, Legal Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2294; Risto Volanen, chair of the advisory board, State Secretary, tel. +358 9 1602 2006, Prime Minister’s Office; and Hannu Halinen, general secretary of the advisory board, Ambassador, tel. +358 9 1605 5772, Ministry for Foreign Affairs