Current affairs
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4.2.2025
How the World Views Finland 2025: Finland’s brand remains positive, but global perceptions are divided
Education, good governance, nature, equality and happiness are themes that Finland is known for worldwide, according to Finland Promotion Board’s publication How the World Views Finland. In 2024, especially Finland’s NATO membership and security policy brought international media coverage. Despite the challenging global situation, Finland’s country brand has remained largely positive, but differences between countries in attitudes towards Finland have increased. This is why it is increasingly important for Finland to be known for its strengths, the publication states.
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17.1.2025
Travel doesn’t always go smoothly – Ministry for Foreign Affairs helps travellers abroad
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the missions abroad provided consular services to approximately 205,000 customers last year. Over the course of the year, the Ministry’s 24/7 service was contacted around 6,800 times in total.
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12.12.2024
New Ministry for Foreign Affairs decree on fees for 2025 enters into force on 1 January 2025
The new decree of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on fees charged for services provided by the Finnish Foreign Service in 2025 enters into force on 1 January 2025. Several services that are now provided free of charge will become subject to a fee as of 1 January 2025.
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11.12.2024
Service agreement ensures continuity of export promotion work
The Team Finland reform proceeds. After the transitional period, the foreign operations of Business Finland will be incorporated into the Foreign Service. The appropriation of Business Finland’s foreign network will be transferred to the administrative branch of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on 1 January 2025. The service agreement ensures that the export promotion services will continue without interruption.
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11.12.2024
Finland to provide humanitarian assistance to rapidly deepening crises
The decisions on humanitarian assistance made by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in the latter part of 2024 prioritise Ukraine, major refugee crises in Africa, the humanitarian situation in the Middle East and support for school meals. The amount of humanitarian assistance now granted totals EUR 41.2 million.
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6.12.2024
Finland Debuts the World’s First National Soundscape
Finland is the first country in the world to commission a composer to create an official national soundscape. Ääniä is an original musical work by Lauri Porra, one of the country’s most celebrated composers. It takes the listener on a journey through the impressions, seasons and serene beauty of the happiest country in the world.
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5.12.2024
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18.9.2024
Comments requested on proposal for new decree on fees for services provided by Foreign Service in 2025
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has sent out for comments a proposal for a new Decree of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Fees for Services Produced by the Foreign Service in 2025. It is proposed that several of the Foreign Ministry's services which are currently provided free of charge should be made chargeable.
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17.9.2024
Ministers Valtonen and Tavio to attend high-level week of UN General Assembly in New York
The high-level meetings of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79) will start in New York on 24 September. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend ministerial events in New York and have bilateral meetings with their counterparts and with representatives of the UN.
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8.8.2024
Foreign Ministry’s organisational reform emphasises teamwork
The reform of the Foreign Service of Finland took a step forward on 1 August, when the reorganisation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the updated rules of procedure took effect. The purpose of the organisational reform is to lay a suitable foundation for the Ministry’s work in the current international situation and in terms of Finland’s foreign policy change. At the same time, cooperation across organisational boundaries has become even more important.