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Rescue services reform aimed at improving services Under the Act on Organising Rescue Services, adopted in June 2021, the wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki are responsible for organising rescue services from the beginning of 202...

Questions and answers on gambling system reform General information on the gambling system reform Why switch over to a licensing system and retain a partial monopoly system instead of, for example, strengthening the current system based on the Vei...

National objectives for the functions of the wellbeing services counties The Government adopts, at least every four years, national strategic objectives for the performance of the healthcare, social welfare and rescue service functions of the well...

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

Rescue service operators and responsibilities Rescue departments carry out rescue service duties in their respective regions There are 21 regional rescue departments in Finland. Rescue departments carry out rescue service duties in their respectiv...

Gambling legislation helps to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm In Finland, gambling games are run by the state-owned company Veikkaus Oy. In line with the Government Programme, the gambling system will be reformed by introducing licences t...

23.6.2021 | The Government proposal for legislation on establishing wellbeing services counties and reforming the organisation of healthcare, social welfare and rescue services was adopted by Parliament on 23 June 2021. The proposed wellbeing services counties will be established as soon as possible after the passing and approval of the relevant acts. The acts will enter into force in stages, the first ones on 1 July 2021 and the last ones on 1 January 2023.

5.6.2020 | The Government has finalised the policy outlines for the health and social services reform, on the basis of which preparations for the reform will continue. The aim is to circulate the draft bills on the restructuring of health and social services for comments in June.

8.12.2020 | The Government proposes that wellbeing services counties be established and healthcare, social welfare and rescue services be reformed. The proposed counties would be established as soon as possible after the passing and approval of the relevant bills. The bills would enter into force in stages, the first ones on 1 July 2021 and the last ones on 1 January 2023. However, Parliament needs to pass the legislative package before the reform can enter into force.

22.10.2020 | A summary of comments received on the draft government proposal on the organisation of health, social and rescue services is published. It collates the main comments received during the consultation round on the draft government proposal. Respondents welcome the objectives of the reform and agree on its necessity.

21.10.2020 | A summary of comments received on the draft government proposal on the organisation of health, social and rescue services is published. Respondents welcome the objectives of the reform and agree on its necessity.

13.10.2020 | The Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services has reviewed the opinions submitted in the round of comments held from 15 June to 25 September 2020 on its draft government proposal. As a result, the Government has made a number of policy adjustments and amendments to the draft. A total of 804 comments were received. The draft proposal will be submitted to the Finnish Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis on 14 October 2020 and presented to Parliament in early December 2020.

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services from the municipalities and joint municipal authorities of mainland Finland and other parties mentioned in the request for comments. The deadline for submitting comments is 25 September 2020.

5.6.2020 | On 5 June, the Government published its policy on the reform of rescue services. The Government proposes that the responsibility for organising rescue services would rest with health and social services counties and the City of Helsinki. Rescue services would continue to be a separate sector working in parallel with the healthcare and social welfare sector.

26.2.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to reform the administration of rescue services. The project will prepare for the implementation of the rescue services reform by developing the national guidance system to meet the requirements of the reform. The goal is to transfer the responsibility for organising rescue services from municipalities to wellbeing services counties in a controlled manner.

3.10.2025 | The EU Commissioner for Equality and for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib will visit Helsinki on Friday 3 October. She will meet Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. The visit to Finland is on the invitation of Minister of the Interior Rantanen. On Thursday Commissioner Lahbib was in Oulu to observe the international Rescue Borealis field training exercise.

8.3.2018 | Myregion.fi is a new website designed for all residents of the new counties that are to be set up as part of the reform. The website was launched on 8 March. It explains all about the regional government, health and social services reform by showing how it will affect people’s everyday lives.

14.10.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a legislative project to make executive assistance provided by the police to child welfare and emergency social services free of charge. Free executive assistance cannot be implemented without a legislative amendment. The free executive assistance provided by the police would concern, for example, the search for a child who has left a child welfare institution without permission and the return of the child to the child welfare institution.

15.6.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior request comments on the draft government proposal concerning the health and social services reform and the organisation of rescue services. The act would lay down provisions on, for example the organisation of rescue services, and the system of management and coordination as well as development and oversight of rescue services.