Haku

21.9.2023 | On Thursday 21 September, the Government appointed Kimmo Kohvakka, Master of Military Science, as Director General for Rescue Services at the Ministry of the Interior for the period from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2028.

9.10.2023 | The Government will propose an appropriation of approximately EUR 2.5 billion for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior in the 2024 Budget.

9.2.2022 | The final reports of the “Capacity of and planning criteria for rescue services and civil emergency preparedness” project have been published on the Institutional Repository for the Government (Valto). The objective of the project was to produce a basis for the national planning criteria for rescue services and investigate how well the resources and capacity of rescue services and civil emergency preparedness correspond to the operating environment, risks and customer needs. 

30.11.2022 | On 24 November, Finland sent much needed help for the energy sector in Ukraine. The delivery package comprised components of the electricity grid, such as current transformers, circuit breakers and relays. Earlier this autumn, 28 current transformers were delivered to Ukraine.

24.5.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has submitted the draft equality and non-discrimination action plan for rescue services for statements. The aim of the action plan is rescue services that actively and systematically promote equality in the long term. The draft action plan will be out for comments from 24 May to 30 June 2021.

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.

8.12.2020 | According to the government proposal, the wellbeing services counties and the City of Helsinki would be responsible for organising rescue services in their respective areas starting at the beginning of 2023. Contract fire brigades could be used to provide these services as at present. The role of central government guidance and direction in rescue services would be strengthened.

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.

15.3.2023 | Finland has been one of the leading providers of assistance to Ukraine's energy sector during the war. On Tuesday 14 March, the latest energy sector assistance, a smart solar power system, was sent from Finland to Ukraine.

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.

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.

29.12.2022 | Finland has sent more energy sector supplies and hospital supplies to Ukraine. Last week, Finland also delivered school furniture for the first time. This year, Finland has delivered a total of 55 trucks of civilian material assistance to Ukraine. New assistance packages are being prepared, among other things, for the energy sector.

13.10.2020 | The Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services has reviewed the comments received during the consultation round, organised from 15 June to 25 September, on the health and social services reform and outlined policies and made changes to the draft government proposal. The draft bill will be submitted to the Finnish Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis (FCRIA) on 14 October 2020. The Government proposal is due to be submitted to Parliament in early December 2020.

17.1.2023 | The European Commission is funding the EU’s first chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear strategic reserve in Finland, under rescEU, which includes personal protective equipment, measuring equipment, pharmaceuticals and antibodies in Finland for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear accidents.

16.8.2019 | A draft for an action plan for accident prevention for the rescue services has been completed. The new action plan defines the national targets for accident prevention and makes it all the more a part of all rescue services activities.

4.10.2018 | On 4 October, the Government appointed Kimmo Kohvakka, Master of Arts in Military Science, as Director General for Rescue Services. He will take up his new post on 1 November and his term of office will last for five years.

18.11.2021 | In the supplementary budget proposal for 2022, a total increase of EUR 20.4 million is proposed for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior. Appropriations are proposed for the development of the national security authorities’ KEJO common information system (EUR 6.85 million), for the Emergency Response Centre Administration’s information system fees (EUR 1.3 million) and for ...

8.4.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments the memorandums of the working groups that examined possible needs to amend the Rescue Act. The preliminary study assessed the functioning and clarity of the provisions of the Rescue Act, and whether they are up to date. In addition to the amendments included in the legislative package of the health and social services reform, the preliminary st...

17.3.2020 | The Government resolution to slow the spread of coronavirus infections and to protect at-risk groups, issued on 16 March 2020, states as follows (section 2):

13.3.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen visited Ukraine on 11–12 March and met with Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. During her visit, Minister Rantanen also learnt about the various activities of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ branch of government, such as the situation centre and the operations of rescuers and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.