International and EU affairs

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Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government engage in proactive international and EU cooperation to promote the objectives of health, social and gender equality policies. As part of the Government, the Ministry is responsible for international and EU cooperation in matters that fall within its remit. This work includes influencing international decision-making, drafting and implementing EU legislation, implementing international treaties and reporting on them.

The Ministry’s objectives are to strengthen comprehensive security and the resilience of society; promote the economy of wellbeing; advance gender equality, non-discrimination and human rights; and improve universal health and social protection coverage.  
Our international cooperation also promotes the digitalisation of health and social services, and innovation activities in the health sector.

Ministry collaborates with a wide range of international organisations

The key forums for international cooperation in the Ministry’s branch of government are:

  • European Union (EU)
  • United Nations (UN), particularly 
    • World Health Organization (WHO)
    • International Labour Organization (ILO)
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
  • Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM)
  • Council of Europe (CoE). 

Other key intergovernmental organisations and regional bodies that the Ministry cooperates with include the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the Arctic Council, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). 

The Ministry also participates in commercial cooperation and export promotion in its field of activity.

International Affairs Unit

The Unit coordinates international and EU cooperation at the Ministry and supports the Ministry’s management in international duties. 

The Unit is responsible for the following activities, among others:

  • planning, developing and coordinating EU and international cooperation within the Ministry’s branch of government together with the Ministry’s departments, public bodies and other ministries
  • coordinating the reporting on the implementation of international human rights treaties and other international agreements within the Ministry’s branch of government 
  • preparing the international meetings and bilateral visits of the Ministers, State Secretaries and the Permanent Secretary.

The Ministry’s departments are responsible for content-related matters in accordance with their division of duties.

EU affairs at the Ministry

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for formulating Finland’s positions and drafting EU legislation within its remit. It is active in exerting influence in the EU within its own sector.

In practice, this means that the Ministry monitors initiatives pending in the EU, assesses their impact on Finland and prepares Finland’s views together with Parliament, other ministries and stakeholders.

Although health and social policy mainly falls under national competence, EU regulation guides the work in the field in many ways in Finland. In the Ministry’s branch of government, EU legislation governs occupational safety and health, coordination of social security, gender equality, medicines and cross-border health emergencies, for example. Other issues related to the Ministry’s sphere of activities are also discussed broadly at EU level.

The Ministry is responsible for health and social policy matters to be discussed at the EU’s Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO). Finland is represented on the EPSCO Council by the Minister of Employment, the Minister of Social Affairs and Health and the Minister of Social Security.

In Finland, EU affairs are prepared within the Government’s common coordination system for EU affairs.