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1.12.2023 | The International Health Organization WHO has stated that climate change is the single biggest threat facing humanity in the 21st century. According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, approximately 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

3.12.2024 | Resilience and the report on the future of European competitiveness are on the agenda at the Health Council meeting in Brussels on 3 December 2024. On Finland's initiative, the meeting will also discuss the health sector’s role as part of the preparedness union strategy. Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

23.9.2024 | The two memorandums published on 23 September 2024 assess the combined impacts of the changes to income security that the Government is preparing or implementing for the years 2024–2025.

6.9.2024 | On 6 September 2024, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health gave an account of the further preparation of the reform concerning the system of hospitals and emergency care services and the division of duties in specialised healthcare. The Ministry also gave an account of the more than 100 (around 140) comments that were received on the reform.

9.4.2025 | Prime Minister Orpo’s Government has set an objective of adjusting public sector activities to ensure that the national economy is on a sustainable footing. At the moment, it looks like it will be difficult to achieve this objective over the next few years though. The decision-makers in the wellbeing services counties are in a key role here. Reaching fiscal balance in general government finances is essential.

14.3.2025 | Den 11 mars ordnade social- och hälsovårdsministeriet ett diskussionsmöte med intressegrupper om det pandemiavtal som det förs förhandlingar om i WHO. Syftet med avtalet är att stärka det internationella samarbetet och ländernas beredskap för pandemier och andra hälsohot. 

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

14.3.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health held a stakeholder event on 11 March to discuss the pandemic treaty that is currently being negotiated under the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of the treaty is to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies. 

24.2.2026 | Sosiaali -ja terveysministeriö, Helsinki 2026 Lääkkeiden ehdollisen korvattavuuden sääntelyn kehittämistarpeet Sisältö 1 Johdanto .................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Työryhmän ...

14.3.2025 | Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö järjesti 11.3. sidosryhmätilaisuuden, jossa keskusteltiin WHO:ssa neuvoteltavasta pandemiasopimuksesta. Sopimuksen tavoitteena on vahvistaa kansainvälistä varautumista pandemioihin ja muihin terveysuhkiin.

22.9.2025 | The Government proposes a comprehensive reform of social assistance. The changes to be made would, for example, strengthen the obligations of recipients to apply for full-time work and primary benefits. The aim is to clarify the role of social assistance as a last-resort and temporary form of assistance, prevent social exclusion among young people and strengthen general government finances.

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.

24.6.2021 | People in designing work and the working environment A handbook for the proactive planning of work and design of working environments 2People in designing work and the working environment Version 1.3 June | 2021 People in designing work and the wo...

4.7.2025 | Starting from 1 September 2025, persons aged 65 and over can book a private healthcare appointment and pay only a deductible that is equal to the client fee charged for public healthcare services. The pilot is based on developing the reimbursements paid by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). The President of the Republic approved the legislative amendments enabling the pilot on 4 July 2025.

3.11.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft new act on healthcare and social welfare units that assist in investigating suspected offences involving children. The aim is to make the child-friendly Barnahus model a permanent part of the investigation of suspected offences involving children. Comments can be submitted between 3 November and 15 December.

11.6.2025 | The Nordic ministers for health and social affairs and the Nordic and Baltic ministers for digitalisation have issued a joint declaration on artificial intelligence (AI) and the rights of persons with disabilities. 

1.12.2025 | The EU ministers will attend the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 1 and 2 December 2025. On both days, Finland will be represented by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso.

14.1.2026 | Gendered vulnerabilities of boys and young men must be taken into account when planning education and health and social services. The latest report calls for a shift from gender neutrality to gender-sensitive policymaking that recognises differences between genders and identifies specific needs. It proposes that raising competence levels and preventing violence should be set as shared national goals across all work with children and young people.

15.1.2026 | In the first stage, the general social security benefit will be a new social security benefit for unemployed jobseekers, replacing the existing labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance. The legislation on the general social security benefit is scheduled to enter into force on 1 May 2026.

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

2.11.2020 | 1+MillionGenomes Roadmap 2020-2022 Summary of the roadmap document adopted on 4 February 2020 by the signatories of the Declaration Towards access to at least 1 million sequenced genomes in the EU by 2022 1+MillionGenomes Understanding the role of...

5.6.2020 | Reform of health, social and rescue services Policy outlines of the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru Press conference on 5 June 2020 About the reform • Reduce inequ...

5.1.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health invites comments on the integration support. The comments should be submitted by 16 February 2026.

6.10.2025 | Preparedness and data-driven decision-making in the field of pharmaceuticals were the key topics of discussion at a conference organised by Finland in Helsinki on 30 September–1 October 2025 as part of its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

19.5.2026 | Commitment to measures to eradicate sexual harassment at work We, the undersigned key actors in Finnish working life, recognise that sexual harassment is a major problem in working life and it must be addressed actively and through concrete action...

19.6.2026 | 1 CONCEPT NOTE OSTRAVA CASE STUDY The Social Rental Agency model to overcome Roma housing exclusion May 2026 The European Network on Roma Equality under EU Funds (EURoma Network) has been working since 2007 to foster an increased and effective use...

International and EU affairs On this page Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s objectives for international and EU cooperation International Affairs Unit EU affairs at the Ministry Global cooperation Nordic and regional cooperation Human rights...

17.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that seeks to prevent intentional misuse of social welfare benefits, reduce incorrect social welfare payments and promote information exchange with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Statements may be submitted until 28 January 2026.

9.4.2026 | The Government is proposing changes aimed at preventing intentional misuse of social security, reducing incorrect social security payments and improving information exchange with Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland.

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.

Value chain for pharmacotherapy Pharmaceuticals-related development, research and innovations The facilitation of research and development of pharmaceuticals is a requirement for new pharmaceutical innovations. It is characteristic of the pharmace...

6.3.2026 | The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026. Finland will be represented at the session by a broad-based delegation led by Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is responsible for gender equality issues.

In accordance with the Government Programme of Prime Minister Orpo's Government, solving the shortage of personnel threatening the availability of services in the welfare society requires both short-term and long-term measures. The Good Work Programme will be launched to ensure the sufficiency and availability of personnel in the health, social services and rescue services sectors.

Kahdettatoista kertaa järjestettävät Tasa-arvopäivät kokoavat sukupuolten tasa-arvon parissa työskentelevät 7.–8.10. Espoon modernin taiteen museo EMMAan Tapiolaan. Tämän vuoden tapahtuman teema on työ, luokka ja raha. Tilaisuus tarjoaa ohjelmaa suomeksi ja englanniksi. Tapahtuman järjestää sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö yhteistyössä Espoon kaupungin, CARE4CAREER-hankkeen ja tasa-arvotoimijoiden verkoston kanssa. Tilaisuus striimataan. Etäosallistuminen edellyttää ennakkoilmoittautumista.

Current issues Press releases Draft budget of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2027 Type: Press release Publication date: 6.8.2026 11.26 Project funding available for research on the implementation of arti...

Current issues Press releases Draft budget of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2027 Type: Press release Publication date: 6.8.2026 11.26 Project funding available for research on the implementation of arti...

Current issues Press releases Draft budget of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2027 Type: Press release Publication date: 6.8.2026 11.26 Project funding available for research on the implementation of arti...