Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (Finland)

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (Finnish: työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö) is a ministry of the government of Finland. The ministry implements industrial, labor, and local development policy. There are two cabinet ministers whose portfolios fall under this ministry: Olli Rehn, the Minister of Economic Affairs, and Jari Lindström, Minister on Justice and Labor.^[1]

The ministry was formed in 2008 by merging the former Ministry of Labour (työministeriö), the former Ministry of Trade and Industry (kauppa- ja teollisuusministeriö), and parts of the Ministry of the Interior (sisäministeriö) related to local administration. The first minister was Mauri Pekkarinen. The combination was called superministeriö because it was so large and diverse. The intention of the merger was to make sure that labor policy and industrial policy, as well as others such as immigration policy and regional policy, are coordinated and don't go separate ways.

The ministry manages 15 local employment and economy offices, 15 local Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and a host of separate national agencies.

Separate agencies under the Ministry

• Geological Survey of Finland^[2] (GTK)
• Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES)
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
• Tukes - Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (TUKES)
• Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH)
• Energy Authority
• National Emergency Supply Agency, National Emergency Supply Council and Security of Supply Fund
• Nuclear Waste Management Fund
• Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority
• Finnvera
  • Government Guarantee Fund
• Finpro
  • Invest in Finland
• Finnish Seamen's Service
• Labour Council
• National Conciliator's Office
• Suomen Teollisuussijoitus Oy (a state investment company)
• Cooperation Ombudsman (responsible for oversight of employee-employer cooperation in safety, downsizing and reorganization negotations)

References