Finland State of decentralisation in Finland State regional administration in Finland Local self-government Regional development

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2 Finland > State of decentralisation in Finland Finlands s regional administration consists of state administered regional administration and the regional administration of local self-government. State regional administration in Finland The state administered regional authorities carry out tasks assigned to them by the central government and steer certain activities of the state local administration. Local self-government A number of joint municipal authorities and 19 Regional Councils exercise local self-government at regional level. Åland Islands (approximately inhabitants) have a special status with strong self-government. Regional development For long term and midterm further development each Regional Council draws up a strategic regional plan and a regional programme that outline the aims of regional development in the region. Regional policy aims for balanced regional development throughout Finland. National regional policy and European Union regional policy together promote equitable and independent development in different parts of the country, whilst supporting the less developed areas. To this end, Finland has adopted a regional policy programme and a graduated regional support system for business and industry that follow the geographical breakdown of the supported areas. The aims of national regional policy and the measures taken to implement it are confirmed in the regional policy objectives approved by the Government. These include the Centre of Expertise Programme, Regional Centre Development Programme, sub-regional cooperation, urban policy, rural policy and development of the island areas. In addition, projects are under way to revise regional legislation and regional development strategy, to relocate the activities of the State and to increase the efficiency of support to business. Basic principles and the present state of regionalisation in Finland Regionalisation is based on the following legal framework: On 8 November 2001, the Government of Finland adopted a Resolution on a strategy for locating government functions. The Act and Government Decree on the Authority to Locate Government Units and Functions were enacted on 1 August Regionalisation is intended to promote the country s balanced development whilst taking advantage of the regions existing strengths and knowledge and supporting them. The Government of Finland has prepared a long-term regionalisation programme which secures the position of current personnel and supplies capable new employees for government posts.

3 The regionalisation study encompasses all government functions, including the non-civil service tasks. Support services are also regionalised and their management is concentrated to specialist units in order to improve their key activities and lighten their administrative structure. General goals of regionalisation balancing of regional structure improving of regional competitiveness providing an interactive operating environment that supports government functions securing capable employees for government posts. Responsibility and time table for regionalisation Preparatory work for regionalisation is carried out by the Office of the Council of State and Finland s Ministry of the Interior. A three year regionalisation coordination group was established by the Office of the Council of State to oversee the preparation and coordination required for locating government functions. The Ministry of the Interior has installed a regionalisation secretariat to help the coordination group. The task forces have comprehensively outlined important opportunities to regionalise support services in various fields of administration and studied opportunities of regionalising information services, information management, financial management, personnel management and customer services. The potential for increased productivity resulting from regionalisation is substantial. BSSSC Regions (All Finnish regions are members of the BSSSC) Uusimaa Regional Council (Uudenmaan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 1,359 mill.

4 Regional Council of South-West Finland (Varsinais-Suomen liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,456 mill. Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa (Itä-Uudenmaan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,093 mill. Regional Council of Satakunta (Satakuntaliitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,230 mill. Regional Council of Häme (Hämeen liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,168 mill. Regional Council of Tampere Region (Pirkanmaan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,469 mill. Regional Council of Päijät-Häme (Päijät-Hämeen liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,199 mill. Regional Council of Kymenlaakso (Kymenlaakson liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,185 mill. Regional Council of South Karelia (Etelä-Karjalan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,136 mill. Regional Council of Etelä-Savo (Etelä-Savon maakuntaliitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,161 mill. Regional Council of North Carelia (Pohjois-Karjalan maakuntaliitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,168 mill. Regional Council of Central Finland (Keski-Suomen liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,268 mill. Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia (Etelä-Pohjanmaan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,194 mill. Regional Council of Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaan Liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,174 mill. Administrative Structures in BSR Reg. Council of Central Ostrobothnia (Keski-Pohjanmaan Liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,071 mill. Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia (Pohjois-Pohjanmaan liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,378 mill. Joint authority of Kainuu Region (Kainuun maakunta -kuntayhtymä) Size: km2 Population: 0,085 mill. Regional Council of Lapland (Lapin liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,186 mill. Regional Council of Northern Savo (Pohjois-Savon liitto) Size: km2 Population: 0,250 mill. Administrative Structures in BSR

5 Administration Levels and Competencies Public administration in Finland is divided into State administration and local self-government. They both comprise several levels of government, and they are directed differently. Regional administration in Finland encompasses State regional administration and regional administration within local self-government. State administration Finnish State administration consists of central, regional and local government, which are answerable to Parliament. State central administration comprises the Government, including 12 ministries and some 60 other central government units. State regional administration includes 6 State Provincial Offices, 15 Employment and Economic Development Centres and 13 Regional Environment Centres. In addition, ministries and other central government authorities have several regional units in their administrative sectors. State regional authorities perform tasks at regional level allotted to them by central government and direct the activities of State local administration. State Provincial Offices act as general administration, supervisory and security authorities at regional level. Employment and Economic Development Centres aim to promote business and industry and regional development. Local self-government There is strong local self-government in Finland. Finnish municipalities are directed by local councils, whose members are elected through direct elections. The number of municipalities is 415 at the beginning of They are responsible for organising the majority of public services provided to citizens. A number of joint municipal authorities and 19 Regional Councils exercise local self-government at regional level. Joint municipal authorities organise high-cost services, in particular, and Regional Councils are responsible for regional development and land use planning. There is no specific central level of local self-government in Finland, but the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities represents the common interests of municipalities and sees to the establishment of their objectives. Furthermore, Åland Islands have a special status with strong self-government and the administration is different from that in other Finnish regions. Finances A resident-elected supreme authority - the local council - is responsible for the local authority s finances. The council decides upon the percentages for income tax (the main source of income), property tax and on the bases for other fees. Local authorities also receive state grants. However, the share of such grants have been reduced gradually over the past years. The Regional Councils finance their activities primarily from membership fees of member municipalities.

6 Control The Ministry of Finance monitors the operations and finances of local authorities in general, and ensures that municipal autonomy is taken into account during the preparation of legislation concerning local authorities. The Regional Councils are responsible to the Assembly of the Regional Council -representatives are elected by the councils of the member municipalities. Future The regional adminstration reform started in June 2007 aims at an efficient and effective regional administration with emphasis on its customers and citizens. The reforms are scheduled for completion by Levels and Tasks ADMINISTRATION ON THREE LEVELS IN FINLAND S T A T E NATIONAL LEVEL PARLAMENTARY TAXES Provincial State Offices 5 Police, for instance Regional Environment Centres 13 Road Districts 9 T&E- Centres 15 Regional Councils MUNICIPALITIES AND JOINT MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES 19 Åland GOVERNMENT GRANTS REGIONAL LEVEL LOCAL LEVEL MUNICIPAL REGIONAL ELECTION Inhabitants, enterprises

7 Contact Persons & Addresses Regional Council of Central Finland Sepänkatu 4 FIN Jyväskylä Tel.: Fax Internet: Martti Ahokas Director Spatial Planning (Land Use & Infrastructure) Tel.: , Mobile Fax: martti.ahokas@keskisuomi.fi Regional Council of Central Ostrobothnia Rantakatu 14 FIN Kokkola Tel.: Fax: Internet: Kauppi Virkkala Planning Director Tel.: Fax: kauppi.virkkala@keski-pohjanmaa.fi Regional Council of Etelä-Savo Hallituskatu 3 A FIN Mikkeli Tel.: Fax: Internet: Matti Viialainen Tel.: Fax: matti.viialainen@esavo.fi Regional Council of Häme Regional Council of Häme Niittykatu 5 FI Hämeenlinna Tel.: Fax: Matti Lipsanen Vice Tel.: Gsm: Fax: e-mal: matti.lipsanen@hame.fi Joint authority of Kainuu Region P.O.Box 400, FI KAINUU (Kauppakatu 1, Kajaani) Tel.: Fax: Internet: Juhani Kärkkäinen Development Director P.O.Box 400, FI KAINUU Tel.: or Fax: juhani.karkkainen@kainuu.fi Regional Council of Kymenlaakso P.O.Box 35 Karhulantie 36 B FIN Kotka Tel.: Fax: Internet: Toni Vanhala Planner, Regional Development Tel.: or Fax: toni.vanhala@kymenlaakso.fi Regional Council of Lapland P.O. Box 8056 Hallituskatu 20 B FIN Rovaniemi Tel.: Fax: Internet: Esko Lotvonen Tel.: or Fax: esko.lotvonen@lapinliitto.fi

8 Council of Oulu Region Kauppurienkatu 8 A FIN Oulu Tel: Fax: Internet: Kari Aalto Manager of International Affairs Tel: Mobile: Fax: kari.aalto@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi Regional Council of Pohjois-Savo P.O.Box 247 Sepänkatu 1 A FIN Kuopio Tel.: Fax: Internet: Aila Salminen Regional Planner Tel.: Fax: aila.salminen@pohjois-savo.fi Regional Council of North Karelia Pielisjoen linna, Siltakatu 2 FI JOENSUU Tel Fax Internet: Pentti Hyttinen Tel or Fax pentti.hyttinen@pohjois-karjala.fi Regional Council of Ostrobothnia P.O.Box 174 Hietasaarenkatu 6 FIN Vaasa Tel.: Fax: Internet: Hans Beijar Regional Development Planner Tel.: or Fax: hans.beijar@obotnia.fi Regional Council of Satakunta P.O.Box 260 Pohjoisranta 11 D FIN Pori Tel.: Fax: or Internet: Pertti Rajala Tel.: or Fax: pertti.rajala@satakunta.fi Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia P.O. Box 109 Kampusranta 9 C FIN Seinäjoki Tel.: Fax: Internet: Timo Urpala Regional Development Director Tel.: timo.urpala@etela-pohjanmaa.fi Regional Council of Päijät-Häme P.O.Box 50 Hämeenkatu 9 FIN Lahti Tel.: Fax: or Internet: Marko Mälly, Project Manager Tel.: Fax: marko.mally@paijat-hame.fi

9 Regional Council of Itä-Uusimaa Rauhankatu 29 FIN Porvoo Tel.: Fax: Internet: Jaakko Mikkola Tel.: or Fax: Regional Council of South Karelia Raatimiehenkatu 18 FIN Lapeenranta Tel.: Fax: Internet: Timo Puttonen Tel.: or Fax: timo.puttonen@ekarjala.fi Regional Council of South-West Finland P.O.Box 273 Ratapihankatu 36 FIN Turku Tel.: Fax: Internet: The Council of Tampere Region P.O.Box 76 Nalkalankatu 12 FIN Tampere Tel.: Fax: Internet: Contact persons: Pentti Hämäläinen Director of Regional Promotion Tel.: Fax: pentti.hamalainen@pirkanmaa.fi Elina Nirvi Senior Officer, International Relations Tel: Fax: elina.nirvi@pirkanmaa.fi Uusimaa Regional Council Aleksanterinkatu 48 A FIN Helsinki Tel.: Fax: Internet: Ulla Kapanen-Grönfors Head of the International Unit Tel.: or Fax: ulla.kapanengronfors@uudenmaanliitto.fi Hannu Elo Head of International Affairs Tel.: Fax: hannu.elo@varsinais-suomi.fi