Summary:
According to rumours, Apple Pay, a mobile payment and digital wallet service by US-based technology company Apple, will be introduced in Finland on 24 October 2017. Apple Pay is expected to take market shares from traditional financing companies, when the Payment Services Directive will come into effect in Finland at the beginning of 2018. ATM network operator Automatia offers its real-time Siirto multi-banking platform in Finland with OP Financial Group, Nordea and S Group’s S-Bank. In addition, the service functions in online shopping. A total of 400,000 clients use the service in Finland. New banks and service providers will participate in the service in the future. It will be an important step that the Siirto service will become available for payment terminals at stores too.
Auteur/autrice : David
Finland and France in negotiations
Summary:
The European Commission has proposed that EU would investigate acquisitions in so called fragile sectors such as infrastructure and energy. France supports the idea, Finland does not. The issue was discussed by Ministers for Foreign Trade, Kai Mykkänen and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne in Paris. Mr Mykkänen says they agreed on many issues but not on the acquisitions. He finds it most important that no additional bureaucracy is included in acquisitions. Mr Mykkänen emphasises that the success of Finnish companies often requires a foreign investor’s contribution.
Media: 
YLE Uutiset
Date: 25.10.2017
Journalist: Anna Karismo
Main source: Minister Kai Mykkänen
Kaidi and UPM were not enlightened over EU’s biomass position
Summary:
STT reports that biocompanies UPM and Kaidi are not drawing any conclusions on the European Parliament Environment Committee’s statement on bioenergy. The Committee’s statement on the sustainability criteria for biomass and the allowed raw materials for biofuels reminds how dependent Finnish bioprojects are on EU regulation. In the Committee’s opinion, pine oil should not be on the list of raw material for developed biofuels. Companies investing in bioenergy are criticising EU decisions for being inconsistent.
Media: Turun Sanomat
Date: 24.10.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: –
Soini: Cohesion fund budget to be reconsidered if member states do not take their share of asylum seekers
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini thinks that the European Union must reconsider the use of cohesion funds if member states decline to take their share of internal asylum seeker transfers. Finland’s position in the question is clear, Mr Soini told STT. The subsidies should be cut from countries that close their borders from internal transfers.
Media: Turun Sanomat
Date: 23.10.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini
Äänekoski plant’s official inauguration ceremony
Summary:
Metsä Group’s bio product plant in Äänekoski was officially inaugurated on Wednesday. The opening speech was held by President Sauli Niinistö. The plant’s construction project was complicated but it was completed on time. In the future, the plant will produce pulp, as well as a significant amount of new bio products such as biocomposites. The plant’s value chain employs a total of 2,500 people and increases the value of Finland’s export by some EUR 500 million a year.
Media: Kouvolan Sanomat (E-edition, PDF) 
Date: 19.10.2017
Journalist: Teemu Luukka
Main source: –
Forest Industries: Difficult to understand decision by environment ministers
Summary:
STT reports on the carbon sink decision made by EU environment ministers. The Finnish Forest Industries thinks the decision is not very good or balanced and places the member states in unequal positions. The organisation assesses that the previous decision by the European Parliament made much more sense. According to the Parliament’s decision, the use of wood can be increased if wood assets keep growing. The negotiations will continue between the European Commission, the member states, and the Parliament. The negotiations are expected to be difficult.
Media: Turun Sanomat
Date: 14.10.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: Finnish Forest Industries
President Sauli Niinistö to Polish newspaper: Finns cannot be cheated
Summary:
Verkkouutiset writes that the interview of Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö by the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza has been published on the Euractiv news site. In the interview, Niinistö said that he was able to find a common language with both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Niinistö also rejected the claims that Russia is trying to split Finland from rest of the EU. Niinistö said that Finland has suffered the most from the sanctions against Russia, yet Finland stands steadfast behind the sanctions. Niinistö also said that the EU needs a more unified common foreign and security policy.
Conviction of a Finn discussed in an EU meeting
Summary:
Aamulehti reports that during the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini raised the topic of the Finnish journalist convicted in Turkey as an example of the worrying state of freedom of speech in Turkey. Minister Soini said the discussion over Turkey was very critical but opinions were quite divided. Many countries still want to continue membership negotiations with Turkey, also Finland. « International politics are complicated, » Mr Soini said. Finland will see the journalist’s judicial process through before making any moves.
Media: Aamulehti (E-edition, PDF)
Date: 17.10.2017
Journalist: Anniina Luotonen
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini