Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö met with Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov in Helsinki on 12 September. Mr Ryabkov thanked Finland for its constructive input in issued related to safety in the Baltic Sea region. Mr Ryabkov was in Finland to meet with US under secretary of state Thomas Shannon. Diplomat Jukka Valtasaari estimates that the negotiations between Mr Shannon and Mr Ryabkov are part of standard diplomatic dealings and negotiations which is why no details of the discussions were offered to the public. Mr Valtasaari estimates that Finland’s role in the negotiations comes from tradition. During and at the end of the cold war several negotiations between the superpowers happened in Finland.
Auteur/autrice : David
Finland snatched Nordea from Sweden
Summary:
Nordea’s board of directors has decided that the bank’s head office will be relocated to Helsinki. According to CEO Casper von Koskull, the fact that in Finland Nordea will become a member of the European Banking Union and enter ECB supervision was a major factor in the decision, as it provides the bank with a fair and predictable operational environment. With Nordea included the Finnish banking sector will double its size, which will bring more work to the Financial Supervisory Authority and increase supervision fees. The move will not bring significant changes to Finland’s tax revenue, but it will improve Finland’s image as a competitive country able to attract major companies.
A new proposal to calculate the carbon sink in forests is a relief for Finland
Summary:
The European Commission is now proposing a new way to calculate the forests’ carbon sink, based on total growth. A certain share of the growth would be the amount of allowed felling. The new proposal is 85 per cent. If the proposals by the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament or the European Commission on carbon sinks were accepted, Sweden would benefit from increased felling compared to Finland.
Media: 
Maaseudun Tulevaisuus
Date: 4.9.2017
Journalist: Kari Salonen
Main source: n/a
Mykkänen: Do not trade with firms that have connections to North Korea
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen urges Finnish businesses to be cautious when trading with Chinese or Russian companies that have connections to North Korea. Mr Mykkänen believes US President Donald Trump’s threat of stopping trading with countries that trade with North Korea is unrealistic, but he says one option could be that the United States poses sanctions against companies that trade with North Korea in China and Russia. Mr Mykkänen estimates that stopping trade completely between the United States and China would be an impossible situation, and China’s countermeasures would affect Europe and the western world as a whole.
Mykkänen criticises Finnfund’s investment report
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen criticises strongly a report by NGO Finnwatch that suggests that Finnish development aid funds have been used in questionable investments. According to the report, state-owned development finance company Finnfund had invested through funds e.g. in fossil fuels, meat production and private schools. Mr Mykkänen points out that the investments mentioned in the report are old and similar investments would no longer be made. He says the majority of Finnfund’s investments this decade have been in renewable energy and other priority industries targeted in Finland’s development policies.
Timo Soini on North Korea: « The situation is worrying »
Summary:
The situation in North Korea was one of the topics at the meeting between Nordic, Baltic and British foreign ministers in London on 4 September. Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini estimates that China has the biggest opportunity to influence North Korea. He notes that the situation is worrying even though an escalation is not in sight. Mr Soini believes it is in the interest of Russia and China to maintain the status quo as increased tension would immediately affect their borders. He says that in such a situation small countries can mainly advice superpowers to continue to negotiate.
Finnish environmental technology of interest as urbanisation continues
Summary:
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Team Finland have published a world market report, which shows that Finland’s opportunities in exports have grown despite the uncertain world markets. Urbanisation increases particularly the need for clean environmental solutions such as water, waste water and renewable energy. The share of services has grown in Finnish exports. Though the TTIP negotiations are no longer advancing, Finland succeeds in the US clean technology markets. Thanks to the CETA agreement between EU and Canada, Finland can enter markets in arctic seafaring and energy production. Furthermore, Finland is negotiating with several Asian countries.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini: Situation in North Korea must be solved with diplomacy – « I do not want to imagine what a different kind of solution would bring »
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini hopes that a diplomatic solution can be found with North Korea to stop the military defiance. North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan on the night between 28 and 29 August. Mr Soini says the situation is very difficult but parties should still be able to solve it through negotiations and notes that superpowers China, Japan and Russia are in key roles. He points out that it is important to keep in mind that what happens in the Korean peninsula affects the whole world.
Media: Helsingin Sanomat
Date: 29.8.2017
Journalist: Anni Lassila
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini