Summary:
Lassila & Tikanoja (L&T) is the biggest waste management and recycling company. According to Jorma Mikkonen, Director for Corporate Relations and Responsibility at L&T, at current volumes, recycling is a profitable business, but the Government should act to make recycled materials financially attractive. In Finland, only about 40 per cent of mixed waste is recycled, and the country will not meet the EU’s 50 per cent recycling target by 2020. The EU is tightening its recycling target to 70 per cent. Jorma Mikkonen says that « radical policies » will be required to meet this target.

Summary:
Unions representing the media sector and publishers urge the Finnish Government to lower the VAT on digital publications. The unions say they are happy that the Government has supported the European Commission’s proposal to lower the digital VAT. The unions note that the lowered VAT should be put to use as soon as it becomes possible in the EU.

Media:  Verkkouutiset / Nykypäivä
Date: 19.4.2017
Journalist: Heikki Jantunen
Main source: –

Summary:
Ilta-Sanomat writes that the European Parliament is hoping for legislation on robotics. MEPs Miapetra Kumpula-Natri and Merja Kyllönen, who participated in the preparation of the Parliament’s report, say that heavy or dangerous tasks could be automatised in the health care sector. Ms Kumpula-Natri and Ms Kyllönen believe robotisation can create opportunities for Finns as they are fairly pro-technology on a European scale. Ms Kumpula-Natri notes that the Finnish government wants to be in the frontline when it comes to AI and that suits Finnsh who have good technical capabilities. She suggests that Finnish know-how could be put into action when new innovations are developed in the European internal market, or even outside it, as this would create prosperity and jobs in Finland.

Summary:
A round of funding under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has seen a €100-million pot divided between 71 companies. Finland received funding for two companies: Nordic 24/7 Services, which received €1.1 million, and Minima Processor, which received €1.69 million. Nordic 24/7 has developed a new kind of environmentally friendly cooling system for small spaces while Minima Processor has developed technology for reducing the power consumption of microprocessors. The funding is part of the second ‘Innovation project’ phase of funding under the Horizon programme, the purpose of which is to help SMEs bring innovations to market. Support is also available to companies in the form of 12 days of free business coaching.

Summary:

The European Investment Fund has signed its first SME initiative guarantee transactions in Finland with the banks Ålandsbanken, Osuuspankki and Oma Säästöpankki. This will bring 220 million euros to Finnish SMEs and help over 800 Finnish SMEs in getting finance. European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Crețu says SMEs are a driving force in growth and job creation in Finland and the SME initiative gives them a better opportunity for getting finance.

Media:  Verkkouutiset / Nykypäivä

Date: 24.1.2017

Journalist: Ilkka Ahtokivi

Main source: Corina Crețu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy

Summary:

VATT Institute for Economic Research criticises the industry compensations of EU emissions trading while the Finnish Forest Industries thinks compensation is needed in order to keep factories in Finland. VATT Economist Marita Laukkanen says that according to research, emissions trading does not cause carbon leakage nor does the competitiveness of Finnish industries depend on the price of electricity. Timo Jaatinen, CEO of the Finnish Forest Industries, says that the purpose of the EU emissions trading system is to make sure that European clean industries do not move to countries with less tight restrictions.

Media:  Maaseudun Tulevaisuus

Date: 26.9.2016

Summary:

The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority says the EU’s current telecommunications regulation is not able to respond to the communication sector’s new and future challenges, writes Verkkouutiset. The European Commission is currently preparing a regulation package aimed at digital internal markets. Nordic regulatory authorities have formed a joint opinion on the major issues. Ensuring the availability of fast-speed broadband for citizens is important, but the goals will not be met by adding regulation. The regulation burden of established actors should be made lighter. This would support the emergence of innovations and new business models.

Media:  Verkkouutiset

Date: 6.7.2016

Country Senior Executive in Finland Ari Kaperi said on Monday that investments in Panama have only been offered by Nordea’s Luxembourg branch. OP, Danske, S-Pankki, Handelsbanken, FIM and Evli say that they do not offer customers investments in tax havens. OP says, however, that it cannot quarantee yet that this has never happened in the past. According to the Panama papers the newest company set up in Panama is for a client by Nordea is from 2015. According to Nordea there are still around 90 similar companies existing. Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority is discussing with ECB whether it will start an investigation concerning Nordea Finland’s banking operations.