The ministers of the EU and EFTA countries responsible for digitalisation signed a Declaration on eGovernment in Tallinn on 6 October. The declaration aims to ensure that measures taken to promote the digitalisation of public administrations follow the same direction throughout Europe and pursue the joint objectives. The declaration emphasises the rights of citizens and businesses to access digital services.

On Thursday 5 October, Finland submitted its draft budgetary plan for 2018 to the European Commission.

On Monday 2 October, Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo met Sir Suma Chakrabarti, the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD. In Helsinki the EBRD President also attended a seminar of economic transition, which can be viewed on the internet.

In its report published on 26 September, the RAKSU group, examining the trends in the construction sector, estimates that this year the growth of the construction output volume will be between 3 and 6 per cent and next year between 0 and 3 per cent. The RAKSU group estimates that this year construction will start on 40,000 housing units, which is an exceptionally high number. According to RAKSU’s prognosis, next year, the number will decline by a few thousand.