Minister of Finance Matti Vanhanen highlighted Finland's views on the use of the EU’s sustainable finance classification system in the forestry and energy production sectors. Minister Vanhanen discussed these matters with European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness on Friday 5 March.

The proposal would remove the tax exemption of small imported online purchases. In future, value added tax would also be collected for shipments valued EUR 22 or less that are imported from outside the EU. Changes would also be made to distance selling within the EU. The government proposal would also reduce the administrative burden on companies regarding value added tax.

Finland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021. In connection with the Presidency, Finland launched a project at the start of the year entitled ‘World’s smoothest cross-border mobility and daily life through digitalisation'. Its aim is to improve the cross-border mobility and cross-border daily activities of people and businesses by promoting information exchange between public authorities in the Nordic countries. The project will create an operational framework and good practices for stronger and more effective cross-border exchange of information. The project will run for three years, from 2021 to 2023. 

The European Union’s SURE instrument (temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency) offers financial assistance to Member States in the form of EU loans to address sudden increases in public expenditure for the preservation of employment.

Economic growth will accelerate to 2.5% in 2021 as the coronavirus epidemic recedes, is the forecast of the Ministry of Finance in its latest Economic Survey, published on 17 December.