Government proposal to Parliament for an Act on the Temporary Amendment of the Act on Wellbeing Services Counties (targeted extension of the deadline for covering the deficit)
VM072:00/2025 Statute drafting
It is proposed that the Act on wellbeing services counties be temporarily supplemented so that wellbeing services counties that fully balance their finances and do not accumulate a new deficit in 2025 can, as part of central government steering, be granted, if necessary, the possibility to cover the deficits incurred before 2025 by 2028 at the latest.
Current events
Round for comments
25.9. – 31.10.2025
Lausuntoaika 25.9.2025–31.10.2025
- Lausuntopyyntö_HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
- HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
- Begäran om utlåtande_RP med förslag till lag om ändring och temporär ändring av lagen om välfärdsområden PDF
- All documents
Lausuntoaika 25.9.2025–31.10.2025
25.9.2025 – 31.10.2025 Round for comments
Lausuntoja voi olla sekä lausuntopalvelu.fi:ssä että hankkeen asiakirjoissa.
Additional information
Documents
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25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
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25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta_RU PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
Basic information In progress
Project number VM072:00/2025
Case numbers VN/20605/2025
Set by Ministry of Finance
Task class Preparation of a government proposal
Term/schedule 26.6.2025 –
Date of appointment 17.6.2025
Law drafting
Government proposal for an Act on the Temporary Amendment of the Act on Wellbeing Services Counties (discretionary extension for deficit coverage)
- 1
Under preparation
Adopted in the plan for the session period on 5.9.2025 - 2
Current stage: Estimated week of presentation
Estimated new week of presentation 48/2025 - 3
Submitted to Parliament
- 4
Statute adopted
It is proposed that the Act on wellbeing services counties be temporarily supplemented so that wellbeing services counties that fully balance their finances and do not accumulate a new deficit in 2025 can, as part of central government steering, be granted, if necessary, the possibility to cover the deficits incurred before 2025 by 2028 at the latest.
Minister in chargeMinister of Local and Regional Government Ikonen
Contact person
Kirsi Ruuhonen, Hallitusneuvos
tel. +358 295 530 413
[email protected]
Project status
25.9.2025 – 31.10.2025 Lausuntoaika 25.9.2025–31.10.2025
Round for comments
Lausuntoja voi olla sekä lausuntopalvelu.fi:ssä että hankkeen asiakirjoissa.
Additional information
Documents
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta_RU PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
Goals and results
No general extension of the deficit coverage period is being prepared for all wellbeing services counties. Instead, the main rule remains that deficits must be covered by the end of 2026.
However, the wellbeing services counties that fully balance their finances could, by decision of the Ministry of Finance, be allowed a discretionary extension to cover the deficits incurred before 2025 by the end of 2028 at the latest. The amendment would apply to wellbeing services counties, which will not accumulate a new deficit in 2025.
As a rule, the extension would be possible by supplementing the regulation of statutory steering processes so that every region will retain incentives to cover its deficit as quickly as possible.
Starting points
The financial situation of the wellbeing services counties has been challenging during their first two years of operation. The combined accumulated deficit for the years 2023–2024 amounts to €2.45 billion, which equals €438 per resident or approximately 10% of the state funding for 2024. However, for the majority of counties, the economic outlook has improved during the latter part of 2024, and the growth in costs has slowed compared to earlier. It is important to ensure that this positive trend continues.
It is essential that the counties take all possible measures to balance their finances already in 2025, so that the adjustment pressures for 2026 will not be as severe. In 2025, the counties’ financial situation will be eased by the statutory retroactive adjustment of funding based on the actual costs of 2023 (approximately €1.4 billion).
However, the situations of the counties have diverged. The aim of the legislative amendment is to ensure that counties undertaking significant reforms in their operations and finances will have the opportunity to cover their deficits within a discretionary extension period. The legislation under preparation also aims to prevent the realization of unforeseen and uncontrollable impacts on public finances.
The aim of the legislative amendment is to ensure that counties undertaking significant reforms in their operations and finances will have the opportunity to cover their deficits within a discretionary extension period. The legislation under preparation also aims to prevent the realization of unforeseen and uncontrollable impacts on public finances.
The aim is to support the wellbeing services county’s own decision-making and to improve its ability to adjust its finances independently, without the need for the county evaluation procedure.
The preparation of the government proposal is under way as part of official duties at the Ministry of Finance.
A consultation round will be organised on the draft proposal and it will be discussed in the Advisory Board for the Wellbeing Services County after the summer.
The government proposal would be submitted to Parliament during the autumn session 2025, and the regulation is expected to enter into force in spring 2026.
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25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta_RU PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
Lausuntoaika 25.9.2025–31.10.2025
25.9.2025 – 31.10.2025 Round for comments
Lausuntoja voi olla sekä lausuntopalvelu.fi:ssä että hankkeen asiakirjoissa.
Additional information
Documents
Lausuntoaika 25.9.2025–31.10.2025
25.9.2025 – 31.10.2025 Round for comments
Lausuntoja voi olla sekä lausuntopalvelu.fi:ssä että hankkeen asiakirjoissa.
Additional information
Documents
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta_RU PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
Lausuntomenettely
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25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
-
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
HE laiksi hyvinvointialueesta annetun lain muuttamisesta ja väliaikaisesta muuttamisesta_RU PDF
25.9.2025 Ministry of Finance
Ungrouped
Person
Role, Term
Ruuhonen, Kirsi
Hallitusneuvos
Ministry of Finance
Role: Person in charge
26.6.2025 –
Ruuhonen, Kirsi
Hallitusneuvos
Ministry of Finance
Role: Presenting officer
26.6.2025 –
Ruuhonen, Kirsi
Hallitusneuvos
Ministry of Finance
Role: Project contact person
26.6.2025 –
Read more
Talouttaan tasapainottaville hyvinvointialueille harkinnanvarainen määräajan jatkaminen alijäämien kattamiseen
Developing and statute drafting in the Government
The ministries implement the Government Programme, draft acts and other statutes, and promote reforms through different kinds of projects, working groups and bodies. Information on all this is available on the Government website.
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