Reform of regional state administration
The reform of regional state administration will bring the central government’s permit, guidance and supervision functions together in a new national agency. At the same time, new regional Economic Development Centres will be established. The reform aims to improve and harmonise permitting and supervision practices across regions and to streamline processes and services. It is based on the Programme of Prime Minister Orpo’s Government.
The reform will merge the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) and the Regional State Administrative Agencies into a new national agency. The new agency will also take on some of the functions of the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres) related to the environment. Environmental permit and supervision functions will form a unified organisation in the new agency. The remaining functions of the ELY Centres will be brought together in Economic Development Centres that will build on more robust regions.
Reform to account for regional demand for services
The reform will safeguard comprehensive services across Finland, and special priority will be placed on regional preparedness. Regional state administration will begin operating under the new organisation in 2026 at the latest. Linguistic rights will also be safeguarded in the reform.
Extensive cooperation in preparatory work
The first step in the reform is a legislative project launched in the autumn of 2023. The project is aimed at drafting the legislative amendments required by the policies outlined in the Government Programme. In addition to legislative drafting, planning of the implementation of new agencies has been launched. The implementation of the agencies is planned in separate projects.
Cross-administrative cooperation is central to the preparatory work of the reform. The following organisations are working on the reform: the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of the Environment, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira), the Regional State Administrative Agencies, the ELY Centres, the Development and Administration Centre for Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and Employment and Development Offices (KEHA Centre), and the State Department of Åland.