Ministry of Justice, Finland

English translation of the Housing Companies Act published

23.01.2012

An unofficial English translation of the Housing Companies Act has been published. The translation is available free of charge in the database of Finnish acts and decrees Finlex.

Citizens' initiative will be introduced in the beginning of March

12.01.2012

A new form of participation on the state level, citizens' initiative, will be taken into use in Finland on 1 March 2012. It offers citizens a possibility to have their initiative considered by the Parliament. The objective of the new system is to promote free civic activity.

Extract on criminal background becomes subject to a charge in the beginning of 2012

21.12.2011

The extract on criminal background, which is required of people working with children and can be obtained from the Legal Register Centre, becomes subject to a charge. From the beginning of the next year, the extract will be subject to a charge in accordance with the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State, which means that the size of the charge corresponds to the actual costs incurred from issuing the extract. The charge will be 13.40 euros.

Election of the President of the Republic 2012

15.12.2011

In Finland, the President of the Republic is elected by a direct vote, if necessary in two rounds. The election day in the first election is Sunday, 22 January 2012.

Preparation of a national human rights action plan to be started

14.09.2011

Ministry of Justice has appointed a working group to prepare a proposition for the first national human rights action plan of Finland. The action plan shall address the Government's priorities in promoting the basic and human rights during this Government's term of office, chart the roles of the different actors in the field of human rights, and include concrete measures for promoting the realisation of the basic and human rights in the different administrative sectors.

UN Committee against Torture presented its concluding observations to Finland

21.06.2011

The United Nations Committee against Torture considered the periodic report of Finland in Geneva in May 2011.

International legal aid specialists gather to discuss how to secure the quality of legal aid

14.06.2011

Development trends of legal aid during economically difficult times will be discussed in an international conference held in Helsinki on 15-17 June. A network consisting of legal aid specialists will gather to discuss the recent research and development projects ongoing around the world. A special theme to be examined is how retrenchments affect the quality and availability of legal aid.