For the last few years better regulation has been a central administrative goal in Finland. Development of legislative drafting is a common goal for trade and industry, labour market and consumer associations and non-governmental organisations as well as the public administration and the judiciary. The aim is to improve the regulatory framework and clarity of legislation to promote the wellbeing of the citizens and the competitiveness of businesses. Better regulation is clear, consistent and comprehensible.

The goals of better regulation are stated in the Government Programme of Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen's Cabinet of June 2011. According to the government programme The Better Regulation Programme will be continued in order to overcome the quality problems in the drafting of legislation. Good practices for the legislative draftingsprocess, drawn up within the Effective Legislative Drafting project, will be introduced. More resources will be allocated for the drafting of legislation in the ministries. The language used in regulations will be clarified. Open interaction, assessment of alternatives for regulation, and impact assessments will be developed. A legislative agenda, including the key legislative projects of the Government, will be drafted. Special attention will be paid to projects that involve shared responsibility between ministries, improving the clarity in regulation, and increasing alternative ways of regulation.

In Finland legislation is drafted by the ministry responsible for the matter in question. Each ministry is responsible for legislative drafting within their branch of activity and for the quality of the legislation. The Ministry of Justice promotes and coordinates the cooperation between the ministries to improve legislative drafting within the Government.

Further information
The Government Programme


Updated 22.8.2011