Information on key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating in Finland.

Political and Economic

More information on political risk, including political demonstrations, is available in FCO Travel Advice.

Bribery and Corruption

Bribery is illegal. It is an offence for British nationals or someone who is ordinarily resident in the UK, a body incorporated in the UK or a Scottish partnership, to bribe anywhere in the world.

In addition, a commercial organisation carrying on a business in the UK can be liable for the conduct of a person who is neither a UK national or resident in the UK or a body incorporated or formed in the UK. In this case it does not matter whether the acts or omissions which form part of the offence take place in the UK or elsewhere.

According to Transparency International’s corruption perception index (CPI), Finland was ranked in joint 1st place of 174 countries in 2012.

Visit the Business Anti-Corruption portal page providing advice and guidance about corruption in Finland and some basic effective procedures you can establish to protect your company from them.

Read the information provided on our Bribery and corruption page.

Terrorism Threat

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

Read the information provided on our Terrorism threat page

Protective Security Advice

The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure also provides protective security advice to businesses

Crime levels remain relatively low. The tourist season attracts pickpockets in crowded areas. You should observe sensible precautions such as keeping your personal belongings, including passports and money, secure.

Read the information provided on our Protective security advice page.

Human Rights

Finland’s constitution encompasses a wide range of civic, political, economic and social rights which aim at ensuring fair treatment and equality for all. Finland ratified the two UN-conventions safeguarding these rights, the ICCPR and the ICESCR, in 1966.

Finland was the third country in the world to give women voting rights and the first country to elect women into parliament in 1906. Women are entitled to 105 working days’ paid maternity leave, and either parent can stay at home until the child is three years of age with their job secured. The right of every child to receive municipal day care is also protected by law.

Finland joined the ILO in 1920. Employees are encouraged to join trade unions, which operate proactively with the employers’ organisations to guarantee overarching agreements of terms and conditions of employment as well as wage levels.

Discrimination on the basis of age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, language, religion, opinion, health, disability or sexual preference is against the law in Finland.

Intellectual Property

IP rights are territorial, i.e. they only give protection in the countries where they are granted or registered. If you are thinking about trading internationally, then you should consider registering your IP rights in your export markets.

For information on obtaining a patent in Finland, you should contact:

Finnish Patent Office:

Finnish National Board of Patents and Registration

Arkadiankatu 6 A

00101 Helsinki

Finland

Tel 00 358 9 6939 500

Fax: 00 358 9 6939 5328

The Finnish National Board of Patents and Registration works closely with the following international organisations:

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

The European Patent Organisation (EPO)

The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (trademarks and designs), OHIM

The Industrial Property Offices in Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Read the information provided on our Intellectual Property page.

Organised Crime

Organized crime in Finland is connected with organized crime in Estonia and Russia. In order to improve joint operations and information exchange, Finland has entered into crime prevention agreements with Estonia, Russia and a number of other countries.

The combating of organized crime has been enhanced through methodical target selection. The number of organized criminal groups hasn’t increased in recent years, being now 82, of which 27 groups meet the EU definition of organized crime. Organized crime mainly involves drugs and prostitution, but also property crime, violent crime and economic crime.

Read the information provided on our Organised crime page.

More information is available on overseas business risk in a range of markets.

UK Trade & Investment Contact:

[email protected]