The bulk of Finland's international collaboration on occupational safety and health takes place
- through the EU,
- within the framework of the United Nations' International Labour Organization, and
- among the Nordic countries.
EU cooperation on occupational safety and health
A major part of the new Finnish legislation on occupational safety and health is based on EU legislation.
The remit of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (Bilbao Agency) is to promote safety and health and productivity at work in Europe.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
There is a Focal Point for the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work at the Ministry's Department for Occupational Safety and Health. The Focal Point maintains a national tripartite network that disseminates information on issues related to safety and health at work. Furthermore, it takes part in European campaigns on safety and health at work and appoints representatives to the Bilbao Agency's working parties.
The activities of the Focal Point are planned and monitored by the Bilbao subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health where the social partners are represented.
Finnish national Focal Point cooperation network
The Senior Labour Inspectors Committee, SLIC, is a cooperation body of the member states' occupational safety and health authorities in connection with the Commission. The Department for Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is represented in the Committee.
Senior Labour Inspectors Committee
The Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work, ACSH, is also linked to the Commission. Its task is to deal with issues related to safety and health at work on a tripartite basis. There are working parties engaged in the drafting and monitoring of directives as well as development of the regions under the Advisory Committee. Civil servants of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health's Department for Occupational Safety and Health take part in the work of the Advisory Committee and its working parties.
Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work
International Labour Organization, ILO
The ILO prepares conventions and recommendation regarding occupational safety and health. Besides the governments, the employer and employee parties are involved in the work of the ILO.
The ILO monitors compliance with the conventions e.g. on the basis of the member states' annual reports. Finland's cooperation with the ILO is coordinated by the Finnish Tripartite ILO Committee and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health prepares issues regarding the ILO conventions and recommendations falling within its remit.
International Labour Organization
Nordic cooperation
The official Nordic cooperation takes place within the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The tasks related to the working environment are assigned to the Council of Ministers for Labour.
The cooperation in the working environment sector is guided by the Nordic Convention on the Working Environment and fixed-term cooperation programmes for the sector. The most recent cooperation programme for the years 2009-2012 aims to address the challenges of globalisation and demographic development.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has representation in the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Labour and the Nordic subcommittee on working environment, which are permanent cooperation bodies in the sector under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Ministry is also represented in the Nordic Chemicals Group within the environmental sector.
The Nordic Institute for Advanced Training in Occupational Health, NIVA, is working under the Council of Ministers for Labour. The Institute is linked to the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. In practice, Nordic cooperation is carried out within various projects.
