To the Reader

Social protection must respond rapidly to changes in its operating environment. It must also take responsibility for people’s entire lifespan. Over the past fifteen years, the tension between these goals has been stretched to the limit. It was a real test of strength to bring social policy through the maelstrom of the recession and to adapt it to the pressures of internationalization without undermining people’s faith in social protection. Looking back, social protection was a strong cohesive force in our society even during those difficult times.

It was necessary to take a critical look at social protection and to cut the costs for the social protection system. The strategy we drew up ten years ago (Sosiaaliturvan strategiat - viisi vuotta 2000-luvulle; ‘Strategies for Social Security in Finland - Goals to the Year 2000’) was a response to these demands, dictated by economic realities. One of the consequences of rapid economic growth and the cost-cutting programme was that the percentage of social protection expenditure out of GDP fell rapidly from a level of about 35% to the quarter it had been before the recession.

This did not mean our troubles were over, however. We were facing a future where the economic dependency ratio would deteriorate. We took up this challenge in our subsequent strategy, published in 2001. We made promoting health and functional capacity and raising the retirement age our first priorities. Employment among the ageing population was successfully improved and the retirement age began to rise as a result of legislative amendments and improved efficiency for action programmes.

The fundamental lines of the present strategy are no different from those in our strategy of five years ago. The external challenges have not changed, but they have grown: the economic dependency ratio is deteriorating, internationalization is growing and regional and social differences are increasing. Now, after ten years of hard work, we are better prepared to cope with the challenge of an ageing population. Nevertheless, work in this area must continue.

Implementation problems have come to the fore. The policy lines in the strategy cannot easily be put into practice. The more complex the problem at hand, the less effective the administrative action we can take. There are many issues for which legislation is an unnecessarily heavy measure, but recommendations have little effect and the provision of training produces slow change. Inefficient implementation is worst for those in the most vulnerable position, as their problems are also the most complex.

In order to emphasize the importance of practical implementation, we have now moved closer to models for putting the strategy into practice. We are attempting to answer the questions where are we headed, what can we do and how can we do it, not just the traditional strategy question where are we headed. This strategy comes close to an action programme. There are things that need centralized solutions, but there are also things that can only be remedied if the channels of influence from the grassroots upward can be improved. In order to achieve that, we need improved transparency and more information.

This strategy has been drawn up in cooperation by the different departments and experts at the Ministry. The Ministry’s leadership group has outlined the preparations. Director of Development Klaus Halla was responsible for practical coordination.

Helsinki, May 2006

Markku Lehto
Permanent Secretary

Strategies for Social Protection 2015. Helsinki 2006. 50 pp.
Publications of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2006:16
ISSN 1236-2050
ISBN 952-00-2061-6 (paperback)
ISBN 952-00-2062-4 (PDF)