The project to restructure Finnish local government and services, known as the Paras project, was launched in 2005. The Act governing this reform entered into force in February 2007 and will remain in force until the end of 2012. Prime Minister Katainen's Government intends to draft a new framework Act to replace it.
The project particularly focuses on the possibilities of municipalities to provide social and health services. This demands
- intact and functioning municipal structures
- the arrangement of services for a broader population base
- collaboration between municipalities on service arrangement and provision, and
- new working practices.
The reform process is based on framework legislation passed in 2007, the Act on the Restructuring of Local Government and Services (169/2007).
In light of population ageing and the prospective increase in demand on social and health services, service reform is particularly aimed at improving people's functional capacity, health promotion, social problem prevention and the social inclusion of municipal residents.
The reform process in municipalities is being monitored by survey work. Municipalities are required to decide on the implementation of the framework legislation towards the end of March 2009.
For more information
Ministerial Counsellor Päivi Salo, tel. 09 160 74130,
firstname.lastname@stm.fi
Ministerial Counsellor Jukka Mattila, tel. 09 160 74194,
firstname.lastname@stm.fi
Ministerial Adviser Kari Haavisto, tel. 09 160 74177,
firstname.lastname@stm.fi
Senior officer Virpi Vuorinen, tel. 09 160 73 737,
firstname.lastname@stm.fi
