Goal: The City of Helsinki is an active international operator
International and especially EU advocacy work focuses on measures that support and promote Helsinki’s economic recovery, the development of public services, digitalisation, climate change mitigation and regional innovation ecosystems. Helsinki engages in active urban policy debate at an international and EU level proactively and with the help of concrete proposals. When landing EU funding, it is ensured that the EU projects also support the implementation of Helsinki’s strategic objectives. Helsinki also wants to promote the responsible use of EU funds.
The update of the policies and priorities for international activities for 2022–2025 is underway (to be completed in June 2022). The update will take into account the new urban strategy and the changes in the operating environment. In particular, the impacts of the crisis in Ukraine on priorities and international cooperation will be taken into account.
The update of the priorities for EU advocacy work is underway (to be completed in May 2022), taking into account the Helsinki City Strategy and changes in the operating environment.
Helsinki’s international partnership and network cooperation will continue to be developed. During 2022, the City of Helsinki’s international networks will be mapped, identifying those to be abandoned and possible new ones to be added.
Goal: Helsinki is an active national influencer
The availability of skilled labour, employment and the safeguarding of the city’s operational preconditions, in particular by ensuring adequate funding for social and health care services and rescue services, are the particular priorities in national advocacy work during the current council term. Together with the state, the city promotes an increase in the supply of education in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, especially in view fields suffering from labour shortages.
The priorities for national advocacy work have been updated in 2022 on the basis of the changes in the Helsinki City Strategy and operating environment. Drafting the advocacy work and communication plans for the advocacy work priorities specified in the strategy is under way, as is the planning and preparation of the government programme objectives and advocacy work with regard to the 2023 parliamentary elections.