New Economic Development Centres will start operating on 1 January 2026

The reform of regional state administration will establish 10 Economic Development Centres on the basis of the current 15 ELY Centres. The Economic Development Centres will be responsible for tasks relating to areas such as business and industry, rural areas, transport, the environment and natural resources.

The Economic Development Centres will promote regional vitality in a multidisciplinary and cooperative manner. They will have offices in all regions and employ nearly 2,000 people. Most of the tasks of the ELY Centres will be transferred to the Economic Development Centres. 

Environmental permit and supervision tasks will be transferred to the Finnish Supervisory Agency to be established. The tasks of public passenger transport will be transferred to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

The regional state administration reform is based on Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government Programme. The aim of the reform is to create a multidisciplinary regional state administration that streamlines the services for citizens and companies.