Transfer agreement boosts reform of Team Finland’s foreign functions

On 13 June 2025, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Business Finland signed an agreement specifying the key practical arrangements for transferring Business Finland's foreign functions to the Foreign Service and the functions to be transferred. The transfer will take place at the beginning of 2026.

The functions and management of the Team Finland network will be reformed in close cooperation with business and industry, as outlined in the Finnish Government Programme. As part of the reform, Business Finland’s foreign functions will be integrated into the Foreign Service. The integration does not include investment promotion, tourism promotion, or international talent attraction, as these responsibilities will continue under the mandate of Business Finland.

Negotiations on the transfer document were held in May–June 2025, and the signed agreement will provide the basis for the integration. The integration will proceed in 2025 as specified in the agreement. The preparatory work will be led by Juha Pyykkö, Deputy Director General of the Department for International Trade from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

During the transition phase, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will acquire foreign network’s export promotion services as a bridge solution until the final transfer takes place at the beginning of 2026.