Draft budget of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for 2007
In its draft budget, submitted to the Ministry of Finance on 22 May 2006, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs proposes that a total of 970.279 million euros be granted for the administrative branch for the year 2007. This is 1.157 million euros less than the amount of the assigned spending limits.
In the draft budget for 2007 of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the principal objectives for social effectiveness correspond to goals set in the Strategy for the Ministry.
A total of 184.578 million euros was proposed for the operating expense item of the draft budget. In 2007, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will chair the Nordic Council of Ministers and prepare for the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2008. As a part of the Foreign Service Productivity Programme, a survey focusing on the development of the operation and organisation of the administrative branch will be carried out. The mainstreaming of administration will be continued and the goal is to make 31 administrative support and service posts redundant in 2007. The implementation of the shared service centre model of the financial and personnel administration will be continued in 2007.
A total of 724.091 million euros was proposed for international development cooperation, which corresponds to approximately 0.44% of gross national product (GNI). In accordance with the assigned spending limits of the administrative branch, 579.229 million euros was proposed for the Ministry's main title of expenditure 30, which covers international development cooperation. Of the development cooperation appropriations, 3.202 million euros have been transferred to the appropriations for operating expenses to be used to cover the expenses arising from the administration of development cooperation.
In accordance with the spending limits, the sum of 22.533 million euros was proposed for neighbouring area cooperation. Based on Finland's Strategy for Cooperation in the Neighbouring Areas, adopted by the Government, the cooperation focuses on the Murmansk Region, the Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast and St Petersburg. Finland conducts neighbouring area cooperation in the following fields, in particular: environment, agriculture and forestry, social welfare and health care, the judicial system, transport and telecommunications, energy, nuclear safety and education and civil society.
The amount proposed for the maintenance of Finnish crisis management troops was 57.441 million euros, and 14.236 million euros was proposed for the participation of civilian personnel in crisis management tasks. It is estimated that the number of staff hired to crisis management operations (military and civilian crisis management) will correspond to about 1100 man years in 2007.
The draft budget proposes 86.323 million euros for item 24.99.66, which is reserved for membership fees and financing contributions. Finland's share of the financing of the renovation of the UN Headquarters is 1.5 million euros.
The sum of 1.232 million euros was proposed for preparative work in 2007 preceding the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2008.
A total of 1.436 million euros will remain to be paid by the administrative branch in 2007 to cover the expenses of Finland's Presidency of the EU in 2006. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has proposed that these expenses be paid from the appropriations assigned by the Ministry of Finance to the management of the EU Presidency.
The administrative branch of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is expected to receive revenue in the form of various refunds worth 1.3 million euros, not yet net-budgeted to the operating expenses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Draft budget of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for 2007 (Finnish, 124kt) (Opens New Window)