Ministry for Foreign Affairs draft budget 2012

The 2012 draft budget for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs administrative branch comes to a total of 1,394.2 million euros.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs draft budget 2012 

TAE 2012 pääluokka 24 ulkoasiainministeriö (Opens New Window) (in Finnish)

Press release 205 /2011 (Ministry for Foreign Affairs /22 August 2011)

Proposed operating expenses for 2012 total 211 million euros, including 4 million euros to strengthen the administration of development cooperation. The proposal includes an increase of 21 FTEs to improve the impact and productivity of the administrative branch. This increase in person-years will be allocated to the management of immigration and to reinforce the administration of development cooperation.

The proposed allocation for Finnish crisis management troops is 56.3 million euros, reflecting trends for the administrative branch as a whole. The sum proposed for the civilian contribution to crisis management is 18.9 million euros, which includes 1 million euros for peace building. It is estimated that in 2012, a total of 650 hired personnel will be involved in military and civilian crisis management operations.

The sum proposed for cross-border cooperation is 13.5 million euros. Key objectives specified in the Government Programme include nuclear safety, improving the state of the environment and preventing communicable diseases. It is proposed that the cuts in spending outlined in the Government Programme be implemented progressively over the budget planning period.

Central government expenditure on development cooperation in 2012 is expected to come to 1,201 million euros, which is 0.59% of GNI. Finland is committed to the 0.7% target set by the European Council for 2015. The achievement of this target requires an annual increase in spending of around 0.036 per cent from 2013 to 2105.

At the 15th Conference of the Parties (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Copenhagen, Finland undertook to cover 110 million euros of the EU’s short-term funding pledge in 2010-12. This commitment will be funded from the increased development cooperation appropriations. The 2012 draft budget proposal includes 41.6 million euros earmarked for short-term climate change funding.

The proposed sum for development cooperation proper is 964 million euros. This includes 4.3 million euros to cover the costs of joint projects with international partners. The corresponding revenue is entered under the revenue for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs administrative branch. The draft budget includes an allocation of 20 million euros to increase the capital of the Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation (Finnfund).

A total of 84.1 million euros is proposed for membership fees and financial contributions; this is 5.6 million below the spending limits. It is estimated that the Ministry’s administrative branch will receive 6.1 million euros in revenue that is not included in Ministry operating expenses.

Inquiries: Mr. Risto Hakoila, Financial Director, tel. +358 9 1605 5870, and Ms. Katja Bordi, Head of Financial Planning, tel. +358 9 1605 5990; for development cooperation, Mr. Timo Olkkonen, Head of General Development Policy and Planning Unit, tel. +358 9 1605 6283 and Ms. Laura Pietilä, Senior Officer, tel. +358 9 1605 6234; and for cross-border cooperation, Ms. Soili Mäkeläinen-Buhanist, Head of Unit, tel. +358 9 1605 6186