The Finnish American Chamber of Commerce
News and current affairs
U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Bruce Oreck
The U.S. Senate confirmed on August 7, 2009 the Executive Nomination of Bruce J. Oreck, of Colorado, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Finland.
Read Mr Oreck's testimony here
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New Chairman of the Board of the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce, Helsinki
FACC Helsinki has chosen a new Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting on June 4th, 2009.
Mr Heikki Malinen, CEO of Pöyry PLC was elected as the Chamber of Commerce’s new President.
Mr Malinen succeeds Mr Ole Johansson, CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation, who served as Chairman for three years.
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Pictures from FACC 50th anniversary discussion event
Minister Alexander Stubb, Ambassador Barbara Barrett and Paavo Lipponen
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen giving a speech at the 50th anniversary event
Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce 50 year anniversary PRESS RELEASE
Ole Johansson
Chairman of the Board
PROTECTIONISM DOES NOT SOLVE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS - FREE TRADE STRENGTENS BUSINESSES
- The current financial and economic downturn is impacting both US and European, including Finnish economies. It is still difficult to say what will be the full effect of the current situation and how it might affect international trade and investment and their regulation. However, it should not lead to increased economic protectionism and emphasis on narrow defensive interests at the expense of the economy as a whole, said Mr Ole Johansson, chairman of the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce in his welcoming address at the 50th Anniversary Event of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce in Helsinki.
- Business on both sides of the Atlantic has strongly advocated for progress in the WTO Doha round and is disappointed with the July collapse and inadequate progress since. I’d like to reiterate the importance of a functioning multilateral trade framework and successful outcome from the round to best serve for a level playing field for companies, said Mr Johansson.
- This calls for strong leadership on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as from our emerging partners. Economic relations are the backbone of the EU-US relationship. However, achieving a true, barrier free transatlantic market would bring benefits to both economies, as several studies have advocated. The challenge will be for the EU and US to create an effective strategic economic partnership to match the competition by fast growing emerging markets.
- The US is the world’s largest economy with a record of economic dynamism, growth of productivity and efficiency, constant structural change and economic growth that other countries have looked upon as a benchmark. Finland has also been determined in it’s strive for competitiveness and success, and I dare to say that we have managed quite well, said Mr Johansson. We within the business community are now hoping that the new US political leadership in the United States would refer from resorting to protectionist measures. Any such measures would only serve to slow down recovery from the threatening downturn. Here the US leadership will be required. Johansson emphasized the importance of the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce throughout its history.
- The Chamber has played an important role as a builder and operator of the bridge across the Atlantic allowing trade to develop and companies to prosper based on open access to markets on both sides”, said Mr Johansson
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Message from FAC 1932:
We would like to, on behalf of all Finnish American Club 1932 members, warmly congratulate the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce on your 50th Anniversary! The work the Chamber has done on the Finnish American trade relations and other related issues is really a magnificient achievement. At the same time we would like to thank you for the excellent cooperation between our two organizations during the past years. We wish you all the best of success to carry on with this important work in the coming years as well.
Finnish American Club 1932
Vesa Vihavainen Kyllikki Pankakoski
Chairman Vice Chairman
Message from FACC New York:
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Press Releases, 8/26/2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs to reform its organisation Press release 299/2008
25 August, 2008
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is increasing the efficiency of its organisation and leadership. From the beginning of September, the number of departments will be decreased from twelve to eight and at the same time, units will be merged. The greatest change is a holistic new services segment combining administrative services, legal services, protocol services and a new entity for citizens' services, i.e. Consul, passport, visa and immigration related tasks that used to be handled by the Legal Department.
The purpose of the reform is to intensify handling of the Ministry's core functions while simultaneously responding to the savings objectives of the productivity programme for the State administration.
Tasks carried out by the Global Department will be distributed among the Political Department, the Department for External Economic Relations and the Department for Development Cooperation. A specific aim is to intensify coordination of EU affairs and activities in international organisations, and to improve coherence in the handling of various issue in different forums.
Besides organisational development, the network of Finland's foreign missions and its focal points are being studied. The study is being conducted in a project, contained in the Government's Programme, that is also investigating the demands for the foreign missions' services made by the authorities, business and citizens. The goal is achieve further efficiency in cooperation between foreign missions and other organisations operating abroad that receive considerable public financing.
New postal addresses
The organisational reform will also bring changes in postal addresses.
Like other Ministries, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will start to use the post code 00023 Government. As from 1 September, the postal address of the Registry office of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which is the address used for all official documents posted, will be:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, P.O. Box 176, 00023 Government.
For other correspondence, the post box addresses created for the Ministry's facilities can be used. Post box addresses have also been created for the foreign missions.
Additional information:
Secretary of State Pertti Torstila, tel. +358 9 1605 5010, and Counsellor of Foreign Affairs Antti Sierla (Under-Secretary of State as from 1 September), tel. +358 9 1605 5437 (from 1 September tel. +358 9 1605 5020), email: firstname.surname@formin.fi.
Department for the Americas and Asia Visiting Address: Katajanokanlaituri 3
Postal address:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Unit for North America
P.O.Box 513
FI-00023 Government
Finland
e-mail: asa-20@formin.fi or first name.surname@formin.fi