Finland Business Guide
Compiled by:
Embassy of Switzerland in Finland
Helsinki, October 2017
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Valid, not expired passport or ID card is sufficient for arrival and departure.
LANGUAGES USED FOR BUSINESS
Finnish and Swedish are Finland’s official languages. English is commonly used as business language.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS1
Finnish National Public Holidays 2017, 2018 and 2019 2017 2018 2019 Holiday Sun 1 Jan Mon 1 Jan Tue 1 Jan New Year's Day Fri 6 Jan Sat 6 Jan Sun 6 Jan Epiphany Fri 14 Apr Fri 30 Mar Fri 19 Apr Good Friday Sun 16 Apr Sun 1 Apr Sun 21 Apr Easter Mon 17 Apr Mon 2 Apr Mon 22 Apr Easter Monday Mon 1 May Tue 1 May Wed 1 May Vappu (May Day) Thu 25 May Thu 10 May Thu 30 May Ascension Day Sun 4 Jun Sun 20 May Sun 9 Jun Whit Sunday Fri 23 Jun Fri 22 Jun Fri 21 Jun Midsummer Eve* Sat 24 Jun Sat 23 Jun Sat 22 Jun Midsummer Sat 4 Nov Sat 3 Nov Sat 2 Nov All Saints’ Day Wed 6 Dec Thu 6 Dec Fri 6 Dec Independence Day Sun 24 Dec Mon 24 Dec Tue 24 Dec Christmas Eve* Mon 25 Dec Tue 25 Dec Wed 25 Dec Christmas Day Tue 26 Dec Wed 26 Dec Thu 26 Dec Boxing Day
* Even though they are not official, public holidays, not all Finns work on Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve. Some businesses are closed the whole day and some, such as grocery stores, are open for part of the day. This practice is dependent on labour union contracts. Moreover, public transport will run on special holiday timetables.
1 Source: https://almanakka.helsinki.fi/en/flag-days-and-holidays-in-finland.html Switzerland Global Enterprise – Business Guide 1/6 Information on holidays is freely available. However, please cite the University of Helsinki Almanac Office as a source when publishing this information when possible. The Finnish calendar has 19 flag days. The calendar for the Swedish-speaking population has three additional official flag days for the Åland Islands. The Sámi have 11 of their own official flag days.
HEALTH AND INOCULATIONS
No special health precautions necessary. Tap water safe to drink. Good overall hygienic situation.
TIME ZONES
Eastern European Time (EET)
TIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWITZERLAND AND FINLAND
+1 hour
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
220 V
METHODS OF PAYMENT
EURO General use of credit cards, also for smaller purchases.
TRANSPORTATION
Good network of domestic flights, bus, train, boat (to Sweden / Estonia / Russia / Germany). Taxis are well available and recommended for trips in town (taximeter installed).
Good public transport, bus main means of transport. In Helsinki also tramway and metro. The price of one public transport fare in Helsinki region is 2-4 €. www.hsl.fi public transport Helsinki region www.vr.fi trains www.matkahuolto.fi bus
BY AIR
Direct flights between Helsinki and Zürich (Finnair) and between Helsinki and Geneva (Finnair). Various other non-direct flight connections. www.finnair.fi
BY SEA
There is daily ferry traffic between Finland, Sweden and Estonia. There are also regular connections to Germany and Russia. www.tallinksilja.com ferry to Sweden, Estonia, Germany www.vikingline.fi ferry to Sweden, Estonia www.eckeroline.fi ferry to Estonia
Switzerland Global Enterprise – Business Guide 2/6 www.finnlines.fi ferry to Poland, Germany www.lindaliini.ee ferry to Estonia www.stpeterline.com ferry to Russia (St. Petersburg)
BY ROAD
The road network in Finland is good and most places can be reached via bus. The national bus timetable and information service is maintained by Matkahuolto. www.matkahuolto.fi Timetables, connections, general information
BY RAIL
The Finnish State Railways (VR) operates currently all commuter and long-distance services. There are also train connections to Russia (St. Petersburg and Moscow) www.vr.fi trains https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/tickets_to_russia trains to Russia
HOTELS
There are several good hotel chains in Finland. (Hotel names in brackets are hotels in Helsinki)
Luxury Class: www.hotelhaven.fi (Hotel Haven, Boutique Hotel) http://www.hotelkamp.com/ (Hotel Kämp, a Luxury Collection Hotel) www.hilton.com (Hilton Helsinki Strand, Hilton Kalastajatorppa) www.klauskhotel.com (Klaus K Design Hotel) http://www.lillaroberts.com Hotel Lilla Roberts
High Standard Hotels: http://glohotels.fi/en Glo Hotels Kluuvi, Art, Espoo Sello and Airport) www.scandichotels.com (Hotel Marski, Hotel Simonkenttä, Hotel Grand Marina, Scandic Continental) www.radissonblue.com (Radisson Blue Royal, Radisson Blue Plaza, Radisson Blue Seaside)
Good Medium Class: www.sokoshotels.fi (Sokos Hotel Helsinki, Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, Sokos Hotel Torni, Sokos Hotel Albert, Sokos Hotel Aleksanteri) www.cumulus.fi (Cumulus Kaisaniemi, Cumulus Olympia, Cumulus Hakaniemi)
Airport Hotels in Helsinki: https://www.finavia.fi/en/helsinki-airport/services/
Switzerland Global Enterprise – Business Guide 3/6 Hotels near the Fair Centre: http://www.finnexpo.fi/YN_Page.asp?m1keyid=501&Code_language=en https://www.sokoshotels.fi/en/helsinki/sokos-hotel-pasila
COMMUNICATION
For phone calls to Switzerland you can choose between various operators. For example: 999, 990 + country code for Switzerland = 41
For phone calls from Switzerland to Finland use 00358 + domestic code (without first 0, eg. code for Helsinki = 9. The same applies for mobile phone connections).
Internet is available at public libraries, in coffee shops and stores as well as in hotel rooms.
Mobile phones are very common, public phones as well as emergency phones are therefore nowadays rather scarce. It is highly recommended to carry a mobile phone with you.
General emergency number: 112
CELL PHONES
It is highly recommended to carry a mobile phone with you. The mobile networks work normally without any problems in whole Finland.
BUSINESS HOURS
Restrictions on the opening hours of retail shops and hairdressing establishments were lifted at the beginning of 2016. Business owners are free to decide when they keep their shops open, and they no longer need to apply for special exemptions from opening hour regulations.
Business owners operating in shopping centres or similar concentrations of shops still have the right to keep their shops closed one day each week, on the day of their choice. However, the right does not apply during those weeks when the agreement binding on the business owner provides that the shopping centre or similar concentration of shops is open on fewer than seven days.
The above-mentioned right only applies to business owners whose shops regularly have no more than five employees. Source: http://tem.fi/en/shop-opening-hours
ADDRESSES AND OPENING HOURS OF THE EMBASSY OF THE COUNTRY IN SWITZERLAND
Botschaft von Finnland Postfach 70, Weltpoststrasse 4 3000 Bern 15, Schweiz Customer service hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-12.00
Tel. +41 313 504 100, Fax +41 31 350 41 07 E-mail: [email protected] www.finlandia.ch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BotschaftvonFinnlandBern
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ADDRESSES OF THE SWISS EMBASSY AND CONSULATES
Embassy of Switzerland Kalliolinnantie 16 A 2 a FI-00140 Helsinki FINLAND (By appointment only) Phone +358 (0)9 622 9500 Fax +358 (0)9 622 95050 E-mail: [email protected] WWW: www.eda.admin.ch/helsinki
Consular services for Swiss citizens Regional Consular Center for the Nordic Countries Embassy of Switzerland in Stockholm Valhallavägen 64 Box 26143 S – 100 41 Stockholm SWEDEN
E-mail: [email protected] WWW: http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps/eur/vswe/RKC_sto.html Tel. +46 (0)8 676 79 00 Fax +46 (0)8 21 15 04
TIPS FOR INITIATING BUSINESS CONTACTS
During the main holiday season from the middle of June until the middle of August no new business should be initiated. Recommendable time for first contacts: autumn except December as well as January – May. Please use English as your business language and also for your brochures, folders, business cards etc. Finns appreciate a professional approach. Depending on the business branch, the use of a Finnish partner / consultant is necessary (via Switzerland Global Enterprise or the Embassy).
BUSINESS PRACTICES
The way to do business in Finland does not differ from what is generally considered as good business practice. Reliability is appreciated and that promises made are met without fault. Swiss quality has a good reputation in Finland.
SPECIAL FEATURES ON THE MARKET
Finland became a member of the EU in 1995. This meant considerable adjustment efforts for the whole Finnish business community and full focusing on the EU market. After this transition period has now passed and thanks to the Bilateral Agreements, Switzerland has improved its position.
When considering entering the Finnish market, several facts have to be observed. Finland is a very large country. For products which require a service net covering the whole area, the right choice of the Finnish importer or distributor can be vital. Finland is also a centrally run country with a few important regions (Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Oulu), whereof the greater Helsinki area is by far the most import business region where many important wholesalers / importers are domiciled. Traditionally, most of Switzerland Global Enterprise – Business Guide 5/6 the foreign business contacts have been made through a Finnish intermediary. However, through the EU-membership, a considerable opening of the market and a change in business practices took place. It is quite common that contacts to foreign partners are made through the internet and that business is conducted exclusively by e-mail.
The retail business is dominated by chains (food, hardware, household electronics etc.). The entry to these chains is difficult and often requires the use of a local agent. Finland offers itself also as the gateway to the market of the Baltic States and the St. Petersburg region. This is quite possible, provided one finds a reliable Finnish or local partner.
The Finnish trade fairs offer an excellent opportunity to get to know the situation on the Finnish market. Most of the important fairs take place in Helsinki. They attract not only public from all over Finland but also from the nearby Baltic and St. Petersburg region. Please note that for a particular subject there is only one fair that matters. So, if you have seen the FinnBuild in Helsinki, you have seen what goes on in the construction branch in Finland.
Fairs: www.finnexpo.fi
All information given without obligation
Date: 26 October 2017
Author: Embassy of Switzerland in Finland
Author’s address: Embassy of Switzerland Kalliolinnantie 16 A 2 a FI-00140 Helsinki E-Mail: [email protected] WWW: www.eda.admin.ch/helsinki
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