Pillars and investments
The EU recovery instrument (Next Generation EU) provides funding for seven EU programmes. Member States may receive a total of EUR 750 billion in funding, of which EUR 390 billion is in the form of grants and EUR 360 billion in the form of loans.
The EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the largest programme operating under the EU recovery instrument. It includes EUR 672.5 billion in funding for Member States. Of this, EUR 312.5 billion are grants and EUR 360 billion are loans.
Each Member State must present a national Recovery and Resilience Plan in order to receive RRF funding. In Finland, the plan is part of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland. It is also referred to as Finland’s recovery plan and Finland’s plan.
The Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland is divided into four pillars:
- Pillar 1: A green transition will support structural adjustment of the economy and underpin a carbon-neutral welfare society
- Pillar 2: Digitalisation and a digital economy will strengthen productivity and make services available to all
- Pillar 3: Raising the employment rate and skill levels will accelerate sustainable growth
- Pillar 4: Access to health and social services will be improved and their cost-effectiveness enhanced
In the scope of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, THL implements national projects under pillars 3 and 4. These pillars are related to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
Investments and objectives of pillars 3 and 4
Pillar 3 is divided into projects that support work ability and employment. Pillar 3 projects are:
- Expanding the work ability programme
- Health examinations for the unemployed
- Research project on services, benefits and work participation for persons with partial work ability
- Expanding the IPS model
Pillar 4 is divided into four investments:
- Investment 1 aims to promote compliance with the maximum waiting time guarantee (including in mental health services) and reduce the treatment, rehabilitation and service deficit in health and social services caused by the coronavirus epidemic
- Investment 2 aims to promote the implementation of the maximum waiting time guarantee by strengthening prevention and the early identification of problems
- Investment 3 aims to strengthen the cost-effectiveness of the social welfare and health care database and to promote impact-based guidance
- Investment 4 aims to accelerate the introduction of service-designed digital services that promote the maximum waiting time guarantee.
In addition to the investments’ national projects, the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland will be implemented in wellbeing services counties’ projects for which the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has granted discretionary government transfers. One project has been launched in each wellbeing services county and centre of excellence on social welfare. Regional projects have been further divided into five co-management area-level projects (Southern Finland, Eastern Finland, Western Finland, Central Finland, Northern Finland).
