Finland

The MEAE has appointed a working group to draft amendments to the Finnish Monitoring Act (Foreign Corporate Acquisitions Act), with the government proposal targeted for parliamentary submission no later than September 2026. Proposed reforms include mandatory screening for all transactions in specific sectors and extension of screening to greenfield projects and acquisitions by EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) investors in the security sector.

Lexology / White & Case LLP · 2026-04-01

Finland's inward FDI stock stood at USD 149.6 billion at end-2023, with the Uusimaa region (Helsinki metropolitan area) absorbing just over half of new foreign investment. OECD data indicate FDI inflows recovered to USD 859 million in the first half of 2024, compared to near-zero inflows in the same period one year prior, suggesting a partial normalization following the 2023 contraction.

Lloyd's Bank Trade / International Trade Portal · 2026-05-22

Filing fees under the Foreign Corporate Acquisitions Act were subject to revision as of April 1, 2026, with the standard fee set at EUR 8,000 per decision. Indirect transfers of ownership are covered under the Act, meaning no local presence by the acquiror or direct target is required to trigger a review.

ICLG – Foreign Direct Investment Regimes 2026: Finland · 2026-04-01

The Bank of Finland has modelled two tail scenarios for Finland's export trajectory contingent on U.S.–EU tariff outcomes: under a severe escalation scenario, Finnish export growth stalls in 2025 and contracts in 2026 as global demand diminishes substantially; under a mild resolution scenario, GDP growth in 2026 could be 0.5 percentage points above the baseline. Finland's export structure is assessed by the IMF as leaving it materially exposed to shifts in global trade policy.

Bank of Finland Bulletin · 2026-05-22

Finland's trade deficit narrowed to -EUR 0.21 billion in the most recent reporting period, improving from -EUR 0.30 billion previously, though the balance remains in deficit. The improvement may reflect some resilience in export volumes, which the IMF noted grew 3.2 percent year-on-year through 2025 Q3 despite elevated tariff headwinds, while import volumes grew only 0.7 percent, consistent with weak domestic demand.

AInvest / IMF Article IV Staff Report 2026 · 2026-05-22

No significant bilateral or multilateral trade agreement developments specific to Finland were identified within the May 8–22, 2026 reporting window. Finland continues to operate within the European Union's common trade policy framework, with trade negotiations and WTO positions coordinated through the European Commission.

Aperture editorial note · 2026-05-22

The IMF's 2026 Article IV Consultation assessed Finland's economic recovery as stalled, with real GDP growing only 0.4 percent in 2024 and an estimated 0.2 percent in 2025, well below pre-pandemic projections. Public debt is approaching 90 percent of GDP, and the IMF supports a structural primary balance tightening of approximately 0.5 percent of GDP in 2026 to restore fiscal space.

IMF Staff Country Reports – Finland 2026 Article IV Consultation · 2026-01-16

Private consumption has remained unusually weak, with heightened uncertainty, falling house prices, and elevated interest rates more than offsetting real wage recovery. The IMF notes that a recent stabilization in construction activity may signal a sectoral turning point, though non-financial corporate (NFC) debt service burdens remain elevated and non-performing loans (NPLs) have increased in some sectors.

IMF Staff Country Reports – Finland 2026 Article IV Consultation · 2026-01-19

The Finnish financial sector is assessed as large and highly interconnected, with significant direct lending exposure to other Nordic countries' commercial real estate (CRE) and construction sectors. IMF staff support preparatory work for a joint Nordic-Baltic banking sector stress test in 2026, reflecting cross-border contagion risk as a monitored systemic concern.

IMF Staff Country Reports – Finland 2026 Article IV Consultation · 2026-01-19

Foreign-owned companies, while representing only 1 percent of all Finnish firms, account for 23 percent of total turnover (EUR 130 billion), 39 percent of exports, and 27 percent of private-sector research and development investment, underscoring their structural importance to the Finnish economy. Sweden, the United States, and Germany are the top three source countries by net inward FDI stock.

Lloyd's Bank Trade / International Trade Portal · 2026-05-22

The OECD has identified persistent operational frictions for foreign investors in Finland, including longer company registration timelines relative to Nordic peers, limited online registration access for non-European Economic Area (EEA) investors, and slow processing of operational permits that can delay or undermine investment projects. These structural barriers remain unresolved within the reporting window.

OECD – The Impact of Regulation on International Investment in Finland · 2026-05-22

The IMF flags that trade policy uncertainty and the impact of U.S. tariffs may heighten credit risks for Finnish exporting firms, while a prolonged housing downturn presents additional downside risk for construction-sector counterparties. The economy is projected to regain momentum in 2026 as private demand recovers, but the IMF characterizes risks as tilted to the downside.

IMF Staff Country Reports – Finland 2026 Article IV Consultation · 2026-01-16