Finland Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in finland, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Investment Climate Statement
Last published date:

The U.S. Department of State’s Investment Climate Statements help U.S. companies make informed business decisions by providing up-to-date information on the investment climates of more than 170 countries and economies. They are prepared by our embassies and consulates around the world and analyze each economy’s openness to foreign investment. Topics include:

  • Openness to, and Restrictions upon, Foreign Investment,

  • Investment and Taxation Treaties,

  • Legal Regime,

  • Industrial Policies,

  • Protection of Property Rights,

  • Financial Sector,

  • State-owned Enterprises,

  • Corruption,

  • Labor Policies and Practices,

  • Political and Security Environment, and

  • U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs

Each statement provides a starting point for U.S. firms and offers a point of contact at the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.

These reports are also a resource for foreign governments to create business environments that ensure fair treatment for the United States and our companies and investors. 

To access the full Investment Climate Statement, visit the U.S. Department of State Investment Climate Statements website

Executive Summary - Finland

Finland is a Nordic country situated north of the Baltic states, bordering Russia, Sweden, and Norway. It has excellent transportation links within the Nordic-Baltic region and is a member of the Schengen Zone, within which internal border controls have been, for the most part, eliminated. The population is around 5.6 million, with more than 85 percent residing in cities in the country’s south. Helsinki is the capital and largest city, with a population of around 675,000 in the city and 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.

Finland is a member of the European Union and a part of the Euro area. In 2023, Finland joined NATO and concluded negotiations on a bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the United States, which entered into force in 2024. NATO membership and the DCA should benefit the country economically by increasing regional security and stability; and investments in the defense industry will create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Finland and trade.

As a modern economy, Finland offers a well-developed digital infrastructure with stability, functionality, and a high standard of living. The country has a skilled, educated, and multilingual labor force with solid expertise in information communications technology (ICT) and emerging technologies, including microelectronics; quantum and supercomputing; shipbuilding; forestry; and renewable energy. Finland and the United States are intensifying cooperation in various fields, including the maritime industry, cybersecurity, 5G/6G networks, nuclear, climate, energy, health, biotechnology, space, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies through previously concluded bilateral joint statements and agreements.

As with a number of other European countries, Finland was in recession in 2023 and 2024 due to factors such as high inflation, rising interest rates, a downturn in construction and investment, weak export demand, and reduced consumer confidence. The center-right government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, formed in June 2023 following parliamentary elections in April 2023, aims to improve weak economic growth through changes to structural policies, including balancing public finances; spurring investment in education, research, and development; accelerating the green transition; and introducing labor market reforms. Labor unions engaged in a series of political strikes aimed at blocking the implementation of the labor market reforms during the spring of 2024. Labor unions also engaged in strikes during the spring of 2025 to demand pay raises aimed at countering the increased cost of living.

At the same time, an aging population and a shrinking workforce are some of the most pressing demographic concerns for economic growth and increase pressure on the sustainability of public finances. According to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Barometer 2023, more than three-quarters of businesses report experiencing a talent shortage, with large foreign-owned companies being most negatively affected. In response, Finland aims to increase work- and education-based immigration through the Talent Boost program, extended to include the years 2023-2027.

In 2025, the government launched a clean transition aid and tax scheme to support investment projects in renewable energy production, industrial electrification, hydrogen economy, carbon capture and storage, and battery production. The current pipeline of clean technology investments amounts to approximately €293 billion (approx. $324 billion), including projects by domestic and multinational companies. The high share of carbon-free electricity production in the domestic energy mix, coupled with low energy prices and low temperatures in Finland, is also attracting significant data center investments in the country. The government also seeks to enhance the minerals sector’s development, strengthen mineral value chains, and increase domestic value added by reforming permitting processes.

Economists predict the economy will bounce back in 2025. The government is increasing public investments, particularly in defense and R&D. Private investment and consumer demand are gradually recovering, and the construction sector is already experiencing a turnaround, supported by falling interest rates and rising purchasing power. However, the impacts of geopolitical uncertainties and the effects of possible tariffs and counter-tariffs between the United States and the EU could significantly affect Finland’s economic recovery.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has impacted Finland’s overall economic conditions as demonstrated by higher energy and commodity prices, the disruption of international commerce, weaker confidence in the economy, and higher inflation. The overall economic effects of the war on the private sector have remained relatively minimal as companies have replaced Russian trade with other markets, since Finland closed its border with Russia indefinitely in December 2023. View the Investment Climate Statement for Finland at https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/finland/. 

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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