January 2005

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FINLAND SUBMITS ITS SECOND REPORT ON THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES

January 2005 — Finland submitted its second state report pursuant to Article 25 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. It is now up to the Advisory Committee to consider it and adopt an opinion intended for the Committee of Ministers. This is the second periodic report of the Government of Finland on the implementation of the Framework Convention. The report covers the period between March 1999 and June 2004 and contains the follow-up and publication of the results of the first monitoring cycle as well as the resolutions of the Committee of Ministers which among other aspects remark that “Finland has over a period of time made efforts concerning the protection of the Swedish-speaking Finns and their status in such areas as media and education”.

However, the resolutions of the Committee included in the report also remind that despite some efforts, the implementation of the Framework Convention has not been fully successful as concerns Roma: actually, the committee stresses the existing socio-economic differences between some of the Roma and the majority population. As for the Finnish government and its work to combat discrimination, the report shows that it has taken different measures to promote tolerance and to prohibit discriminatory treatment: The establishment of the regional Advisory Boards promoting the co-operation between the Roma living in the provinces and the officials responding to the regional needs of the provinces, and a nationwide project on Roma children's education carried out in Finland in 2001–2002. Moreover, as stated in the report, according to the Constitution of Finland, which entered into force in 2000, “the Roma and other groups have the right to maintain and to develop their own language and culture”.

For further information, see the second periodic report of Finland included in the link below.