Island Committee

The Island Committee is a permanent statutory advisory committee appointed by the Government, which operates from 2008 at the Ministry of Employment and Economics. The committee participates in the development of island areas jointly with regions, municipalities, State authorities and other relevant parties. The committee has its own secretariat with a full-time secretary general. The members of the secretariat represent ministries, Government agencies and institutes, and Regional Councils. Part-time secretaries represent the municipal sector. In addition, the representative of the island committee for the Åland Islands takes part in committee meetings as an expert member.

 

The Island Committee draws up a national Island Development Programme, which applies to all municipalities in Finland. Every year the Island Committee organises a national seminar on island and coastal areas and river basins. All Finnish regions and half of municipalities have participated in large-scale development projects launched by the Island Committee.