The EU will invest EUR 605 million ESF+ funds in Finland with a focus on innovation and skills promoting employment, lifelong learning and inclusion.  

The funds will be used to boost upskilling and reskilling to help people adapt to a dynamic labour market. Dedicated measures will help tackle material deprivation, intergenerational poverty and social exclusion. Through the ESF+, Finland will also support employment and employability of the unemployed population, including young people, persons with disabilities and migrants. 

These ESF+ investments will support Finland to meet its 2030 targets under the European Pillar of Social Rights for raising the employment rate to 80% and annual adult participation in education and training rate to 60% and reducing the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by nearly 100 000. 

ESF+ funds in Finland are implemented through the ‘Innovation and Skills Finland’ progamme for mainland Finland’ and the Åland Structural Funds Programme for the autonomous region of Åland. Both programmes also receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).