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Register shows SY still most active in advocacy
Recent data from the Transparency Register shows that Suomen Yrittäjät is still the association working most actively on its members’ behalf.
The reporting period for the second half of 2025 closed at the end of February. The Transparency Register records lobbying work and contacts with ministers and their assistants, MPs and their assistants, and civil servants.
During the reporting period from early July to the end of December, Suomen Yrittäjät, the Finnish SME association, was for the second consecutive time the most active organisation in advocacy when measured by the number of policy issues reported.
Suomen Yrittäjät contacted the registered decision-makers on 216 issues. The second most active lobbyist was the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), with 201 issues, followed by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, with 179 issues.
Reforms important for entrepreneurs
Mikael Pentikäinen, CEO of Suomen Yrittäjät, says that a large number of reforms and policy initiatives important to business owners were under preparation last year, which is also reflected in the transparency register figures.
“We worked across a broad range of issues, which has been our goal. I am very pleased with how the SY team has operated and exerted influence across the country.”
Pentikäinen stresses that advocacy on behalf of business owners involves close dialogue with decision-makers and officials preparing legislation.
“We make proposals and comment on legislative drafting. That is the only way to ensure that proposals and decisions take account of entrepreneurship and the perspective of business owners.”
Last autumn, a large share of the pro-entrepreneurship measures included in the Government Programme were either being drafted or already before Parliament.
“That is reflected in the figures, and the work continues this year. At the moment, the key issues include reform of the Entrepreneur’s Pension Act, the Public Procurement Act, cutting red tape and tax lobbying. All of these are extremely important from the perspective of business owners. Alongside implementation of the Government Programme, we are currently also working to influence the spring budgetary discussions and preparations for the next general election.”
Number of advocacy work issues 1 Jul.–31 Dec. 2025
- Suomen Yrittäjät 216 issues
- Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners MTK 201 issues
- Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities 179 issues
- Blic Oy 93
- Burson Finland Oy 81
- Miltton Networks Oy 68
- Finnish Association for Nature Conservation 60
- Confederation of Finnish Industries 57
- Finnish Olympic Committee 52
- Finance Finland 51
Transparency Register
The goal of the Transparency Register is to improve transparency of the decision marking of Parliament and the ministries. The Transparency Register makes visible informal advocacy related to decision-making. This advocacy happens outside official working groups and hearings such as consultation stages and committee hearings.
Long-term and planned advocacy directed at Parliament and the ministries is reported to the Transparency Register.
The reported issue tells the public which issues the organization has tried to influence when advocating.
Source: avoimuusrekisteri.fi
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