Cooperation with Russia

The Finnish–Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation includes a working group on agriculture and the food industry. It usually convenes in connection with the annual meetings of the Commission, discussing current matters proposed by the parties. The chair of the working group is Ms Aulikki Hulmi, the director of international affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and its secretary is Ms Riitta Pelanteri, administrative officer, also from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The members of the working group represent the Ministry’s branch of administration and businesses and research institutes from the agriculture and food sectors. The chair and secretary also participate in organising the visits of Russian cooperation authorities in Finland and in Finnish authorities’ visits to Russia.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry also participates in the Eastern coordination activities of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the activities of the Finnish-Russian Commission on the Utilisation of Frontier Waters, and bilateral forest cooperation.

The Ministry’s annual appropriations for international activities are mainly used for cooperation between authorities in different matters, such as plant inspections, food export control and veterinary matters.

Ms Johanna Logren, a specialist in food and natural resource matters, works at the Embassy of Finland in Moscow.

Further information: Ms Virpi Suoninen, tel. +358 2951 62023, virpi.suoninen(at)mmm.fi

Useful external websites

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Joint Finnish-Russian Commission on the Utilisation of Frontier Waters