Finnish Supervisory Agency operations begin on 1 January 2026, creating one of Finland’s largest state administrative bodies and moving key oversight duties under a single national umbrella. Headquartered in Tampere, the new multisector agency will employ around 2,000 people and operate through 18 offices nationwide, taking over most tasks previously handled by the Regional State Administrative Agencies (Regional State Administrative Agency, AVI) as well as the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira).
What the new Finnish Supervisory Agency will do
The Finnish Supervisory Agency is designed as a “multisector” authority: instead of supervising one policy area, it will oversee a wide range of services and regulatory fields. Its remit includes health and social services, early childhood education and care, parts of the environmental sector, occupational safety and health, rescue services, and preparedness.
In practice, the agency will become the main point of contact for many inspections, compliance checks and licensing decisions that previously sat across different administrative structures. The stated goal is to support more uniform practices across the country, reducing regional differences in how permits and supervisory decisions are applied.
Why Finland is merging AVI, Valvira and other supervisory tasks
The launch is the operational milestone of Finland’s broader regional state administration overhaul. The Finnish government is bringing central-government permit, guidance and supervision functions into a single national agency while reshaping the regional structure around it.
Supporters of the reform argue that a nationally competent agency can streamline permitting and make oversight more consistent, especially in sectors where decisions can have major public impact—such as social and health services quality, workplace safety compliance, and environmental procedures.
What happens to AVI’s functions and ongoing cases
Finland’s AVI activities formally end at the close of 2025, with most tasks transferred to the Finnish Supervisory Agency. Pending matters should be moved automatically so that cases do not need to be resubmitted by citizens or organisations.
However, both AVI communications and the transition planning acknowledge that temporary service disruptions are possible as work streams, case management systems and customer service channels are consolidated. Customer phone service is scheduled to open on 5 January, while the agency’s web presence is expected to go live at the beginning of the year.
Which tasks go elsewhere: food control, competition and consumer issues
Not all responsibilities will follow the main transfer. Some AVI duties related to animal health and welfare and food are moving to the Finnish Food Authority, while a smaller set of competition and consumer administration tasks will be transferred to the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
The intention is to keep expertise close to the regions even as national structures change, with many specialists expected to continue working from their current localities.
Tampere headquarters and an 18-office national footprint
Placing the headquarters in Tampere underlines the reform’s aim to balance national coordination with geographic reach. The agency will have offices in 18 locations across Finland—from Helsinki and Turku in the south to Oulu and Rovaniemi in the north—so that supervision and permitting work remains present throughout the country.
The reform does not change the status of Åland’s state administration: the State Department of Åland will continue to be responsible for state administration in the autonomous region.
