The ELY Centre (the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) is the central government’s multidisciplinary development and executive organisation operating in different areas around Finland. We deal in matters that affect everyone’s daily lives. We promote the development of industries, rural areas and the labour market. We are close to you, and we support companies in a versatile manner. We protect nature and the environment and promote biodiversity and the good status of water bodies. We are responsible for a safe and functional traffic network and daily road maintenance and implement functional transport solutions for the needs of both citizens and businesses. 

ELY Centres nurture a coaching work culture and verify their personnel’s competence regularly. Our work community treats our colleagues equally and in a non-discriminatory manner. Our values include customer orientation, expertise and cooperation. Our team of multidisciplinary professionals works for our customers together with our stakeholders and partners.

Towards new agencies

From 2026, we will be working in new agencies: the Economic Development Centres and the Finnish Supervisory Agency. We will switch to working in the new agencies in accordance with our functions.

The ten regional Economic Development Centres will be responsible for areas such as business, employment, rural areas, immigration, transport and the environment. The Economic Development Centres will in future handle the lion's share of the functions of the present ELY Centres. The environmental functions of the ELY Centres will be transferred to the Economic Development Centres including the promotion of biodiversity and climate work. The ELY Centres' public transport procurement functions will be transferred to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

The Finnish Supervisory Agency will handle, for example, functions related to healthcare and social welfare, the environment and education. The Finnish Supervisory Agency will bring together all the functions of the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira and most of those of the Regional State Administrative Agencies, as well as most of the environmental functions of the ELY Centres. These include environmental protection and nature conservation, land use, construction, water and marine management licensing, guidance, planning and supervision, water resource management supervision and licensing, and environmental impact assessment.