Government proposes that the annual index increases to YLE’s funding be frozen for 2025–2027

On 31 October 2024, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal to amend the Act on the State Television and Radio Fund. The amendment would freeze the annual index increases to funding of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE. The proposal implements the policies of the parliamentary YLE working group.

The YLE working group tasked with assessing the public service duties and funding of YLE proposed in its report of 12 September 2024 that the annual index increases to YLE’s funding be frozen for three years in 2025–2027. In order to implement this, a government proposal would be submitted to amend the Act on the State Television and Radio Fund. 

In practice, no annual index increases for the Television and Radio Fund to the appropriation covering the costs arising from the YLE public service would be made from the national budget in 2025, 2026 and 2027. 

This means that the appropriation for YLE will not increase in 2025–2027 compared to 2024. Without the proposed amendment, the YLE funding would increase in comparison to the appropriation of 2024 by around EUR 16 million in 2025, around EUR 31 million in 2026 and around EUR 47 million in 2027.

What’s next?

A referral debate on the Government proposal now submitted to Parliament will be held in a Parliament plenary session. The date of the session will be announced on the Parliament website (upcoming plenary sessions).

After the referral debate, the proposal will be taken to the Parliamentary Committee. Once the Committee’s report is ready, the processing of the matter will continue in a plenary session.

This proposal concerns the amendment to the 2025 budget proposal and is intended for consideration in connection with it. The act is due to enter into force on 1 January 2025.

Inquiries:

Eero Salojärvi, Senior Specialist, [email protected], tel. +358 29 532 4123
Roosa Patrakka, Senior Specialist, [email protected], tel. +358 29 534 2192