Ministry celebrates 125 years at the core of transport and communications issues

Ministry of Transport and Communications
Publication date 12.9.2017 14.00
News item
The Ministry of Transport and Communications 125 years celebration logo. (Picture: LVM)
The Ministry of Transport and Communications 125 years celebration logo. (Picture: LVM)

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will celebrate its 125th anniversary on 13 September 2017. On that date in 1892, a transport system committee was established as part of the Senate of Finland.

In 1918, the committee became the Ministry of Transport and Public Works which was further divided into the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Transport and Communications in 1970.

Throughout its history the Ministry has promoted the wellbeing of society and improved the operating environment for business and industry by providing good connections. A ministry that had focused on the construction of channels and railways has over the decades become responsible for the strategic guidance of the entire transport and communications sector.

"Well-functioning transport and communications services are among the key elements on which Finnish society is founded. Services and networks have developed enormously over the last hundred years or more. Both transport and communication services are at the heart of the megatrends that have changed the world," says Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner.

"It is the Ministry's task to set the scene and create space for new ideas: It drafts legislation to provide opportunities for change.

Digitalisation is changing practices, services and user behaviour. We want to be bold and take advantage of these opportunities and do things in a new way. We will continue to work for a better future and build a better Finland."