MEAE: External evaluation of the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency completed

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment press release: A report that evaluates the activities, services and implementation of digitalisation projects at the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) has been completed. The report includes recommendations for both Tukes and the ministries steering its activities to develop the agency's activities in the future.

Tukes is a licensing and supervisory authority that promotes the safety and reliability of products, services and industrial activities. Tukes falls within the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. An external evaluation Tukes, which began in spring 2021, has now been published. Such evaluations are undertaken to develop the administration of authorities. 

The report assessed the ways in which Tukes carries out its activities, services and digitalisation projects as well as the agency’s operations in international and EU-level cooperation. The evaluation also examined the functionality of internal activities and processes, the systematic nature of the agency’s digital competence, and the implementation and management of digitalisation projects. In addition, the report explored the customer orientation of Tukes’ services and stakeholders’ views on how the agency’s activities correspond to expectations.

According to the report, the need to reform has been identified within the agency. Tukes has a vision, good development goals and plans on how to renew and develop its operations.

The evaluation includes development recommendations to Tukes, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and other ministries steering the activities of the agency. The recommendations call on Tukes to invest more strongly in promoting the agency’s unity and to implement the development and digitalisation of services more efficiently. The monitoring of performance and effectiveness of development projects should also be improved. 

Tukes’ performance guidance and supervision also under evaluation

The evaluation also examined how well Tukes’ performance guidance and supervision function. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for Tukes’ general performance guidance and supervision. In addition, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Ministry of the Environment guide Tukes in their respective administrative branches.

The ministries in charge of directing Tukes are urged to develop the current structures of performance management so that the operational and strategic steering of the agency’s activities do not begin to diverge from each other too much.

A consortium that included KPMG Oy AB, 4Front Oy and Frisky & Anjoy Oy carried out the assessment.

Inquiries:
Eeva-Liisa Koltta-Sarkanen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 063 518

External evaluation of the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) (in Finnish)