Prime Minister Sipilä's Government allocated a total of EUR 323 million to bioeconomy and clean solutions and set up five key projects. However, the project objectives were achieved only partly. The NAOF assessed how well the key project system promoted the achievement of the objectives. In addition, the NAOF assessed the functioning of the Government's new strategy model and key project system.
One of the strategic priorities in Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s Government Programme was ‘Bioeconomy and clean solutions’, which consisted of five key projects. A total of EUR 323 million was allocated to this strategic priority, and four government-term objectives were set for it. Operations within the strategic priority were led by a ministerial working group.
The NAOF assessed how well the government-term objectives were achieved within the strategic priority, and how well the preparation and implementation of the actions promoted the achievement of the objectives. The audit also assessed the functioning of the Government’s new strategy model and key project system.
On the basis of the audit findings, the preparation and implementation of the actions within the strategic priority promoted well the achievement of the objectives of the government term. However, the objectives were achieved only partly. The energy and climate objectives will be achieved, and the deregulation objective was well achieved. Only a few jobs were created within bioeconomy and cleantech, and the balance of trade for foodstuffs did not improve.
The overall project was appropriately and efficiently organised. The planned and funded actions were taken, and the functioning of the new strategy model was assessed while the operations were still underway. The objectives, tasks, responsibilities and schedules were defined. The objectives were monitored continuously, and indicators were determined for the monitoring. Communications between the ministries and the ministerial working group were smooth.
In the further development of the Government’s new strategy model and key project system, the NAOF encourages the actors to pay special attention to providing guidelines to the ministerial working groups in order to ensure that their work is smooth, efficient and systematic. The Prime Minister’s Office should prepare guidelines on the issues, measures plans and practices that the ministerial working groups should agree in writing as soon as they start their work. These guidelines would constitute the jointly approved operating manual of the ministerial working group of each strategic priority.
