Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 4.1.2025

Changes in 2025 | part 1.

// TV’s clear news will be broadcast next time on January 7th. //

Changes in 2025

The topic of the news week is changes in 2025 part 1.

This is the first news week of the year, and we’re now reporting on the things that will change this year.

In this section, we explain, for example, that many things are becoming more expensive because taxation is becoming stricter.

Medicines, chocolate, menstrual pads

This year, many tax changes came into effect that affect consumers and trade.

Taxation on books, medicines and hotel stays increased from 10% to 14%. Taxation on sports, entertainment and cultural services also increased from 10% to 14%.

An even bigger tax increase may be coming for sweets and chocolate. The government is preparing a law that will raise the tax on sweets from 14 percent to 25.5 percent, i.e. to the level of the general VAT.

The tax on sweets and chocolate will increase in June if Parliament approves the change.

Taxation on some products will decrease.

For example, taxation on menstrual pads and diapers decreased from 25.5 percent to 14 percent this year.

Gasoline and tobacco

The price of gasoline will rise this year. The reason is the increase in the distribution obligation. Oil companies must add more renewable fuels, or biofuels, to gasoline than last year.

Renewable fuels are expensive, which is why they increase the price of gasoline.

The price of tobacco is also rising because tobacco taxes were increased at the beginning of the year. The tax on cigarettes and cigars increased by about 27 percent.

However, the tax on e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches did not increase.

Aliens Act

The Aliens Act was amended at the beginning of the year. International protection will become temporary and the duration of permits will be shortened.

Asylum and extended asylum permits are now granted for 3 years instead of the previous 4 years.

Crimes in Finland also affect decisions more than before. Asylum is not granted or can be lost if the applicant has been convicted of a serious crime or is a danger to society.

Passport and ID card

The prices of passports and ID cards increased this year.

A passport now costs 53 euros in the police’s online services and 57 euros in the police station’s customer service. The prices increased by 9 and 7 euros.

The fee for an ID card is now 63 euros online and 67 euros at the police station. The prices for an ID card increased by 9 and 11 euros.

Repetition

The topic of the news week this time was changes in 2025, part 1.

This news week is in two parts. We’ll tell you more about the changes in the next part of the news week. See you again, bye!