Consumer Agency

The operation of the Finnish Consumer Agency is directed by a Board of Directors whose members for the period 1 November 2008 to 31 October 2012 are as follows:

• Chair: Sirpa Alitalo, Industrial Counsellor, Ministry of Employment and the Economy
• Vice chair: Terhi-Anna Wilska, Professor, Turku School of Economics and Business Administration
  
  Members:
• Janne Makkula, Legal Counsellor, Federation of Finnish Enterprises
• Raimo Hoikkala, Contract Secretary, Service Union United PAM
• Elisa Juholin, professor 
• Petteri Lehtonen, Lawyer, The Finnish Consumer Agency

The Finnish Consumer Agency has four divisions: Consumer Law, Information, Networks and Administration. Communications report directly to the Director General.

The Director General of the Finnish Consumer Agency, Päivi Hentunen, also acts as the Consumer Ombudsman. The duties of the Consumer Ombudsman are managed by the Consumer Law Division.

Consumer Law, Director Anja Peltonen

• Supervisory duties of the Consumer Ombudsman
• Consumer law issues
• Legal assistance to consumers
• Editorship of the online newsletter Current Issues in Consumer Law
• Guidance of the regional and local administration in matters coming under the division

Information, Director Marjatta Turunen

• Information services for businesses and consumers
• Online services
• Consumer education and Kuluttaja magazine
• Promoting consumer education in schools
• Investigations and comparisons
• Comparative product testing and participation in standardisation work
• Guidance of the regional and local administration in matters coming under the division

Networks, Director Maija Puomila

• Supervisory duties laid down in the Package Travel Companies Act
• Coordination of the regional and local administration, performance management and organisation of training events. Contents of the events are the responsibility of individual divisions
• Guidance of the consumer advisory services
• Guidance of the regional and local administration in matters coming under the division
• Monitoring, payment, guidance and other duties aimed at ensuring proper functioning of the financial and debt counselling
• European Consumer Centre
• Acting as the national administrative contact point, as laid down in the Act on the Provision of Services, and the coordination of the official communications duties arising from the Services Directive

Administration, Director Veli-Matti Pulli

• Coordination of the Agency’s operations and financial planning
• Human resources
• Financial administration
• Property services and management of fixed assets
• Data resource management and document administration
• General administrative and employer duties
• Occupational safety and development of workplace well-being
• Occupational health
• Guidance of the regional and local administration in matters coming under the division