Indirect public administration

Indirect public administration supplements and supports the authorities in their tasks. In other words, indirect public administration means organisations that are not authorities but that perform public tasks or exercise public power. However, under the Constitution of Finland, only the authorities may perform tasks involving the use of significant public powers.

Indirect public administration covers a large number of institutions, associations, companies and foundations, including 

• companies performing vehicle inspections
• Finnish Centre for Pensions and pension insurance companies that handle the earnings-related pension provision of private-sector employees and the self-employed
• The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra
• Veikkaus Oy.

Indirect public administration actors may perform public service tasks or administrative tasks, such as permit or funding decisions and supervision. For example, game management districts may grant hunting licences. Public service tasks include services connected with the maintaining of welfare services.

Public powers and the management of public duties are delegated to indirect public administration so that the operations can be made more flexible and the services more easily available.