Municipal Amalgamation and the Role of the Joint Municipal Boards in Finland

芬兰是一个联合市政委员会制度历史悠久的国家，因为在芬兰，地方当局可以自己提供服务，但也可以从其他公共和私营服务提供者那里购买服务，或将其业务私有化，例如成立公司。它们还可以与其他地方当局联合提供服务。各市镇可自由组成联合市政委员会，此外，法律规定各市镇必须加入三个市政委员会，即区域委员会、医院护理委员会和照顾弱智者的委员会，联合市政委员会制度长期以来被认为是确保向居民提供服务的最有效办法。芬兰人一般不赞成市镇合并，尽管近一半的市镇规模很小。然而，由于人口原因和全球环境，芬兰政府于2005年5月制定了一个重组市政和服务的项目。该项目的目标是为今后的服务建立健全的财政基础。目前正在讨论三种模式：基本市镇模式、地区模式和区域模式。内阁将于2006年秋季作出决定。

Finland is a country where the system of the joint municipal boards has a long history asIn Finland local authorities can produce services themselves, but they can also purchase them from other service providers, both public private, or privatize their operation, for example by setting up companies. They can also provide services jointly with other local authorities. Municipalities are free to form joint municipal boards, in addition to three municipal boards to which municipalities are required to belong by law ; regional councils, boards that operates hospital cares, and boards that take care of the mentally retarded.The system of joint municipal boards has long been regarded as the most effective way to secure services to the residents. Finnish people in general are not in fabour of municipal amalgamation, in spite of the fact that nearly half of the municipalities are very small-sized. However, due to demographic reasons and the global environment, Finnish government set a project to restructure municipalities and services in May 2005. The objective of the project is to establish sound financial basis for the services for future. Three models are now under discussion ; the model of basic municipalities, the district mode and the regional model. Cabinet decision will be made by autumn 2006.