Business restraining order progresses

An expert at Suomen Yrittäjät, the Finnish SME association, says a business restraining order would be useful in situations where the same person poses a threat continually.

The Ministry of Justice is continuing to investigate the possible ways to implement a business restraining order. A business restraining order would mean a person could be banned from a company’s premises because of disorderly conduct.

Tiina Toivonen, Legal Affairs Manager at Suomen Yrittäjät, thinks that progress on a business restraining order is important for businesses.

“Shopkeepers have told us that harassment, threats and shoplifting have increased in shops in recent years. The police’s statistics support this.”

Toivonen says that threatening and violent customers are not only a danger to the business owner, but also their staff and customers.

“At present, a small employer does not have effective tools to remove or bar people like this from their premises. That’s why Finland needs regulation to allow business restraining orders.”

“Breaching the order should be punished”

The Government Programme of Petteri Orpo (NCP) states the need to evaluate current regulation. The Government has investigated options for implementing a business restraining order. Preparations have been made in collaboration between the Ministry for Employment and the Economy and the Ministry of the Interior. On 4 October, the Ministry of Justice held a symposium attended by the retailers SOK and Kesko, the trade union PAM, the Confederation of Finnish Industries, Suomen Yrittäjät, and the retailer associations Federation of Finnish Special Commodity Trade ETU, the Finnish Commerce Federation, and the K-Retailers’ Association. The issues discussed included the functionality of current regulation and the problems that a business restraining order would solve.

Prime Minister Orpo’s Government Programme contains two references to a business restraining order. The first states: “Adopt a business restraining order to improve business and occupational safety”. The second states: “The Government will enable application of a business restraining order against a person who repeatedly threatens and harasses a business”.

An expert at Suomen Yrittäjät says a business restraining order would be particularly useful in situations where the same person repeatedly poses a threat on the business’s premises.

“The regulation on business restraining orders should enable effective prevention of seriously dangerous situations in shops. That’s why orders should be issued quickly and efficiently. In addition, breaching the order should be punished and compliance monitored,” Tiina Toivonen of Suomen Yrittäjät says.

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