Key Flag Symbol Rules

Qualifications and Conditions of the Association for Finnish Work’s Key Flag Symbol mark

1. The purpose of these rules together with the terms of use (”Terms of Use”) is to promote the use of the Key Flag Symbol as a reliable indicator of origin in the marketing of Finnish products and services, as well as in other marketing communications of Finnish companies. The objective of the Key Flag Symbol is to provide information on the Finnish origin of a product or service and its contribution to Finnish work.

2. The Key Flag Symbol is a registered collective mark owned by the Association for Finnish Work (”Association”). The following rules shall apply to the usage right the of Key Flag Symbol.

3. The right to use the Key Flag Symbol can be awarded upon application at the discretion of the Key Flag Symbol Committee, which is nominated by the Executive Committee of the Association, to products, product groups, individually named products or combinations thereof owned by an organisation which is a member of the Association and operates in Finland, provided that the products or services mentioned above are manufactured or produced in Finland and that they comply with the requirements set forth in these rules.

4. The Key Flag Symbol Committee, which has the necessary expertise for the task, processes the applications for the right to use the Key Flag Symbol, grants the right to use the Key Flag Symbol and addresses disputes. The Committee shall have quorum if at least half of its members are present, including the Chairman and/or the Vice-chairman.

5. The Key Flag Symbol Committee shall require that the applicant organisation comply with Finnish law, any applicable official regulations, the code of good practice and the Terms of Use.

6. Eligibility

  • The applicant organisation must be a member of the Association.
  • The applicant organisation must have a business ID.

7. Requirements Set for Products

The right to use the Key Flag Symbol can be granted to a Finnish product. When awarding the usage right of the Key Flag Symbol the product or product group shall fulfil the following requirements:

  • The product or product group is manufactured in Finland.
  • The minimum domestic content of the break-even cost of the product or product group is 50 percent.

Domestic content is determined by the break-even cost of products. The break-even cost comprises the following costs:

  • raw materials
  • supplies
  • partly or semi-finished goods
  • packing materials and supplies
  • variable and fixed employee costs
  • subcontracting
  • other direct costs
  • marketing costs
  • product development costs
  • depreciation and interest
  • other indirect costs

The Committee shall also consider the following factors:

  • image of Finnish origin

8. Requirements Set for Services

The Key Flag Symbol can be granted to a Finnish service. When awarding the usage right of the Key Flag Symbol to individual and named services or service combinations, the service shall fulfil the following requirements:

  • The service is produced in Finland.
  • The minimum domestic content of the service is 50 percent of the break-even cost.
  • The applicant organisation has significant domestic ownership and its management is located in Finland.
  • The applicant organisation’s head office is located in Finland.

The domestic content of services is determined by their break-even cost. The break-even cost comprises the following variable costs:

  • employee costs
  • subcontracting
  • material purchased
  • other service-related costs

The Committee shall also consider the following factors:

  • origin of the service concept
  • Finnish design and/or product development
  • effect of the service on strengthening the position of domestic products and services
  • image of Finnish origin

9. The licensed organisation may use the Key Flag Symbol in its corporate image communications, such as image or brand advertising, when over 75 percent of the organisation’s turnover is generated by Key Flag Symbol products or services.

10. The right to use the Key Flag Symbol shall be valid for three full calendar years, provided that the organisation is a member of the Association. The Key Flag Symbol Committee can, at its discretion, award the right to use the mark for a period shorter than three years.

The right to use the Key Flag Symbol shall be renewed every three years. The Association shall notify the licence holder of the expiry in advance.

11. All information related to the application shall be treated in confidence and kept secret. Information on which of the organisation’s products and services have been awarded the right to use the Key Flag Symbol shall remain public and the Association shall maintain a public register of such information. Information on the application and award process shall also be public.

12. An administration fee shall be charged for the right to use the mark and its renewal in accordance with the grounds set out by the Association’s Executive Committee.

13. The provisions of the Finnish Trademarks Act (26.4.2019/544) on association marks shall apply to the Key Flag Symbol.

14. The Association’s Executive Committee shall decide on any amendments to these rules.

12 December 2019

Read also the marks´ Terms of Use »