Cancelling the introduction of light cars
Act repealing the acts on light cars
The introduction of speed-limited passenger cars, known as light cars, for young people will be cancelled. Legislation concerning light cars will be repealed before its entry into force because it conflicts with EU law.
- Status
- Passed
- Submitted
- 17 Sep 2020
- Latest event
- 20 Oct 2020
- Votes
- 1
- Speeches
- 50
- Confirmed
- 22 Oct 2020
- Statute
- 710/2020
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
Previously enacted light car legislation, which was scheduled to enter into force on 1 November 2020, will be repealed in its entirety. Passenger cars cannot be converted into light cars with a maximum speed of 60 km/h that could have been driven at the age of 15 with a category AM driving licence.
What it means
Young people aged 15 to 17 will not have access to light cars, leaving mopeds, moped cars and tractors as vehicle options for young people. The change prevents EU infringement proceedings that threatened Finland and affects companies that had prepared for light cars and speed limiters.
How Parliament voted
2nd reading · 15 Oct 2020Parliament passed the act by 32–22.
Government yes, opposition no. 145 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. The seating plan at the time of this vote is not archived, so MPs are grouped by party in indicative seats.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 22 Oct 2020.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
50 speeches · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
The debate focused on repealing previously enacted light car legislation due to obstacles posed by EU law. The government parties considered the repeal necessary to avoid EU infringement proceedings and legal uncertainty, while the opposition demanded that the acts enter into force to improve road safety for young people. The proposal clearly divided Parliament along government and opposition lines.
- Should Finland have brought the light car acts into force despite the threat of EU sanctions?
- Would light cars improve road safety for young people or create new risks for other road users?
- Had the Government acted with sufficient vigour in EU negotiations to obtain an exemption?
- Social DemocratsIn favour
The SDP considered repealing the acts necessary to avoid non-compliance with EU rules and resulting sanctions, but felt that advancing the light car issue could continue in the EU directive reform.
”Nyt on kuitenkin tärkeä kumota nykyiset lait, jotteivät ne astuisi voimaan EU-oikeuden vastaisena lainsäädäntönä.”
— Paula Werning - Centre PartyIn favour
The Centre Party supported the proposal due to the Chancellor of Justice's position and potential EU sanctions, even though it considered light cars very necessary for the mobility of young people in rural and sparsely populated areas.
”Lakien kumoamatta jättäminen aiheuttaisi tilanteen, jossa Suomen lainsäädäntö olisi ristiriidassa EU:n lainsäädännön kanssa.”
— Mikko Kinnunen - GreensIn favour
The Greens supported repealing the acts and pointed out that heavy vehicles in the hands of inexperienced drivers would undermine road safety and hinder the development of sustainable forms of mobility.
”Kevytautolaki ei sitä ole, ja siksi on oikein, että hallitus nyt esittää sen kumoamista.”
— Mirka Soinikoski - Left AllianceIn favour
The Left Alliance supported the Government's line on repeal, but criticised the Commission's actions and urged Finland to make use of other member states' derogations in the reform of the EU Driving Licence Directive.
”Ensinnäkin haluan korostaa sitä, että kritiikki ei kohdistunut millään lailla ministeri Harakkaan tai hänen esikuntaansa vaan kohdistuu ihan puhtaasti komissioon.”
— Merja Kyllönen - National Coalition PartyAgainst
The National Coalition Party opposed the proposal and demanded that the light car act enter into force, arguing that light cars offer young people a safer form of transport than moped cars and that Finland should not give in to the fear of EU infringement proceedings.
”Siksi ehdotan ja esitän, että hallituksen esitys laiksi kevytautoja koskevien lakien kumoamisesta eli hallituksen esitys 128/2020 vp hylätään.”
— Kari Tolvanen - Finns PartyAgainst
The Finns Party opposed the repeal and called for the act to be brought into force, taking the view that young people's road safety should not be sacrificed for EU bureaucracy or the interests of the southern European moped car industry.
”Todellakin yhdyn ehdottomasti kokoomuksen ja meidän perussuomalaisten yhdessä tekemään hylkäysesitykseen.”
— Sheikki Laakso
This digest was generated by AI from 50 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin liikenne- ja viestintävaliokuntaan.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 128/2020 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 17 Sep 2020Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Liikenne- ja viestintäministeriö
- 22 Sep 2020Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 1 Oct 2020Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · liikenne- ja viestintävaliokunta
- 6 Oct 2020Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 16 Oct 2020Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 16 Oct 2020Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki kevytautoja koskevien lakien kumoamisestaHyväksytty · 710/2020 · 22 Oct 2020
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki kevytautoja koskevien lakien kumoamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti säädetään:
1 §
Tällä lailla kumotaan ajoneuvolain muuttamisesta annettu laki (130/2019), ajokorttilain muuttamisesta annettu laki (131/2019), ajoneuvoverolain 4 §:n muuttamisesta annettu laki (133/2019), autoverolain 1 §:n muuttamisesta annettu laki (134/2019), polttoainemaksulain 1 §:n muuttamisesta annettu laki (135/2019), arvonlisäverolain 114 §:n muuttamisesta annettu laki (136/2019) ja rikoslain 23 luvun 12 §:n muuttamisesta annettu laki (137/2019).
2 §
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 .
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 2 Sep 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.