Along with the Ministry of Justice, the FM is one of the two oldest ministries in Finland. Finland’s fiscal autonomy started in the Diet of Porvoo in 1809, when the Emperor of Russia and Grand Duke of Finland Alexander I solemnly declared that all taxes levied in autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland would be used solely to meet the nation’s own needs. The predecessor of Ministry of Finance was called the Economic Division of The Governing Council. It was founded to manage the civil administrative and economic affairs of the country.