New project to examine needs for legislative amendments to address use of migration in hybrid influencing

The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to assess the possible needs for legislative amendments to prepare for hybrid influencing that exploits migration. The project will assess the means of the current legislation that can be used to prepare for and respond to such hybrid influencing, as well as possible needs to amend the legislation in the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior. 

Recently, hybrid influencing has been repeatedly directed at the external borders of the European Union. Finland, together with Norway, was also the target of hybrid influencing in 2015–2016. In such situations, an exceptionally large number of asylum seekers are used as a means of hybrid influencing.

Authorities must have sufficient powers to respond to incidents caused by hybrid influencing

Responding to hybrid threats requires many different types of operational, legal, diplomatic and economic means.

Finland too should examine the opportunities offered by national legislation so that the authorities have sufficient powers to respond proactively, effectively and in a proportionate manner to incidents caused by the use of migration in hybrid influencing.

The project will focus on the Aliens Act, the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection and on the Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings, and the Border Guard Act.

A working group will make a proposal for the necessary legislative amendments, after which the Ministry of the Interior will prepare the amendments without delay.

A working group has been set up to prepare the project. The project runs from 24 November 2021 to 21 January 2022.

Inquiries: 
Minna Hulkkonen, Director General and chair of the working group, tel. +358 295 488 600, minna.hulkkonen@govsec.fi