International and EU
The general premise of the international and EU activities in the Ministry of the Interior’s branch of government is to comprehensively promote the objectives of the security-focused Government Programme, Finland’s EU policy priorities and the Joint Strategy for the Ministry of the Interior’s Administrative Branch.
The Ministry of the Interior sets out annually the priorities that guide the international and EU activities in its administrative branch.
Priorities in EU and international affairs in the Ministry of the Interior’s administrative branch
The Ministry’s international and EU activities are based on Finland’s international commitments, the Government Programme, the Government’s strategic EU policies and the Ministry’s own priorities.
The Ministry cooperates bilaterally and multilaterally with several partner countries and groups of countries in a variety of cooperation forums.
Cooperation is coordinated by the International Affairs Unit
The Ministry's International Affairs Unit coordinates international and EU-related matters that fall within the Ministry’s mandate.
These include:
- general coordination of EU matters that fall within the Ministry’s mandate
- management of the Ministry's external relations
- organisation of visits and meetings of the Ministry's senior management
- coordination of litigation and infringement cases pending before EU institutions and falling within the Ministry’s mandate as well as coordination of the periodic reporting on the implementation of international human rights treaties
International and EU affairs are coordinated in close cooperation with the Ministry's departments and the units directly under the Permanent Secretary as well as with other central government bodies.
EU affairs and the Finnish Government