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Interoperability

16.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal on temporary protection. As the crisis in Ukraine drags on, there is a need to reform the legislation on temporary protection. The project will prepare the necessary amendments to the Aliens Act concerning people who have fled the war in Ukraine but also other possible situations of temporary protection in the future. 

5.12.2024 | The Government proposes amendments to the legislation on temporary protection. The aim is to streamline the granting of temporary protection from the perspective of both the beneficiaries and the authorities. The amendments concern people who have fled the war in Ukraine but also other possible situations of temporary protection in the future. The Government submitted the proposal for the amendments to the Aliens Act to Parliament on 5 December.

1.2.2021 | Today the Ministry of the Interior has opened a call for proposals under the Internal Security Fund (ISF). About EUR 4.2 million in EU financial support will be made available for projects that meet the objectives of the Fund. The call for proposals will be open until 31 March at 16.15.

3.9.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to amend the legislation on temporary protection in order to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals and their family members even after 4 March 2025. The project will prepare the necessary amendments to the Aliens Act.   

Government Programme measures to reform migration policy The Government Programme’s objective is to reform Finland’s migration policy so that it offers assistance to the most vulnerable people and prevents abuse of the system. Finland’s asylum pol...

Government Programme measures to reform border security The Government Programme aims to ensure Finland's border security in all situations. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and other changes in the security environment require that border secu...

Data protection and processing of personal data at the Ministry of the Interior Contact information Data Protection Officer Data Protection Officer Mikko Levämäki tietosuojavastaava.sm(at)gov.fi Controller Ministry of the Interior, PO Box 26, FI-0...

12.9.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal on tightening the conditions for family reunification. The conditions would be made more stringent in cases where a third-country national applies for a residence permit based on family ties. The legislative project aims to introduce the additional conditions for family reunification enabled by the EU Family Reunification Directive, and to draft the required amendments to the Aliens Act.

17.1.2023 | The European Commission is funding the EU’s first chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear strategic reserve in Finland, under rescEU, which includes personal protective equipment, measuring equipment, pharmaceuticals and antibodies in Finland for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear accidents.

16.8.2023 | At the beginning of the year, Finland received substantial funding of EUR 242 million from the EU Commission for the establishment of a CBRN strategic reserve. Material will be stockpiled in the reserve in case of emergencies involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) threats, accidents and situations, especially in Northern and Eastern Europe, says Project Manager Tarja Rantala.

8.9.2023 | Recent news has shown that countries in Europe also need to be increasingly prepared for serious, protracted and large-scale crises. Even in the EU, Member States have the primary responsibility for preventing, preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters.

23.9.2021 | The development of interoperability between EU information systems will improve the identity management of third-country nationals staying in the Schengen area. The package includes a number of extensive EU information systems related to internal security, migration management and travel. The EU regulations concerning the framework for interoperability were adopted in 2019. The legislative propo...

4.8.2023 | Summary: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues. As a result of the war, around four million Ukrainians have applied for temporary protection in the Member States of the European Union. Other migration to the EU is also growing. Both the number of asylum applications submitted in the EU and irregular migration to the EU are on the rise. At the moment, migration pressure is concentrated on the Central Mediterranean route from Tunisia and Libya to Italy.

17.9.2025 | Finland and Norway held a preparedness exercise on 15–16 September to prepare for serious accidents, crises and emergencies. The exercise entailed Finland sending medicinal products and medical supplies to Norway in a fictitious crisis scenario. The exercise was related to the EU’s shared emergency stockpiles, known as rescEU stockpiles, some of which are located in Finland.

14.4.2020 | The information systems used by law enforcement authorities in the EU Member States will be developed to improve their interoperability. The aim is to ensure that the end-users of the systems (the police or border authorities, for example) have rapid and controlled access to the information they need for the performance of their duties.

22.6.2026 | SHELTER COALITION FOR UKRAINE: INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE SAFETY OF THE POPULATION As a result of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the constant attacks against civilian population, there is a need to rapidly increase the number of...

28.5.2026 | The Government proposes extending the validity of Finnish passports and identity cards to 10 years. On 28 May, the Government submitted to Parliament a draft proposal for amending the Passport Act and the Identity Card Act. The Ministry of the Interior estimates that the acts could enter into force by early 2028 at the latest.

13.5.2026 | The rescEU Medical Stockpile hosted in Finland reached its full material readiness at the end of April. All products specified in the original plan have now been purchased and stored and they are ready to go. The project was completed on schedule, thanks to seamless cooperation among the different parties.

3.10.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior launched the autumn call for proposals for the EU Home Affairs Funds on 3 October 2022. A total of EUR 86.7 million in funding can be applied for from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI). The call for proposals will end on 1 November 2022.

24.6.2024 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Norwegian Minister of Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl met in Finland on Monday 24 June. Together, the ministers paid a visit to the Southeast Finland Border Guard District at Finland’s eastern border and received a briefing on the progress of the border fence and other projects. 

News RSS (Opens New Window) (Opens New Window) Finnish Border Guard’s criminal intelligence activities to be strengthened to combat organised crime Type: Press release Publication date: 27.8.2026 13.54 Amendments proposed to Act on Emergency Warni...

Archive: Press releases and news Finnish Border Guard’s criminal intelligence activities to be strengthened to combat organised crime Organization: Ministry of the Interior Type: Press release Categories: Publication date: 27.8.2026 Amendments pro...

7.4.2022 | The European Commission is proposing changes to the rules governing the European Union's Home Affairs Funds for the 2014-2020 period and the new 2021-2027 period. The proposal aims to allow for efficient use of the funds to support EU Member States to better respond to the increased migration from Ukraine and the needs arising from border control arrangements. The Ministry of the Interior informed the Parliament about the proposal by Union communication on 7 April 2022.

13.2.2026 | The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project to develop a new feature for the Emergency Response Centre Agency’s 112 Suomi app to warn of airborne threats. The project will be carried out with EU funding, and other EU Member States can also benefit from the results of Finland’s development work.

Key changes in firearms legislation in recent years

25.6.2026 | Baltic Sea Security Meeting 18 June 2026; Final Statement 18 JUNE 2026 We, the Ministers and representatives responsible for the internal security, law enforcement and border management of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Estonia, the Repub...

Civilian material assistance to Ukraine A highly exceptional aid operation is underway in Europe. Extensive amounts of assistance have been sent to Ukraine and neighbouring countries through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The Depar...

24.11.2021 | 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. 

Interoperability

26.11.2021 | Finland has received EU funding to build a rescue team for fighting forest fires. The European Commission granted co-financing for a joint project of the rescue departments of South Karelia, North Karelia, South Savo, North Savo and Kymenlaakso for the procurement of special equipment required for a rescue team fighting forest fires.

6.5.2024 | The European Union will begin providing secure satellite connections to its Member States at the end of this year. The plan is to offer Members States high-speed broadband connectivity in areas where no terrestrial connections are available. In April, the Ministry of the Interior launched a preliminary study on the adoption of secure satellite connections.

23.9.2021 | A new act will be enacted for the management of the European Union’s Home Affairs Funds. The act on the programming period 2021–2027 lays down provisions on managing the programmes under the Funds and on implementing the aid system. On 23 September, the Government submitted to Parliament its proposal for an act on Home Affairs Funds.

The aim is to extend the validity of Finnish passports to 10 years.

13.8.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal on amending the Aliens Act. The aim of the proposal is to ensure that people who receive international protection can exercise their right to family life as fully as possible. A further aim is to make sure that the best interests of the child are upheld in family reunification cases involving minor children who receive international protection.

14.10.2021 | The Government has submitted to Parliament a government proposal for supplementary legislation on the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). The purpose of the proposal is to make amendments to the national legislation as required by the relevant European Parliament and Council regulations. 

7.10.2021 | National implementation of the EU Directive on access to financial information moves a step closer. On 7 October, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to amend the Act on the Bank and Payment Accounts Control System and the Act on the Financial Intelligence Unit.

8.12.2025 | The Finnish Ministry of the Interior and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) have agreed to deepen cooperation across different sectors. The cooperation emphasises support for Ukraine's international civil defence coalition. 

23.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has submitted a draft amendment to the Passport Act and the Identity Card Act for comments. These amendments would extend passport and personal identity card validity to 10 years. The consultation process will last until 16 February 2026.

8.9.2022 | New provisions to be added to the Aliens Act and the act on migration authorities’ processing of personal data will enable Finland to make use of the support from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) as smoothly as possible in the event of a mass influx of migrants. The Government submitted the bills for approval on Thursday 8 September. The President of the Republic is to approve the bills for the acts on Friday. The acts will enter into force on 15 September.