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22.12.2025 | The start of 2026 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s government branch.

12.3.2026 | The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and military intelligence authorities will be able to disclose information on offences to other authorities more extensively than before. In its session on 12 March, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the bills concerned on 13 March. The amendments will enter into force on 20 March 2026.

15.2.2026 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen is currently visiting Iraq, where she will meet the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Minister of the Interior Abdul Amir al-Shammari and other leaders of the country’s government. The purpose of the meetings is to strengthen the bilateral relations between Finland and Iraq in the internal security sector and to promote cooperation in questions concerning returns.

11.11.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior invites comments on proposed amendments to the Act on Shooting Ranges and the Environmental Protection Act. In line with the Government Programme, the aim is to simplify the environmental permit processes and legislation concerning shooting ranges. The public consultation remains open until 23 December 2025.

25.9.2025 | The Government proposes amendments to acts governing the use of biometric data stored in the registers of the police and the Finnish Immigration Service. Improving the use of biometric data would particularly support the investigation of the most serious crimes. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 25 September.

15.1.2026 | Veikkaus Oy’s monopoly on running gambling games will end. Under the new Gambling Act, the running of betting games, online slot and casino games, and online money bingo will be opened to competition under a licensing system. In its session on 15 January, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the Gambling Act on 16 January. Most provisions of the new act will enter into force on 1 July 2027. 

16.4.2026 | The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum establishes a common EU system to strengthen external border control, ensure effective identification of third-country nationals and enhance procedures for asylum and return. The Pact will be implemented in Finland through a series of national legislative amendments. The Government submitted a proposal on these amendments to Parliament on 16 April.

5.11.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko held a videoconference on Wednesday 5 November. The topics on their agenda included cooperation between Finnish and Ukrainian security authorities and Ukraine's new support needs.

4.7.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal aiming to streamline the exchange of information between the police and other authorities. This proposal implements the objective outlined in the Government Programme to step up the combating of crime and remove obstacles to the related exchange of information. The deadline for submitting comments is August 17, 2025.

22.8.2025 | The European Commission has granted the Finnish Border Guard, the Police, the Finnish Defence Forces and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom a total of EUR 1,833,075 in emergency funding to cover the costs incurred to these authorities in connection with the damage done to the Estlink 2 power cable.  

13.11.2025 | Nordic ministers responsible for civil preparedness or their deputies will meet in Helsinki on 13 November. This so-called Haga ministerial meeting will be chaired by Finnish Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen. The ministers will discuss topical issues related to crisis preparedness in the Nordic countries.

30.7.2025 | During the summer, there have been significantly more drownings and serious near misses than usual at public swimming areas. The Ministry of the Interior, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes), the National Police Board of Finland and the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation met on 30 July to discuss safety at swimming areas.

19.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a proposal to amend the Firearms Act. The draft proposal takes into account the need for amendments that has emerged in the application of the act following the reforms introduced to implement the most recent amendment to the EU Firearms Directive. The consultation round closes on 30 January 2026.

5.9.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen met with public authorities and experts on 5 September to discuss the synthetic drug alpha-PVP. The discussions highlighted that the spread of alpha-PVP is a complex problem and tackling it requires broad-based cooperation.

27.6.2025 | On Friday 27 June, the Government appointed Robin Lardot, Master of Laws, as Director of the National Bureau of Investigation for the period from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2030.

2.10.2025 | The tense security situation underscores the importance of preparedness, both in the Baltic Sea region and in the Euro-Arctic area. Meeting new threats requires joint exercises and well-functioning processes, as underlined at the Rescue Borealis 2025 international field exercise held in Oulu.

22.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal to reform the provisions on removal from the country and entry bans laid down in the Aliens Act. The deadline for comments is 2 February 2026.

16.4.2025 | The Government proposes that the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and the military intelligence authorities be allowed to disclose information on criminal offences to other authorities more extensively than before. The proposal would improve national security. The Government submitted the proposal to Parliament on 16 April.

8.10.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen will visit Warsaw, Poland on 8 October, where she will meet Poland’s Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński. The two ministers will discuss the border situation in both countries. 

18.6.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued a new decree on fees charged by the police. The amendments apply to the fees for passports and identity cards as well as for firearms licences and private security sector licences. The decree will be in force from 1 July to 31 December 2025.

24.4.2025 | In its spending limits discussion, the Government agreed on strengthening the resources of the police, the Finnish Border Guard, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and civil defence in order to prepare for wide-ranging threats. The capabilities of the internal security authorities are an essential part of Finland's comprehensive security.

18.6.2025 | The Finnish Border Guard will be given new powers concerning the prevention and investigation of human trafficking offences and money laundering offences. The Government submitted the Act on Crime Prevention by the Finnish Border Guard and certain other acts for approval on 18 June. The President of the Republic is scheduled to approve the amendments on 27 June, and they will enter into force on 1 September.

3.2.2025 | Finland’s Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a proposal for amending the regulation on biometric data stored in the registers of the police and the Finnish Immigration Service. An objective of the Government Programme is to strengthen crime prevention and improve the conditions for using biometrics in law enforcement and crime prevention. The Ministry proposes that biometric data co...

11.9.2025 | On 11 September, the Government submitted its Report on Internal Security to Parliament. According to the report, the international security situation is having an increasingly significant effect on Finland’s internal security. This change puts a strong emphasis on the preparedness of security authorities.

13.5.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen met Estonia's new Minister of the Interior Igor Taro in Helsinki on Tuesday 13 May. Topics of their discussion included preparedness, hybrid threats and their prevention, and police cooperation between Estonia and Finland.

28.5.2025 | The Government submitted its second supplementary budget proposal for 2025 to Parliament on Wednesday 28 May. The supplementary budget proposes funding for the development of civil defence and the emergency warning system as well as for the maritime capabilities of the Finnish Border Guard.

28.8.2025 | The EU’s new Entry/Exit System will be gradually introduced across EU countries starting on 12 October 2025. On 28 August, the Government issued a decree to bring the national legislation related to the system into force. The decree will enter into force on 12 October 2025.

11.9.2025 | Finland will host Rescue Borealis 2025, an international exercise bringing together hundreds of experts from Finland and abroad. The exercise strengthens cooperation between authorities in Euro-Arctic and cross-border emergencies. Rescue Borealis 2025 includes a field training exercise that will take place in the Oulu area between 29 September and 3 October 2025.

12.6.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to amend the Passport Act, assess the need to amend the Identity Card Act and, if necessary, prepare a proposal for amending the Identity Card Act. The project will run until 31 May 2026.

20.12.2024 | The start of 2025 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s administrative branch.

11.11.2024 | Cashing Out Joint report by the Nordic countries on cross-border money laundering via cash transportation Foreword As the global economy is getting more and more digitized, criminals are still using cash to carry out their criminal activity, as ca...

31.3.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen will attend the Border Security Summit in London on 31 March. The ministerial summit will focus on crime related to people smuggling and organised immigration crime. The aim is to identify the best ways to combat these phenomena.

15.7.2024 | Cooperation between the law enforcement authorities of the EU Member States and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) will be improved by developing automated search and exchange of data. The Ministry of the Interior set up a legislative project on 15 July 2024 to prepare the amendments to the national legislation that may be required by the EU Regulation.

30.1.2025 | The Finnish Government submitted to Parliament a Union communication on a cooperation agreement between the European Union and the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol). The negotiations for the agreement are expected to conclude by the end of this year.

10.4.2025 | On 10 April 2025, the Government submitted a proposal to Parliament on amending the Act on Bank and Payment Account Monitoring System.

22.1.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen visited Somalia on 21 January. She met Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail. The purpose of the meetings was to strengthen bilateral relations between Finland and Somalia in the internal security sector, and to promote cooperation and exchange of best practices in return and readmission issues.

13.3.2025 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen visited Ukraine on 11–12 March and met with Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. During her visit, Minister Rantanen also learnt about the various activities of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ branch of government, such as the situation centre and the operations of rescuers and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

31.5.2024 | Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko held a videoconference on Friday 31 May. The home affairs ministers discussed Finland's assistance to Ukraine and Ukraine's immediate support needs. The ministers also talked about Ukraine's preparedness expertise.

19.12.2024 | The Government proposes that the President of the Republic approve the Act on the Exchange of Information between the Law Enforcement Authorities of Member States of the European Union and certain related acts and that they enter into force on 20 December 2024. The new Act aims to improve the exchange of information between EU Member States for the purpose of combating crime.

26.9.2024 | On 26 September, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal for an act that aims to improve the exchange of information between EU Member States for the purpose of combating crime.

13.11.2023 | To prevent labor exploitation and human trafficking, foreign workers need to have access to information in their native language about working in Finland.

20.3.2025 | Today, the Government submitted to Parliament a legislative proposal on a new gambling system. The Government proposes to end Veikkaus' gambling games monopoly in betting and in online slot machine and casino games at the end of 2026, and to open the provision of these games to competition.

10.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior is requesting comments on a draft proposal for amending the Act on the Bank and Payment Account Monitoring System. The consultation round ends on 21 November 2024.

1.12.2023 | The Ministry of the Interior will incorporate the Ingå port area into the Decree of the Ministry of the Interior on Restrictions on Movement, Access and Stay. Movement, access and stay in the area will be restricted under the Police Act. The amended Decree will enter into force on 4 December 2023.

17.4.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government agreed on the General Government Fiscal Plan for 2025–2028 on 16 April 2024. According to the plan, the level of appropriations for the Ministry of the Interior’s branch of government will decrease each year. The decrease in the spending limits of the Ministry of the Interior is due to the elimination of one-off increases, a decrease in reception expenditure and the savings allocated to the branch of government.

9.10.2023 | The Government will propose an appropriation of approximately EUR 2.5 billion for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior in the 2024 Budget.

28.6.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to prepare legislative amendments on the use of air carriers’ passenger name record (PNR) data in the prevention of terrorist offences and serious crime.

20.12.2023 | The start of 2024 will see the entry into force of amendments to acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes.

13.10.2023 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project tasked with incorporating the Ingå port area into the Decree of the Ministry of the Interior on Restrictions on Movement, Access and Stay. The Decree includes sites and locations where access is restricted and movement or stay is prohibited under the Police Act.

1.8.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to amend the Firearms Act and the Firearms Decree. Provisions concerning loading devices, silencers and the storage of cartridges, among other things, will be clarified. A comprehensive review of the provisions governing deactivated weapons will also be carried out.

18.11.2024 | The new Preparing for Incidents and Crises guide aimed at the entire population has been published on Suomi.fi. The Ministry of the Interior produced the online guide together with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and an extensive cooperation network. The guide collects preparedness instructions in one place.

21.3.2024 | In the first supplementary budget for 2024, the Government proposes over EUR 91 million in additional funding for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior. Of this sum, EUR 86.174 million will be allocated to the Border Guard, EUR 2 million to the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and EUR 3 million for the further development of the security authorities’ Multi-Agency Field Commanding System (KEJO).

23.5.2023 | A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior examined the reflection periods granted to victims of human trafficking during which the victims can decide whether to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of human trafficking. The study also examined how suspicion of trading in sexual services was applied as grounds for denial of admittance or stay.

23.3.2023 | Considerable increases are proposed to appropriations in the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior in the technical spending limits presented in the new General Government Fiscal Plan 2024–2027. The appropriation level of the Ministry of the Interior will be c. EUR 2.4 billion at the beginning of the spending limits period, decreasing to c. EUR 1.9 billion in 2027. This represents an increase of EUR 179 to 547 million per year compared to the previous spending limits decision. 

21.12.2022 | The start of 2023 will see the entry into force of amendments to acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes. 

26.1.2023 | On 9 January, Director General Kauko Aaltomaa, who is on leave of absence from the Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior, took up his duties as Head of Mission of the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia). EUCAP Somalia is a civilian crisis management mission under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. Its tasks include promoting maritime security in Somalia and supporting the building of the country’s police and judicial administrations.

2.2.2023 | In the first supplementary budget proposal for 2023, the Government proposes an increase of EUR 6.9 million for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior. A total of EUR 2.477 million is proposed for the police to prevent and combat youth crime. EUR 1.037 million is proposed for strengthening multi-professional and preventive Anchor work by the police. In addition, the Government propo...

19.7.2023 | EU home affairs ministers will gather in Logroño in Spain on 20 July for an informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The agenda will include the fight against organised crime, the situation in Ukraine and migration. Finland will be represented by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

25.1.2024 | The European Commission strives to increase police cooperation in the fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. In November, the Commission proposed a regulation that would reinforce Europol's role and increase information sharing between Member States. The Government expressed its position on the Commission's proposal in its communication submitted to Parliament on 25 January 2024.

4.5.2023 | The European Commission will carry out a Schengen evaluation in Finland in May and June 2023. Evaluation teams coordinated by the Commission will travel across Finland to evaluate how the Finnish authorities apply the Schengen acquis in its different areas.