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23.1.2025 | The Government proposes that the procedure for compensating the building of permanent barriers, such as the fence on the eastern border, will be made more effective. The Government submitted a proposal for amending the Board Guard Act to Parliament on 23 January.

22.6.2022 | In future, the border procedure could be introduced by decision of the Government if an exceptionally large number of people were to arrive in Finland over a short period of time or if hybrid influence activities that exploit migration were directed against Finland. The Government submitted the relevant proposal for amending the Aliens Act to Parliament on 22 June. The purpose of the proposal is to make it easier to manage migrants who have made their way towards Finland.

7.3.2022 | The EU has activated the Temporary Protection Directive to help people fleeing Ukraine. The Council decision, which entered into force on 4 March, left a certain amount of discretion for Member States to decide the exact category of people to be granted protection. Finland will apply protection more extensively than what is defined in the EU-wide decision. The Government adopted a decision on the matter on 7 March.

25.10.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments a draft government proposal for an act on export authorisation for cartridge components and on acts amending the Firearms Act and chapter 46, section 1 of the Criminal Code. The aim is to prevent the export of cartridge components to Russia in particular. The draft proposal is being circulated for comments until 28 November 2024.

10.5.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has sent out for comments draft amendments to the Aliens Act that would enable the introduction of the border procedure. The border procedure would allow the processing of potentially unfounded asylum applications immediately at or in the vicinity of the border. This would prevent asylum applicants from travelling within Finland or from Finland to other EU countries. The deadline for submitting comments is 23 May.

10.11.2022 | The Government proposes amendments to the Lotteries Act to make it compatible with a new model for financing activities with proceeds from gambling. From the beginning of 2024, Veikkaus Oy’s proceeds could be entered in the Budget without earmarking their purpose of use under the Lotteries Act.

17.2.2022 | On 14 December, the European Commission issued a proposal for a Regulation addressing situations of instrumentalisation in the field of migration and asylum. The Regulation would allow all EU Member States to derogate from certain provisions on the EU asylum procedure, reception of asylum seekers and return in situations of instrumentalisation. The Government expressed its position on the proposal in its communication submitted to Parliament on 17 February.

12.11.2021 | At the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior, the Finnish Government commissioned a study examining the types of complementary pathways for legal migration available in different countries for use by people in need of international protection. The focus of the study was on labour-based and study-based complementary pathways. The results confirm that there is a need for legal pathways, as has been discussed in Finland, and they support the EU in seeking new solutions to migration.

17.12.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has submitted to the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman a follow-up report on the preparation of the allocation of the refugee quota. The report requested by the Ombudsman was also submitted to the Chancellor of Justice. As the matter is of major importance to society and of interest to many, the Ministry of the Interior will make the report available to the public.

19.5.2022 | Border security will be strengthened by improving the ability of the Finnish Border Guard to prepare for and respond to incidents under normal conditions. The Ministry of the Interior has sent a draft government proposal on amending the Border Guard Act out for comments. The aim is to make the necessary amendments to the Border Guard Act to help prepare for hybrid influence activities that exploit migration, for example.

19.2.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior will set up a legislative project to combat instrumentalised migration and to bolster border security. The term of the project is from 19 February to 31 March 2024. The aim is for a government proposal to be submitted to Parliament in March 2024.

15.3.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to examine and prepare legislative amendments to enable the introduction of the border procedure in Finland. The border procedure would allow the processing of potentially unfounded asylum applications immediately at the border or in its vicinity. This would prevent asylum applicants from travelling within Finland or from Finland to other EU countries.

18.11.2021 | The Money Collection Act will be amended so that voluntary carbon offsetting services can be provided without a money collection licence in future. These services will be excluded from the scope of the Money Collection Act. The Government submitted the bill amending the Act for approval on Thursday 18 November. The President of the Republic is to approve the bill on 19 November. The Act will enter into force on 22 November 2021.

21.5.2024 | The Government submitted a proposal to Parliament for an act on temporary measures to combat instrumentalised migration on 21 May. The aim of the act is to improve border security and ensure that Finland has effective means at its disposal to combat instrumentalised migration that is being used to pressure Finland. The aim is also to prepare for more serious instances of instrumentalised migration.

15.3.2024 | On 15 March, the Ministry of the Interior sent out for comments a draft act on temporary measures to combat instrumentalised migration. The deadline for submitting comments is 25 March. The proposed act is scheduled to enter into force as soon as possible. The act would be temporary and would be valid for one year after its entry into force.

16.9.2021 | The aim is to amend the Money Collection Act so that voluntary carbon offsetting services would be excluded from the scope of the Act. In future no money collection licence would be required for voluntary carbon offsetting. The Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to amend the Money Collection Act on 16 September 2021.

19.1.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to prepare provisions on permit requirements for the export of ammunition. The aim is to prevent especially the export of cartridge components to Russia in line with the EU’s sanctions decision.

24.2.2022 | A working group chaired by the Ministry of the Interior has assessed legislation falling within the purview of the Ministry and the need for amendments to prepare for hybrid influencing that exploits migration. The study suggests that practical amendments for responding to hybrid influencing and managing situations could be made to the Aliens Act, the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for Internatio...

29.11.2022 | On Tuesday 29 November, the European Commission will hold via video conference a High-Level Forum on legal pathways to protection. The Forum will discuss the resettlement of refugees, ways to promote admittance, and work-based complementary pathways to protection for refugees. Minister of the Interior Krista Mikkonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

14.11.2023 | The Government parties agreed that the Ministry of the Interior will present a proposal to a government session on adopting restrictions in accordance with section 16 of the Border Guard Act.