Current affairs

Finland is preparing to apply for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). On 15 May, the Government submitted a report to Parliament on Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and proposed that the President of the Republic decide that Finland will apply for membership in NATO after Parliament has been heard.

In line with the Government decision of 5 May, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 5 June 2022.

In line with the Government decision of 7 April, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 8 May 2022.

Afghanistan is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. At the High-level Pledging Event on Supporting the Humanitarian Response in Afghanistan held today, Finland pledged to increase its assistance to the country, for example, through the World Food Programme. In his speech, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, who represented Finland at the meeting, emphasised the equal rights of women and girls.

In line with the Government decision of 10 March, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 10 April 2022.

The second year of the pandemic was busy for the consular assistance services provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Finland's missions abroad, and the number of customers continued to increase. In 2021, the Ministry and the missions abroad provided consular services to a total of 255,000 customers.

In line with the Government decision of 10 February, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 13 March 2022.

In line with the Government decision of 27 January, internal border control between Finland and all Schengen countries will end on 31 January. Restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue until 14 February.

In Finland’s first county elections, a total of 2,923 persons voted in advance at Finland’s missions abroad. The number of advance voters abroad was approximately eight per cent higher than in the 2021 municipal elections.

The Government decided to reintroduce internal border control at Finland’s borders starting on Tuesday 28 December. The Government decided on the new restrictions at its session on 28 December. The decision will remain in force until 16 January 2022.