Finland’s NATO Representation

Each NATO member state has a representation at NATO Headquarters, including Finland. The representations represent their member states in NATO’s decision-making processes, enabling collective decision-making.

History

Finland participated in NATO’s Partnership for Peace cooperation starting in 1994. Three years later, the Treaty of Brussels entered into force within NATO. The agreement provided the legal framework for the accreditation of partner countries to NATO, after which Finland formalized its representation and established a mission on 12 November 1997 to manage relations with NATO.

A key objective of the partnership cooperation was to develop military capabilities and interoperability for the needs of national defence and international crisis management. In addition, Finland engaged in regular political dialogue with NATO on issues of mutual interest in order to strengthen shared security. Through this dialogue, Finland advanced its own foreign, security, and defence policy objectives.

Due to the changed security environment, Finland applied for NATO membership on 17 May 2022. The decision to apply for membership was made to enhance Finland’s security. Finland became a member of NATO on 4 April 2023.

Tasks and activities of the NATO Representation

Finland’s NATO Representation is located in Brussels at NATO Headquarters, like the representations of other countries. As its name suggests, the representation represents Finland in NATO and acts as a link between the Alliance and the capital. Close cooperation with the capital enables an effective division of labour between the representation and the ministries.

The representation employs experts from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Finnish Defence Forces and the National Emergency Supply Agency, totaling approximately 50 people. The representation is headed by the Permanent Representative, Ambassador Piritta Asunmaa. The military side is led by the Military Representative, Major General Mika Kalliomaa. The Representation consists of four teams: the political team (Ministry for Foreign Affairs), the defence team (Ministry of Defence), the military team (Defence Forces), and the administrative team. The heads of the teams are responsible for their respective teams to the Permanent Representative, and the head of the military team is responsible to the Military Representative.

The Ambassador, the Military Representative, and the staff of the representation participate in NATO committee meetings as part of NATO’s decision-making processes in their daily work. NATO’s highest decision-making body is the North Atlantic Council, chaired by the NATO Secretary General. Each member state has a permanent representative at ambassadorial level on the Council. NATO’s highest military body is the Military Committee, which advises the Council on military matters. The Military Committee meets regularly in the format of military representatives. The North Atlantic Council also meets regularly at the level of foreign and defence ministers, as well as at summits at the level of heads of state and government. The Military Committee meets regularly also in a composition including the commanders of the Defence Forces.