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.

Dirk Petrus Witteveen, Managing Director at Transfennica Ltd, has been appointed as Honorary Consul of Finland in Amsterdam, with jurisdiction over the provinces Noord-Holland, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel and Flevoland.

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

At the meeting, the Ministers will focus on the Ukraine crisis and the rapidly changing security situation in Europe. Follow the live webcast of the press conference at 13.40.

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.