Strategy for protecting the functions vital to society

December 20, 2002 Government Information Unit Press Release 339/2002

On Friday, 20 December 2002, at a meeting between the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy, it was stated that a proposal for the Strategy for Protecting the Functions Vital to Society will be prepared during spring 2003. It can then be employed in the preparation of the next Government Security and Defence Policy report in 2004.

The mandate to draft the strategy was defined in the Government's report on security and defence policy published in 2001. The report stated that the Committee for Security and Defence Affairs was to prepare a strategy for national precautionary measures. The work was to include the identification of functions that are vital to society and the drafting of relevant action plans and development programmes. It has, however, been decided that the term, 'precautionary measures' is inadequate for describing the overall content of the mandate.

The protection of vital functions aims at safeguarding Finland's national sovereignty and the living conditions and safety of our citizens. The strategy is to define the necessary measures to be applied in order to protect the functions that are vital to society in all security situations and related threat scenarios.

The functions that are vital to society include state governance, external assets and capabilities, military defence, internal security, proper economic and societal functioning, citizens' income and capabilities, plus their mental strength for enduring crises.

Security situations are categorised as normal circumstances, disturbances and emergencies. Related threat scenarios include, inter alia, threats to information systems, the threat of international crime and terrorism and threats to the environment and to our national independence.

Further information: Rauno Saari, State Secretary, Prime Minister's Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2006.