Government proposal to supplement legislative proposal on criminal intelligence sent out for comments

The Ministry of the Interior has today sent out for comments a draft government proposal to supplement an earlier legislative proposal on criminal intelligence. The aim of the proposal is to ensure that the Police Act provides sufficient support for combating crime and that threat‑informed criminal intelligence can be used effectively to intervene in criminal activity such as serious gang crime and organised crime. The deadline for submitting comments is 3 August 2026.

The proposed new chapter on criminal intelligence in the Police Act would cover criminal intelligence methods whose use on a threat-informed basis would require an amendment to section 10 of the Constitution. The amendment would concern domestic privacy and protection of confidential communications. The proposed methods would include telecommunications interception, collection of data other than through telecommunications interception, traffic data monitoring, collection of subscriber data, on-site interception, and technical surveillance of devices. In addition, the proposal would allow the use of certain criminal intelligence methods, subject to specific restrictions, in premises used for permanent residence.

The proposed methods would enable the authorities to efficiently obtain content information on the scope of criminal activity, and on the communications, plans, motives and roles of the individuals involved in criminal activity. A broad range of methods is intended to ensure that threat‑informed criminal intelligence is effective and comprehensive in combating serious crime and that it has an impact on society. 

A government proposal to amend section 10 of the Constitution is currently before Parliament. The provisions on criminal intelligence in the supplementary draft now sent out for comments depend on the proposed constitutional amendments. These amendments must first be approved and enter into force.

The proposal to amend the Police Act also includes new provisions on site exploitation, the use of participatory covert human intelligence sources and the collection of location data. The powers to use on-site interception would be extended to cover residential premises. Equivalent powers would also be introduced for threat-informed criminal intelligence.

The legislative amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 June 2027.

Inquiries:
Heidi Aliranta, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 367
Markus Terenius, Assistant Police Director, tel.  +358 295 486 840 

The email addresses of the Ministry of the Interior are in the format [email protected].