New year brings changes to Foreign Ministry’s branch of government

The new year brings changes to the Act on the Making of Decisions Concerning the Provision of and Request for International Assistance, among others.

Changes to the scope of the Act on the Making of Decisions Concerning the Provision of and Request for International Assistance 

The Act on the Making of Decisions Concerning the Provision of and Request for International Assistance will be amended and its scope of application expanded from international assistance to activities arising from Finland’s national needs without an outside request and involving a Finnish authority acting outside the territory of Finland either independently or in support of another Finnish authority, taking into account the restrictions on the scope of Finnish law that are based on international law. 

The amendment will clarify that the Act can be applied to cooperation with another state, the European Union or an international organisation within Finland’s territory or outside it. The Act is scheduled for approval on 29 December and for entry into force on 1 January 2023.

Higher fee for Emergency Travel Documents issued to EU citizens by Finnish missions 

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has issued a Decree on Fees for Services Produced by the Foreign Service. The new decree will enter into force on 1 January 2023.

The new decree will raise the fee for the EU Emergency Travel Document (ETD) issued to EU citizens by Finnish missions abroad. The fee will be increased by EUR 20 to EUR 195, which is also the fee for the national emergency passport. 

The increase applies to the Emergency Travel Document that EU citizens can apply for at a Finnish mission when their own country is not represented in the country in question.

No other fees for services produced by the Foreign Service will be raised.