Government proposal on Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United States

UM003:00/2024 Statute drafting

Finland and the United States have negotiated on a new bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement. The agreement was signed on 18 December 2023 in Washington D.C. The Finnish Parliament needs to authorise the agreement before it can be adopted.

Basic information Completed

Project number UM003:00/2024

Case numbers VN/36586/2023

Set by ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Task class Preparation of a government proposal

Term/schedule 4.1.2024 – 5.7.2024

Date of appointment 4.1.2024

Relation to the Government Programme

Orpo

Luku 8 Uuden aikakauden ulko- ja turvallisuuspolitiikka

Alaluku 8.2 Uskottava maanpuolustus Suomen turvallisuuden perustana

Law drafting

Government proposal on the agreement on defense cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Finland and the Government of the United States of America

Parliamentary reply EV 67/2024

Adoption of the agreement

Minister in chargeMinister for Foreign Affairs Valtonen

Contact personKaija Suvanto, ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Legislative plan for spring session 2024

Contact person
Kaija Suvanto, Oikeuspäällikkö
tel. +358 295 351 159
[email protected]

Goals and results

Implementation of the agreement

Summary

Finland and the United States have negotiated on a new bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement. The agreement was signed on 18 December 2023 in Washington D.C. The Finnish Parliament needs to authorise the agreement before it can be adopted.

Starting points

The United States is one of Finland’s key allies, and concluding the Defence Cooperation Agreement is one of the objectives laid down in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government. The DCA is a binding international agreement that sets forth an up-to-date framework for cooperation between Finland and the United States. The provisions of the DCA are mainly based on the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (NATO SOFA). The DCA allows the parties to deepen cooperation in all security situations. The DCA will reinforce Finland’s security and contribute to the fulfilment of Finland’s obligations as a member of NATO.

The DCA deals with practical aspects of issues such as the entry of troops, the storage of defence materiel, criminal jurisdiction and taxation. The DCA specifies the areas where the cooperation and collaboration between Finland and the United States would primarily focus. The agreed areas are listed in the Annex to the DCA. Going forward, the DCA will enable the United States to make use of Congress funding for possible infrastructure investments in Finland.