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5.2.2026 | According to the Government Programme, Finland’s annual refugee quota is 500 persons. In its plenary session on 5 February, the Government decided on which refugee groups would be included in this year’s quota and how many places would be reserved for each group.

21.11.2025 | In its meeting on Friday 21 November, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed Finland’s proactive efforts to influence EU policy in 2026 and took stock of the success of advance influence efforts in 2025. Other topics on the agenda included promoting defence readiness, the proposal for the EU’s next multiannual financial framework, asylum and migration policy and the EU-African Union Summit.

18.6.2025 | On 20 May, the European Commission submitted a proposal to amend the rules concerning safe third countries. The aim is to make it possible for persons seeking asylum in the EU to go through the asylum process and receive international protection in safe countries outside the EU, the EEA and the Schengen area more often than at present. The Government informed Parliament of the proposal by submitting a Union communication on 18 June.

22.1.2026 | EU home affairs ministers will gather in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 22 January for an informal meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The home affairs ministers will discuss returns, reintegration and safeguarding the Schengen area. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen. 

8.12.2025 | The EU home affairs ministers will gather in Brussels on 8 December for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The agenda includes returns of people staying illegally in the EU and implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

15.5.2025 | In March, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a new return regulation that aims to improve the effectiveness of the return of persons staying illegally in the EU and to prevent unauthorised movements within the Schengen area. The regulation would replace the current Return Directive. The Government informed Parliament of the Commission's proposal by submitting a Union communication on 15 May.

21.11.2024 | International protection will be made temporary in nature and the length of permits will be shortened to the minimum allowed by EU law. Committing offences and endangering national security will lead to the refusal or end of protection status. The Government submitted the amendments to the Aliens Act for approval on Thursday 21 November. The President of the Republic is to approve the amendments on Friday. The amendments will enter into force on 2 January 2025.

13.6.2025 | In its meeting on Friday 13 June, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland’s positions on the Commission’s plans to phase out energy imports from Russia, the Commission’s communication on artificial intelligence and its proposal regarding the Asylum Procedure Regulation. The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs also discussed the EU–Mercosur Association Agreement.

16.7.2025 | Temporary protection for Ukrainians displaced by the war will be extended. The EU Foreign Affairs Council decided on 15 July 2025 to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2027.

20.2.2025 | The Czech Republic's Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan will visit Finland between 19 and 21 February. Minister Rakušan will meet Finland's Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and travel with her to Vaalimaa border crossing point, where the ministers will be hosted by the Southeast Finland Border Guard District. The topics on their agenda will include discussions on Finland's action to combat the instrumentalisation of migrants. 

12.11.2020 | The European Commission issued a comprehensive communication on the reform of migration and asylum policy on 23 September. The communication was accompanied by five legislative proposals. The Government expressed its position on the Commission's proposals in its communications submitted to Parliament on 12 November.

21.5.2024 | Unofficial translation Government proposal to Parliament for an Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration MAIN CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL The Government proposes that an act on temporary measures to combat instrumentalised migration...

4.12.2024 | In its meeting on Wednesday 4 December, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs agreed on Finland’s positions on the deliberations for the EU pharmaceutical package. The Ministerial Committee on also outlined Finland’s positions for next week’s council meetings.

10.7.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to identify and prepare the amendments to the Act on the Reception of Persons Applying for International Protection and on the Identification of and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings (Reception Act) that are required by the Government Programme and the new directive laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (Reception Conditions Directive).

11.12.2024 | Finland will receive EUR 50 million in additional funding from the European Commission to strengthen surveillance at the eastern border through the EU Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI). Finland’s 1,340-kilometre-long border with Russia is also an external border of the EU. More effective surveillance of the border will strengthen the security of the EU as a whole in the changing landscape of hybrid threats and instrumentalised migration.

2.2.2022 | EU home affairs ministers will gather in Lille, France, on 3 February for an Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. The ministers will discuss the security of Europe’s borders and the reform of the EU’s migration and asylum policy. Another topic on the agenda will be the impact of climate change on civil protection. No decisions will be made at the informal meeting.

18.4.2024 | On 18 April, the Government submitted a number of proposals related to migration to Parliament. They concern more stringent provisions on international protection, preventing evasion of provisions on entry, introducing a border procedure and reducing the reception allowance. A proposal concerning the period of residence laid down in the Citizenship Act was also submitted to Parliament.

28.11.2024 | Finland will receive 500 refugees under the refugee quota in 2025. In its plenary session on 28 November, the Government decided on which refugee groups would be included in the quota and how many places would be reserved for each group.

3.10.2024 | The Government proposes that the provisions of the Aliens Act on detention be tightened and the provisions on entry bans be reformed. In addition, the Act would provide for the possibility of withdrawing a residence permit from an alien staying outside Finland and imposing an entry ban for security reasons. The Government submitted a proposal on the amendments to Parliament on 3 October.

20.2.2024 | Finland’s Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Sweden’s Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard met in Finland on 20 February. The Ministers visited Finland’s eastern border and received an update on instrumentalised migration at the eastern border.