Finland - July 2024

On 12 July, Parliament approved legislation providing for temporary border security measures. The law, which entered into force on 22 July, sets out conditions for the Finnish government, in cooperation with the President, to restrict the reception of applications for international protection. The Finnish government has accused Russia of instrumentalised migration, encouraging the movement of migrants in order to pressure Finland. The law makes exceptions in cases involving children, people with disabilities and especially vulnerable migrants. The proposal narrowly passed with 167 votes in favour and 31 against, and will be in effect for one year. Finland closed its border with Russia in November 2023 but continued to provide passage for asylum-seekers. The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights pointed to weak definition of the nature of a national security threat as well as lack of clarity on the extent to which the justification would be open to public or judicial scrutiny.

Sources: Reuters, Helsink Times, Council of Europe, Politico, Finnish Government, Yle