Only moderate increases to funding of basic activities of internal security authorities

The government report on the General Government Fiscal Plan was submitted to Parliament at the government plenary session on 12 May 2021. The appropriation for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior will remain under EUR 1.5 billion per year during the 2022–2025 spending limits period.

The spending limits decision takes into account the increases to police and the Border Guard for the higher rents related to Senate Properties’ premises projects, in accordance with the government decision last year. In addition, increases were granted to the police, the Border Guard and the Finnish Immigration Service for the national implementation of the provisions on the interoperability of information systems, and to the police, the Border Guard and rescue services for the national implementation of the Galileo satellite navigation system’s public regulated service.

An appropriation of EUR 17.6 million is proposed for equipping the new premises of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service. The increase is related to the lease agreement signed last year by the Finnish Security Intelligence Service, which will move to the new premises once they have been completed. 

It is proposed that the Border Guard receive EUR 0.63 million for 2024 and EUR 1.62 million for 2025 to cover the costs of participating in the standing corps of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. The standing corps of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency began to operate in 2021 and support the EU Member States in managing the Union’s external borders and the return of third-country nationals. 

In addition to the surveillance of the sea area, offshore patrol vessels play an important role in Finland’s maritime search and rescue services and prevention of environmental damages in the sea area. It is proposed that the EUR 120 million needed for the acquisition of the Border Guard’s second offshore patrol vessel be included in the supplementary budget for 2021. Replacing the Border Guard’s outdated offshore patrol vessels is a necessary procurement that cannot be postponed any longer. 

It is proposed that the Emergency Response Centre Administration receive an appropriation on EUR 4.7 million for the development and maintenance of Erica – a national emergency response data system used by the police, rescue services, social and health authorities and the Emergency Response Centre Administration.

An increase of EUR 1 million for 2022 and EUR 2 million for 2023–2025 is proposed for the Finnish Immigration Service to maintain its case management system for immigration matters UMA. UMA is an electronic case management system used by several authorities involved in immigration matters, including the Finnish Immigration Service, the police, the Border Guard, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the TE Centres.

The government also decided at its spending limits discussion in April that the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior will have to adjust its expenditure by EUR 7 million from 2023.

Inquiries: 
Kati Korpi, Director of Finance and Planning, tel. +358 295 488 513,
kati.korpi@intermin.fi 
Heikki Sairanen, Special Adviser to Minister Ohisalo, tel. +358 50 456 4662, heikki.sairanen@intermin.fi