Phase two of Rescue Act reform launched

The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project for the second phase of the Rescue Act reform. The government proposal is due to be submitted to Parliament in autumn 2025.

The preparatory work for reforming the Rescue Act builds on the needs that arose in the preliminary study on the Rescue Act. At the initial stage of the preparation process, the project will decide which of the changes proposed in the preliminary study and earlier reports will be implemented. The Ministry of the Interior has appointed a working group to prepare the reform.

The implementation of the second phase of the reform of the Rescue Act is outlined in the Government Programme. The government proposal is due to be submitted to Parliament in autumn 2025 and the amendments are scheduled to enter into force at the beginning of 2026.

As outlined in the Government Programme, the aim is to streamline regulation. The project will examine possible overlaps in provisions and take into account cost savings. The basic premise is that legislative amendments must not cause additional costs to the authorities, businesses and other parties.

Rescue Act aims to improve safety and reduce accidents

The purpose of the Rescue Act is to improve people's safety and reduce accidents, and to limit harm to people, property and the environment. The preliminary study that was carried out earlier examined the Rescue Act comprehensively from the perspectives of incident and accident prevention and supervision, rescue operations, preparedness and civil defence, as well as from the point of view of the structure and common provisions of the Act.

The Rescue Act was last amended in 2023, when the responsibility for organising rescue services was transferred from municipalities to wellbeing services counties. The most urgent amendments, which mainly entered into force at the beginning of 2024, were implemented in the first phase of the reform of the Rescue Act.

Inquiries:

Annika Parsons, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 279, firstname.lastname@gov.fi
Sari Rapinoja, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 488 404, firstname.lastname@gov.fi