Border and maritime security

Border surveillance

The Border Guard managed to control the situation at the eastern border despite the disruption. 

The Border Guard allocated resources from the closed border crossing points to surveillance of the eastern border. We have a high readiness and capacity to react. Together with other authorities, the Border Guard has a good readiness for implementation of the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration, that is to say the Border Security Act, should the situation require it.

The surveillance on the land borders was extensive and effectively concentrated. The Conscript Act was updated: border troop reservists may be assigned to service without observed emergency conditions, if the border security was compromised. 

Border checks

The Border Guard checked 4.2 million people on border crossing points in EU external border traffic. 

Crime prevention

The Border Guard is an important national actor in crime prevention, which investigates arrangement of illegal entries, as well as well as related criminal offences. The temporary interruption in the cross-border traffic on the eastern border has led to decreased number of observed crimes and offences.

Search and rescue 

The Baltic Sea operating environment has become more difficult to anticipate.  The Border Guard has been able to provide assistance in all maritime search and rescue missions. Major accidents have been avoided.

Maritime environment protection and maritime pollution response

GPS-jamming and the presence of the shadow fleet on the Baltic Sea have increased the risk of an environmental accident. The Border Guard has strengthened monitoring of the situation, as well as training and readiness to respond to environmental accidents. 

Autumn 2024 included several close calls, in which the Finnish authorities succeeded in preventing a more serious accident.