Legislative work

The Finnish Border Guard Headquarters also serves as the Border Guard Department within the Ministry of the Interior. Its duties include legislative work related to the statutory functions and powers of the Finnish Border Guard.

The functioning of the Border Guard legislation was evaluated in the preliminary survey project that ended in spring 2022, with a special focus on border surveillance, border checks and crime prevention activities carried out by the Finnish Border Guard. Based on the preliminary survey, three legislative projects were set up in 2023.

The first amendments to the Act on Crime Prevention by the Finnish Border Guard, which were related to the changes of the Coercive Measures Act, entered into force in November 2023. Revisions are also in preparation as regards the Finnish Border Guard’s investigative powers.

Within the legislative project concerning the personnel resources of the Finnish Border Guard, a proposal was prepared for amendments that would allow the Finnish Border Guard to fill certain civil offices without announcing vacancies publicly and also to engage cadets in its activities during any disturbances that fall under the jurisdiction of the Finnish Border Guard.

In addition, a proposal was prepared for regulation to enable the Finnish Border Guard to draw more advantage from modern technologies, such as radio technical and other technical surveillance, in its statutory tasks.