On 3 September, the Finnish Government submitted a proposal to Parliament to extend the validity of the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration until 31 December 2028. The document provides for exceptional measures to protect the eastern border, whilst the eight land border crossing points with Russia remain closed under a separate decision \u2014 until further notice.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n The Finnish Ministry of the Interior has stated that the threat level on the eastern border remains high and has not changed significantly since 2025. The law is intended to counter attempts to use migrants as a means of exerting pressure on the country.<\/p>\n In emergency situations, it grants the authorities the right to restrict the acceptance of applications for international protection in specified border areas if other means of safeguarding sovereignty or national security prove insufficient. The Minister for the Interior Mari Rantanen<\/strong> She said that the authorities are seeking to ensure that border guards are able to respond effectively to the most serious scenarios of instrumentalised migration.<\/p>\n Such restrictions are not automatically triggered by the closure of the border. According to the procedure outlined in the Council of Europe\u2019s guidance, this requires a joint decision by the President and the Government; it may apply to a specific area and remain in force for no more than one month. The law also provides for the acceptance of applications where a person may face the death penalty, torture or other inhuman treatment, and requires the applicant\u2019s vulnerability and the best interests of the child to be taken into account.<\/p>\n Eight road border crossings were closed in December 2023 following a sharp increase in the flow of migrants from the Russian side. Finland believes that Moscow may have deliberately facilitated their movement as part of a hybrid pressure campaign.<\/p>\n On 4 June 2026, following a further review of the restrictions, the government maintained the closure of the eastern border until further notice. The authorities regularly assess the need for this arrangement; therefore, the duration of the special law is neither the date on which the border crossing points will open nor a predetermined date for their closure.<\/p>\n The law itself was adopted as a temporary measure in July 2024, and last year it was extended until the end of 2026. The new proposal involves planning for the legal instrument to remain in place for a longer period, rather than applying its most stringent provisions on a permanent basis.<\/p>\n\n
The law establishes a contingency mechanism for crisis situations<\/h2>\n
The arrangements for closing border crossing points are decided on a case-by-case basis<\/h2>\n
Helsinki is preparing for prolonged border tensions<\/h2>\n