Finland, Sweden to boost police cooperation in border area

The agreement on police cooperation in the border area between Finland and Sweden will further improve the maintenance of security in the northern border area, said the Ministry of the Interior in a press release on Thursday.

The President is to approve the agreement and the relevant bills on Friday.

The agreement will be applied in Finland in the territories of the municipalities of Enontekiö, Kolari, Muonio, Pello, Tornio and Ylitornio. In Sweden, the agreement will be applied in the territories of the municipalities of Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala and Övertorneå.

The purpose of the agreement is to further improve the maintenance of public order and security and the prevention and investigation of offences in the border area.

The agreement will establish new kind of cooperation between the Finnish and Swedish police. Previously, there has been no bilateral agreement on police cooperation between the two countries.

The agreement contains provisions on urgent measures to be carried out on request and without a request.

In both cases, an authority of the other state may cross the border and take measures only if this is necessary to prevent a serious criminal offence involving danger to the life, health or physical integrity of an individual. Such serious offences include rape, aggravated assault and homicide.

The provision of assistance referred to in the agreement is voluntary. Assistance could not be provided in situations where, for example, no police patrols were available. In addition, the duties will be performed only by police officers who have volunteered to receive training corresponding to the duties and who have given their prior consent to performing these duties.

Finland and Sweden signed the agreement on police cooperation in the border area in 2021. The acts will enter into force on a date to be specified by decree.