Parliament to ratify Finland, USA defence co-op deal

The Parliament is going to ratify the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Finland and the United States on Monday.

​​The parliamentary committee on Foreign Affairs on June 28 discussed the DCA agreement and approved the content of the bill submitted by the government on May 30.

The Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Kimmo Kiljunen said that the agreement has a wider foreign and security policy significance.

“The agreement with the United States has been prepared originally on exactly the same basis as Finland's joining the defense alliance NATO. It was made to strengthen the security of Finland and the Finns,” said Kiljunen.

The proposal consists of the act bringing into force the agreement and ten related acts.

According to the proposal, the acceptance of the agreement will require a two-thirds majority decision of Parliament.

The Appendix to the DCA lists the facilities and areas where the two countries would focus their cooperation and collaboration. Going forward, the DCA will enable the United States to make use of Congress funding for possible infrastructure investments in Finland.

The DCA provides for the entry into and movement within the territory of Finland for U.S. forces and for the use of the agreed facilities and areas listed in the Annex to the DCA.

On December 18, 2023, Finland and USA signed the bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Finland and USA in Washington DC.

Earlier in November 2023, U.S. Ambassador to Finland Douglas Hickey said that the U.S. military arriving in Finland, under the auspices of the DCA, will remain under U.S. legal jurisdiction.