Govt moves to stiffen asylum policy

The four-party alliance government led by the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) has taken an initiative to tighten Finland´s asylum policy.

The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to identify and prepare the amendments to the respective laws in this regard, said the ministry in a press release on Wednesday.

The government proposal is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament during the 2025 autumn session.

“The Government Programme’s objective is an asylum policy that will allocate assistance to the most vulnerable people and prevent abuses. Finland will tighten its asylum policy to bring it in line with the general level of Nordic countries,” said Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

In accordance with the Government Programme, the aim is to improve the efficiency of reception services by utilising the scope of the Reception Conditions Directive and the best practices of other EU countries.

The new Reception Conditions Directive, which entered into force at the beginning of summer 2024, will be implemented during the project.

The aim of the legislative reform is to prevent misuse by limiting the provision of reception services to, for example, persons who have submitted several subsequent applications after they have received a negative asylum decision.

The means provided by the new Reception Conditions Directive will be taken into account when restricting the use of these services.

An amendment to reduce the reception allowance and the spending allowance granted to persons entitled to reception services will enter into force at the beginning of August. The amendment will be in force temporarily until the end of 2025.

The new reform of the Reception Act aims to reduce the amount of the reception allowance permanently to the minimum permitted by the Constitution and the Reception Conditions Directive.

The reception allowance is intended as a short-term benefit for applicants for international protection who are in need of support and cannot earn a living through gainful employment or other income. The reform also seeks to achieve savings for balancing general government finances.

In addition, the system of representatives for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers will be reformed. The aim is to clarify the role of the representative as the child’s guardian.

The amendments are scheduled to enter into force at the beginning of 2026.

Earlier in June 2024, the four-party alliance government decided to introduce a border procedure with the provision for allowing asylum applications to be processed near the border.