Body formed to monitor NATO membership preparations

The government on Thursday appointed a coordination group with responsibility for monitoring the preparations for Finland’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said an official press release.

The group will coordinate among the ministries new functions and resource needs that are related to the membership.

In addition, it will ensure the flow of information across branches of government.

Chaired by Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen was made Vice-Chair of the group while State Secretary Henrik Haapajärvi, Permanent Secretary Jukka Salovaara, State Secretary Johanna Sumuvuori, State Secretary Mikaela Nylander, Permanent Secretary Kirsi Pimiä, State Secretary Akseli Koskela, Permanent Secretary Esa Pulkkinen, State Secretary Anna-Mari Vimpari, State Secretary Dan Koivulaakso, State Secretary Pilvi Torsti, Special Adviser Lauri Voionmaa, Special Adviser Joel Linnainmäki and Special Adviser Satu Mäki-Lassila were made members.

Other ministries and officials of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence will participate in the coordination group’s work by invitation, if necessary. The term of the coordination group extends from 29 September 2022 to 2 April 2023.

Finland applied for NATO membership in May 2022.

The NATO member countries signed the Accession Protocol concerning Finland’s NATO membership in Brussels on 5 July, making Finland an invitee of the Alliance. Each NATO member country must ratify Finland’s membership before Finland can become a full member of the Alliance.

So far 28 countries out of the total 30 ratified the membership protocol for Finland.