Finnish model of preparedness: MEPs conclude mission to Helsinki

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee has concluded its meetings in Finland, which focused on its preparedness, civil protection and internal security policies.

From 21 to 23 September, six MEPs of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament undertook a three-day fact-finding mission to Helsinki to learn about and assess the Finnish model of preparedness, protecting the population and securing society's ability to function in emergency conditions as a consequence of hostilities, accidents, or military conflict.

The head of the delegation, Paulo Cunha (EPP, PT), stated: “This mission to Helsinki has been an eye-opening experience that underscores just how seriously Finland takes the security and resilience of its society. From the remarkable civil defence shelters to the sophisticated anti-drone systems and comprehensive stockpiling strategies, Finland has built a model of preparedness that the rest of Europe would do well to study closely. The briefings we received on hybrid threats made clear that the challenges we face are not hypothetical; they are present and evolving.

Finland's experience as Russia's neighbour has forged a culture of preparedness that is deeply embedded across government, the private sector and civil society alike. The cooperation we witnessed demonstrates that resilience is not built in silos — it requires a whole-of-society approach. We return with valuable insights and a renewed sense of urgency to strengthen civil protection and internal security frameworks across the European Union.”

Mission summary

At the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, MEPs learned about recent trends in hybrid threats such as disinformation, sabotage, election interference and the instrumentalisation of migrants, and were informed of the cooperation between EU and NATO member states to counter such threats. The delegation was then shown the Merihaka Civil Defence Shelter, carved into solid granite bedrock some 25 meters underground, which operates as a daily sports and recreation facility in peacetime, but can be converted into a shelter for 6,000 people within 72 hours in case of emergencies.

After being hosted by the Minister of the Interior, Ms Mari Rantanen, MEPs met with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Mr Matti Sarasmaa, with whom they discussed, among other topics, the challenges Finland faces as Russia’s neighbour and its strong cooperation with other EU countries. In meetings at the Finnish Border Guard Headquarters and with the Security and Intelligence Service (SUPO), the delegation received information on recent efforts to strengthen the protection of the Finnish land and sea borders, including through the creation of a 200km fence and the closure of its borders since October 2023, and on its intelligence gathering structures. At the Resilience Centre Finland, the delegation met with business leaders who explained their companies’ work on shelter building, cyber security and the resilience of telecommunications and technology.

At Sensofusion, a company specialising in advanced anti-drone systems, insight was given on the rapid advancements in the development and use of those systems and MEPs were given a tour of the production facility. Detailed information on the way Finland stockpiles for times of crises was provided at the headquarters of the National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA). The mission concluded with a visit to the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP), where Members were informed of the crime landscape in Finland and of the tools available to the KRP.