On November 12, the Finnish government submitted a legislative proposal to Parliament to amend the Conscription Act and the Act on the Finnish Defence Forces. The reform aims to update national defense legislation to reflect Finland’s NATO membership and the changed security environment in Northern Europe, specifically removing legal barriers that have restricted how reservists can operate beyond Finland’s borders.
According to Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, the legislation is designed to ensure that the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) have the necessary conditions to train troops, develop reserve capabilities, and conduct international cooperation directly tied to Finland’s defense.
Key Changes in the Legislative Proposal
Under the proposed reforms, reservists ordered to refresher training (kertausharjoitus) could in the future be assigned—without needing their separate consent—to military exercises, training, or service duties directly linked to Finland’s defense in the immediate region. This explicitly covers the Baltic Sea, Sweden, and Norway, countries that, as NATO allies and immediate neighbors, are directly connected to Finland’s national defense. Beyond this immediate neighborhood, both active-duty conscripts and reservists in refresher training could still be ordered abroad for military exercises, training, or related service duties that promote Finland’s defense, provided they give their explicit consent.
The proposal also overhauls the time limits for refresher training by abolishing the current tiered system where maximum days are determined by military rank and training track. Going forward, the combined maximum for all conscripts and reservists will be standardized at 200 days, a change the Ministry of Defence notes will promote equality and allow the FDF to better utilize specialized civilian skills acquired by reservists.
Additionally, amendments to the Act on the Finnish Defence Forces clarify the obligation of FDF civil servants and officers to participate in international duties. The bill also establishes the necessary legal frameworks for placing Finnish units participating in international operations under the operational command of an entity other than the FDF, such as NATO command structures.
Next Steps and Timeline
During the drafting phase, a section concerning the terms and conditions of employment during international cooperation was separated from the bill for further preparation.
The legislative package will now proceed to parliamentary debate and committee review. If passed, the amended laws are scheduled to enter into force on July 1, 2027.
