Comprehensive defence aims both to ensure national independence and to secure citizens’ living conditions. The concept has proven to be valid in Finland’s security environment.

Coordination of the various actors involved in comprehensive national defence is one of the tasks of the Ministry of Defence. Such coordination takes account of all measures taken by the public and private sectors and by voluntary defence organisations. The purpose of this coordination is to preserve the vital functions of the nation in all situations.

Many authorities and ministries are involved in developing the concept of comprehensive national defence:

Parliament

• Parliament sets the framework for comprehensive national defence through legislation and budgeting. Parliament also approves treaties and other international obligations.
• Parliament decides on the validity of the decrees issued by the President regarding the use of powers under the Emergency Powers Act.
• The Committee on Foreign Affairs deals with matters concerning Finland’s foreign and security policy and the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and also participates in decision-making concerning peacekeeping operations.
• The Defence Committee deals with matters related to military national defence and international military cooperation.
• The Administration Committee deals with matters related to the police, rescue services and border patrol.
• The Security and Defence Subcommittee of the Finance Committee deals with appropriation matters.

President of the Republic

• The President directs foreign policy in cooperation with the Government.
• The President chairs joint meetings of the President and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy.
• The President’s position as Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces derives from his/her duties in the leadership of foreign policy. The President may, however, on a proposal from the Government, transfer the Commander-in-Chief’s duties to another Finnish citizen. The President decides on military appointments and issues military orders.

Government

• General jurisdiction
• Forwarding proposals for solutions to the President
• Issuing decrees
• Preparing national input with respect to decisions to be made at the EU level, and decisions on Finnish measures
• Playing a key role in organising comprehensive national defence and increasing preparedness
• Issuing decrees on the exercise of powers pursuant to emergency powers legislation, after the President has issued a decree on the use of such powers
• Making decisions in plenary sessions with respect to important matters (EU matters, for example) in which such decisions must be submitted to Parliament for consideration
• Preparing, by way of the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy, important matters concerning foreign and security policy and comprehensive national defence

Ministry of Defence

• Coordinating tasks related to comprehensive national defence
• General defence preparedness and the strategic steering of defence policy
• Procuring military resources in accordance with the criteria laid down by Parliament and the Government

Security Committee

• Cooperating with the Ministry of Defence
• Assisting the Government and ministries
• If necessary, acting as an expert body in the event of threats to the nation

Commander of the Defence Forces (CHOD)

• Directly subordinate to the President of the Republic in matters of military command
• Responsible for the execution of decisions related to the Defence Forces, unless they have been assigned to the President

Defence Command

• The supreme headquarters of the CHOD, as well as the central administrative authority for the defence establishment
• Responsible, either to the President or to the Government, for the implementation of all decisions concerning the Defence Forces

Each ministry has a contingency chief responsible for the advance preparation of operations that may be required to deal with disturbances and emergencies in normal conditions. Some ministries have permanent negotiating and planning committees, such as the Advisory Board for Defence Information and the National Emergency Supply Agency.