As a NATO member state, Finland shall participate in the collective defence planning of the alliance. The NATO Defence Planning Process (NDPP) takes place in a four-year cycle and aims to develop joint capabilities between member states and NATO.

When Finland joined NATO, the country did not impose any restrictions on participation in the alliance’s activities. Thus, Finland is also committed to NATO’s nuclear weapons policy and nuclear deterrence. NATO has declared itself to be a nuclear alliance as long as nuclear weapons remain in use in the world.

Finland will join NATO’s operational planning and command structures. Finland will participate more extensively than before in NATO exercises, including military exercises pursuant to Article 5. Cooperation in sharing and receiving air and sea situational awareness will deepen, and Finland will be part of NATO’s joint air and missile defence system.

Finland will participate in NATO’s peacetime collective defence tasks and in NATO’s standby forces, as separately agreed. Examples of common peacetime tasks may include airspace surveillance in the Baltic States and Iceland, the operation of joint permanent naval contingents and the presence of multinational army contingents in the eastern member states. By maintaining these functions in peacetime, NATO demonstrates its readiness and defensive capability. Finland shall decide on its own participation in NATO operations.

Finland will send personnel to work in NATO’s command structure, i.e. NATO headquarters, and in other headquarters, agencies and institutions. Based on the size of the member states and their economies, NATO has calculated how many military personnel each country should send to serve in NATO’s command structure. Finland’s share is approximately 100 officers, non-commissioned officers, and civilians. But it will take several years before people can be trained for these tasks.

NATO member states have every right to decide what military activities or equipment they will deploy on their soil. The possible need for such action depends on the development of the security environment.