Finland and the world: the EU, the Nordics, the UN and NATO

Quick answers

When did Finland join the European Union?

Finland became an EU member on 1 January 1995. Euro notes and coins came into use on 1 January 2002.

When did Finland become a member of NATO?

On 4 April 2023. Finland applied for membership on 17 May 2022.

Who leads Finland's foreign policy?

The President of the Republic, in co-operation with the Government. This is what section 93 of the Constitution says.

Who has to do military service?

Men who are Finnish citizens. Women can apply for voluntary military service.

The citizenship test (kansalaisuuskoe) is in Finnish or Swedish, so key Finnish terms are given in brackets. This chapter is also available in Finnish: Suomi ja maailma.

This chapter explains when Finland joined the EU, the UN and NATO, how Nordic co-operation works, who leads foreign and defence policy and who has to do military service.

When did Finland join the EU?

Finland became a member of the European Union (Euroopan unioni, EU) on 1 January 1995. In an advisory referendum (neuvoa-antava kansanäänestys) in October 1994, 56.9 percent of voters had supported membership.

Section 1 of the Constitution (perustuslaki) says that Finland is a member of the European Union.

The euro came to Finland in two steps. Finland has been a member of the euro area (euroalue) since 1 January 1999. Euro notes and coins came into use on 1 January 2002. Before that, Finland’s money was the markka, used since 1860. The markka has not been legal tender since 28 February 2002.

Finland has also been a member of the Schengen area since 25 March 2001.

What does the EU decide, and how does Finland take part?

The EU has 27 member states (jäsenvaltio). Its main decision-makers are:

• The European Parliament (Euroopan parlamentti) represents the citizens. They elect its members directly for five years. In 2024 Finland elected 15 members, known as MEPs (meppi).
• The Council of the European Union (Euroopan unionin neuvosto) represents the governments. Ministers meet there, each for their own policy area.
• The European Commission (Euroopan komissio) looks after the EU’s common interests and proposes new laws.
• The European Council (Eurooppa-neuvosto) is the meeting of the heads of state or government. It sets the EU’s general direction but does not make laws.

Usually the Commission proposes a law, and the Parliament and the Council adopt it together.

In Finland, the Government (valtioneuvosto) is responsible for EU affairs, and Parliament (eduskunta) takes part in the preparation. The Prime Minister represents Finland in the European Council. Finland has held the presidency of the Council of the EU three times: in 1999, 2006 and 2019.

What does free movement mean?

A Finnish citizen is also an EU citizen, with the right to move and live freely within the EU. This is called free movement (vapaa liikkuvuus). A Finnish citizen can therefore travel and work in another EU country, and vote and stand as a candidate in European Parliament elections.

What is Nordic co-operation?

The Nordic countries (Pohjoismaat) are Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland also take part. They share a common history, similar cultures and societies, and the Nordic languages, says the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

• The Nordic Council (Pohjoismaiden neuvosto), founded in 1952, is the co-operation body of the Nordic parliaments. Finland joined it in 1955. It has 87 members, 20 of them from Finland, including two from Åland.
• The Nordic Council of Ministers (Pohjoismaiden ministerineuvosto), founded in 1971, is the co-operation body of the governments. The prime ministers have the main responsibility.

The legal basis is the Helsinki Treaty (Helsingin sopimus) from 1962. Passport-free travel between the Nordic countries began in 1952 and the common labour market in 1954.

What does Finland do in the UN?

Finland joined the United Nations (Yhdistyneet kansakunnat, YK) in 1955. For Finland, the UN is the most important tool for multilateral co-operation, says the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. As a member, Finland is committed to maintaining international peace and security and to settling disputes peacefully.

Finland has taken part in UN peacekeeping (rauhanturvaaminen) since the late 1950s and is seeking a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council (turvallisuusneuvosto) for 2029–2030.

When did Finland become a member of NATO?

NATO is a defence alliance (puolustusliitto). Finland applied for membership on 17 May 2022 and became a member on 4 April 2023. In 2026 NATO has 32 member countries.

NATO’s core principle is collective defence. Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all, and every member then has an obligation to help. Finland is covered by these security guarantees (turvatakuu) and takes part in NATO’s collective defence and decision-making.

Who leads Finland’s foreign and security policy?

Under section 93 of the Constitution, Finland’s foreign policy is led by the President of the Republic (tasavallan presidentti) in co-operation with the Government. Parliament approves Finland’s international obligations. The President decides on war and peace with the consent of Parliament. In EU affairs, the Government is responsible.

The President is also the Supreme Commander (ylipäällikkö) of the Defence Forces (section 128). Under the Act on the Defence Forces, their most important task is the military defence of Finland. The Defence Forces (puolustusvoimat) also support other authorities and take part in international assistance and military crisis management.

Who has to do military service?

Under section 127 of the Constitution, every Finnish citizen is obliged to take part in the defence of the country or to assist in it.

Under the Conscription Act, every male Finnish citizen is liable for military service (asevelvollinen) from the start of the year he turns 18 until the end of the year he turns 65. Conscript service (varusmiespalvelus) lasts 165, 255 or 347 days, depending on the training.

If your convictions prevent military service, you can apply for non-military service (siviilipalvelus), which lasts 347 days.

For women, military service is voluntary. A woman who is a Finnish citizen can apply from the year she turns 18 and must start by the year she turns 29.

There are separate rules for new citizens. A man who receives Finnish citizenship in the year he turns 18, or later, is not called to the call-up (kutsunta), but he can be ordered to a medical examination. At least four months of military service in another country of citizenship can, on application, give exemption from conscript service in peacetime.

Difficult words in this chapter

jäsenvaltio

member state: a country that belongs to an organisation, for example the EU

vapaa liikkuvuus

free movement: an EU citizen's right to move and live freely within the EU

Pohjoismaiden neuvosto

the Nordic Council: the co-operation body of the Nordic parliaments, founded in 1952

rauhanturvaaminen

peacekeeping: UN work that helps keep the peace in crisis areas

puolustusliitto

defence alliance: countries that promise to defend each other

turvatakuu

security guarantee: a promise of help if a country is attacked; in NATO, the Article 5 promise

asevelvollisuus

conscription: the duty of male Finnish citizens to do military service

siviilipalvelus

non-military service: unarmed service you can apply for if your convictions prevent military service