Finland’s government has formally proposed keeping the Border Security Act, also known as the “pushback law”, in force until the end of 2028, moving ahead with plans announced earlier this summer.
The Ministry of the Interior said on Thursday that the government wants to extend the legislation without changing its contents. The current law expires at the end of 2026.
The proposal follows a public consultation launched in July, when the government set out plans for a two-year extension. The government had said it intended to submit the proposal to Parliament in September.
The ministry said the threat of instrumentalised migration at Finland’s eastern border remains high. The Finnish Border Guard assesses that conditions have not changed substantially since 2025, when Parliament last extended the legislation.
“Finland has taken determined action to ensure border security. The Border Security Act helps us ensure that border authorities can act effectively in the most serious incidents of instrumentalised migration,” Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said in the ministry’s statement.
The legislation allows the government, under defined conditions, to restrict the reception of applications for international protection in a limited area along Finland’s national border and its immediate vicinity.
Authorities do not gain those powers through the existence of the law alone. Using them requires a separate government decision. The government must also determine that other measures are insufficient to protect Finland’s sovereignty or national security.
The law entered into force in July 2024 as a temporary measure. Parliament extended its validity in 2025 until 31 December 2026. The new proposal would extend that deadline by two years, to 31 December 2028. The extension is due to enter into force no later than the end of this year.
So far, the government has not used the law’s provisions to restrict asylum applications. The Ministry of the Interior said closing border crossing points has been sufficient to stop instrumentalised migration and that such activity has not spread beyond the crossings.
Finland’s land border crossings with Russia have remained closed since 15 December 2023. The government decided in June to keep the eastern border closed until further notice and says authorities regularly assess whether the restrictions remain necessary.
The Border Security Act has faced criticism over its relationship with Finland’s constitution, EU law and international human rights and refugee obligations.
Despite those objections, Parliament has previously given the legislation broad support. The 2024 law required a five-sixths majority because lawmakers handled it under the procedure for legislation involving a limited exception to the constitution.
HT
