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Finland to strengthen preparedness against CBRNE threats

Finnish Ministry of Defence

11.12.2024

Today, the Ministry of Defence published Finland's updated cross-administrative CBRNE Strategy. It brings together the measures that are used to prepare for threats arising from the unintentional or intentional use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials and agents and explosives.

"Finland is one of the leading countries in preparedness planning and in the promotion of comprehensive security. Cooperation between authorities is one of Finland's long-standing strengths in its CBRNE preparedness," Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen says.

"We must have plans in place for different kinds of risks. That is why Finland is also stepping up its preparedness for intentional CBRNE threats."

Broad-spectrum influencing below the threshold of war is more likely than before. Such threats can be posed by state actors or non-state actors, such as terrorists. For example, the target of an intentional CBRNE attack could vary from one individual to a wide geographical area. Food and drinking water and the related infrastructure could also be targeted.

"Countering CBRNE threats is also a central component of preparedness for and response to broad-spectrum influencing," Minister Häkkänen says. "Our goal is to protect the population and to secure the capability of the military forces and other authorities to operate in any CBRNE environment . All this requires broad-based cooperation nationally and especially within NATO and the EU."

The updated strategy will improve the detection and prevention of threats, protection from them and the implementation of recovery measures. At the same time, international cooperation and related training and exercises will be intensified. The strategy will guide ministries, government agencies and other actors in the field in their individual and collective planning and activities.

The strategy was updated by a cross-administrative team of experts representing the National CBRNE Committee and operational authorities. The same team will draw up the more detailed implementation plan of the strategy for the use of public authorities. The previous strategy was issued under the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior in 2017.