Securing the Functions Vital to Society

On account of the existence of old and especially of the emergence of new types of threats to the vital functions of society, cross-administrative guidelines for preparedness have been worked out in Finland, applicable to society at large, the business community, and non-governmental organisations.

In normal conditions, the guidelines are used whenever a special or abnormal situation occurs and in crisis management in case of emergencies.

The first version of the Strategy for Securing the Functions Vital to Society was compiled in 2003 and adopted by a Government resolution on 23 November 2006.

The strategy is currently being updated. The updated version is scheduled to be ready by the end of 2010. 

Different ministries take principal responsibility for the vital functions in their own field of administration. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is mainly responsible for international activities but, because of EU cooperation, sectoral ministries are increasingly engaged in international matters affecting the areas that they specialise in.