Finland

Finland acceded to the Convention on 9 January 2012, and the Convention entered into force for Finland on 1 July 2012.

Obligations under the Convention

Article 3 (Retained Mines)

In its transparency report submitted in 2012, Finland reported stockpiled anti-personnel mines under its ownership or possession.

Notwithstanding the obligation to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines, the Convention permits the retention of the minimum number of anti-personnel mines absolutely necessary for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques.

As of 2021, Finland reported having retained 15,851 anti-personnel mines for these permitted purposes.

Article 4 (Stockpile Destruction)

In its transparency report submitted in 2012, Finland reported stockpiled anti-personnel mines under its ownership or possession.

In accordance with Article 4 of the Convention, Finland undertook to destroy or ensure the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines it owns or possesses, or that are under its jurisdiction or control by 1 July 2016.

On 18 August 2015, Finland announced that it had completed the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines.

In total, Finland reported having destroyed over one million stockpiled mines.

Declaration of Completion

Article 5 (Mine Clearance)

Finland has not reported any areas under its jurisdiction or control in which anti-personnel mines are known or suspected to be emplaced.

Article 6 (Cooperation and Assistance)

Article 6 of the Convention indicates that “Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide assistance for mine clearance and related activities […], the care and rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration, of mine victims and for mine awareness programs […], the destruction of stockpiled anti-personnel mines, […] with a view to ensuring the full and prompt implementation of agreed assistance programs.”

In this regard Finland routinely engages in such cooperation and assistance. The latest statement on Article 6 for this State Party can be found on this page.

Article 7 (Transparency)

Annually and no later than 30 April, each State Party is to update information covering the previous calendar year. The latest Article 7 reports for this State Party can be found on this page.

Article 9 (National Legislation)

Each State Party is to take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.

Finland has reported having established national implementation measures or that it considers existing legislation to be sufficient.

Convention banning landmines enters into force for Finland

(2012) “We will fully comply with the obligations of the Convention,” affirmed Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erkki Tuomioja, noting that “the key obligation under the treaty for Finland is to destroy its anti-personnel mines by 2016.”

Press Release | English | Español | Français

In photos below: Finnish Minister Heidi Hautala and delegation participate at a press conference in Cambodia in 2011 announcing that the instrument of accession would soon be deposited; and Finland as State not party, signing the Cartagena Declaration on a Mine-Free World.

Finland destroys over one million stockpiled landmines fulfilling a Convention obligation

(2015) “Finland is proud to declare that the destruction process of well over one million stockpiled mines which began in 2012 is now complete. Upon joining the Ottawa Convention, Finland identified Article 4, which calls for the destruction of all anti-personnel mines, as a key obligation under the treaty," said Päivi Kairamo, Ambassador of Finland to the United Nations in Geneva

Press Release | English | Español | Français