Finland information-sharing powers will expand from 1 October 2026 after President Alexander Stubb approved new legislation aimed at improving cooperation between public authorities. The changes are designed to help prevent crime, strengthen national security and make it easier for government agencies to act quickly when dealing with potential threats.
The new laws affect several key authorities, including the police, the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), the Border Guard, Customs and the Finnish Defence Forces. Together, these agencies will be able to exchange certain types of information more easily than before, while remaining subject to legal safeguards that protect confidential data.
The Finnish government has been working to improve how public authorities cooperate, particularly in situations where delays in sharing information could affect public safety or criminal investigations.
Until now, strict rules on confidential information have sometimes made it difficult for agencies to exchange relevant details, even when they were working toward the same objective. The new legislation updates those rules, making information sharing more practical while keeping clear legal limits on what can be shared.
Officials believe the reforms will help authorities respond faster to security concerns, investigate crimes more effectively and reduce unnecessary administrative barriers between agencies.
What Will Change?
The new legislation gives both the police and Migri broader powers to access and share information in carefully defined situations.
The Finnish Immigration Service will be allowed to receive information about certain arrest warrants.
If Migri identifies a person who is wanted by the authorities while they are at one of its offices, it must inform the police. This requirement is intended to improve cooperation between immigration officials and law enforcement and help ensure that wanted individuals are located more efficiently.
Police will also gain wider authority to both request and disclose confidential information when it is necessary to carry out their duties.
Under the new rules, officers may share relevant information with other public authorities. In some situations, they may also provide information to private organisations that operate critical infrastructure, such as energy, transport or communications services, if doing so is necessary to protect public safety.
The legislation also allows police to request information from private organisations when it is needed to prevent serious threats to life or health.
One of the most discussed parts of the reform involves information held by healthcare and social welfare providers.
The new law does not give police unrestricted access to medical records or confidential discussions between patients and healthcare professionals.
Instead, police may request only limited information in specific legal situations. They can ask whether a particular person is present at a certain location and confirm that person’s identity if the request meets the legal requirements.
These new powers can only be used in clearly defined circumstances.
They include investigating certain criminal offences, protecting national security and locating missing persons.
The Ministry of the Interior has stressed that confidential medical information and private conversations between patients and healthcare or social welfare professionals will remain protected. Police will not have access to treatment records or personal discussions unless another law specifically permits it.
The reforms reflect Finland’s effort to improve cooperation between public authorities without removing important privacy protections.
By allowing agencies to exchange essential information more quickly, the government hopes to strengthen crime prevention, improve emergency responses and support national security. At the same time, the legislation sets clear boundaries on the type of information that can be shared, helping to balance public safety with individual privacy rights.
The new rules will officially come into force on 1 October 2026.
