Nordic countries share common objectives to restrict immigration

Nordic countries share common objectives to restrict immigration

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen will chair the ministerial meeting of the Nordic cooperation group on migration and asylum (NSHF) in Helsinki on 30 September and 1 October. At the meeting, the Nordic ministers responsible for migration will discuss current migration issues.

"Nordic cooperation on migration has a long history, and it supports cooperation at the EU level. We are like-minded in many respects, and together we can also influence the content of EU policy," Minister Rantanen said.

During this government term, Finland has introduced several restrictions to its migration legislation. The aim is to bring its policies in line with those of the other Nordic countries.

The ministers will discuss, among other things, innovative solutions to migration, such as return hubs to be located outside EU countries. A person staying illegally in the EU could be transferred to a return hub to wait until they can be returned to their country of origin. The Nordic countries take a positive view of return hubs.

In March, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a new return regulation that aims to improve the effectiveness of the return of persons staying illegally in the EU and to prevent unauthorised movements within the Schengen area.

"In addition to making returns more efficient, we need to identify all possible means to reduce illegal entry and put those means into practice. At the EU level, we must promote efforts that would make it possible to carry out the asylum process and provide international protection in safe third countries," Rantanen said.

The regulation proposed by the Commission in the spring would amend the rules on safe third countries. The aim is to make it possible for persons seeking asylum in the EU to go through the asylum process and receive international protection in safe countries outside the EU, the EEA and the Schengen area more often than at present.

The NSHF (Nordisk samrådsgrupp på hög nivå i flyktingfrågor) was established in 1986 based on a recommendation from the Nordic Council of Ministers. In addition to the annual ministerial meetings, the cooperation group also holds a senior officials' meeting once a year. The purpose of the meetings is to promote the exchange of information and cooperation between the Nordic countries on migration issues.

Inquiries:
Minna Hulkkonen, Director General, tel. +358 295 488 600, [email protected]