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The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) is an agreement between Finland and the United States approved and ratified by the Finnish Government on July 1, 2024.
In addition to Finland, the United States has similar agreements with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia. [1]
In the presentation of the President of Finland on February 3, 2023, a delegation was appointed to conduct negotiations between Finland and the United States on the defense agreement. [2] Negotiations on the DCA agreement started between Finland and the United States in March 2023. The Parliament of Finland was informed as the negotiation process progressed. [3]
In its general session on December 14, 2023, the government decided to propose to President Sauli Niinistö that Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen, or, if he is prevented, Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, be authorized to sign the defense cooperation agreement. [4] On December 15, 2023, President Sauli Niinistö accepted the presentation made by the President of the Republic. [5]
On December 18, 2023, the defense agreement between Finland and the United States was signed in Washington, D.C. by minister Häkkänen and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Foreign minister Valtonen was also present at the event. [6] [7] [8]
The following day, Russia invited the Finnish Ambassador of Moscow, Antti Helanterä, to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an interview regarding the agreement. Later, the Finnish Foreign Ministry announced that Finland had already requested a meeting regarding the situation on Finland's eastern border. In this same meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry also discussed the agreement concluded between the United States and Finland. Russian officials said that they "are taking the necessary steps to respond to the aggressive decisions of Finland and its NATO allies." [9]
The DCA agreement proceeded to the parliament's hearing after the government decided on the matter on May 30, 2024. [10] On June 24, 2024, the Constitutional Law Committee issued a statement that approval of the DCA agreement requires a qualified majority of two-thirds of the votes cast. [11] Parliament approved the DCA agreement on July 1, 2024. Only Anna Kontula (from the Left Alliance) made a motion to reject the agreement, but the motion was not supported. Thus, the DCA agreement was unanimously approved without a vote. [12]
The purpose of the DCA agreement is to improve cooperation between Finland and the United States in all security situations. [3] It agrees on the practices related to the entry of troops into the country and the advance storage of material. [13] In the agreement, Finland grants access to the following military areas to the United States:
The areas stipulated in the agreement will be jointly used by the Finnish Defense Forces and the United States Armed Forces. The agreement has taken into account possible future regional and spatial needs, to avoid a premature amending of the agreement. [15]
The DCA agreement also deals with taxation and criminal law. Finland will not charge rent for premises or areas made available to the United States. The United States, on the other hand, is only responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance costs of the premises and areas that the Finnish government allows them to use, unless otherwise agreed. The costs of the premises and areas jointly used by the US forces and the Finnish Defense Forces are covered in proportion to their use. The agreement does not prohibit nuclear weapons, but it refers to Finnish legislation and international agreements; the Nuclear Energy Act is in force in Finland, which prohibits the transit and storage of nuclear weapons in Finland. [16]
In the case of possible crimes committed by those serving in the US forces, judgment is given by the United States. On a case-by-case basis, the transfer of jurisdiction can be canceled if the crime is of special importance to Finland. These include socially significant crimes, sexual crimes, and crimes against life and health. [16] Finland waives its jurisdiction over crimes committed by US troops when they have served in Finland. However, in "particularly important individual cases" Finland can cancel the transfer of jurisdiction to the United States. The United States has the power to decide which activities of its forces in Finland are to be considered service-related in Finland. [17]
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