Background & Purpose
Crime doesn't stop at national borders, and quick action is crucial in sparsely populated border regions like Tornedalen where the nearest Swedish police unit might be far away.
Proposals & Debate
The government proposed approving an agreement between Sweden and Finland alongside necessary law changes. This allows Finnish police officers to perform urgent police duties on Swedish territory, regulate their powers, and permit them to bring service weapons into Sweden. Vänsterpartiet opposed the bill and voted no.
The Decision
The Swedish parliament approved the agreement and the required law changes with a clear majority, enabling cross-border police interventions.
Does this affect you?
- Residents in the Tornedalen border region: Faster police response times in emergency situations since the nearest available unit—regardless of nationality—can intervene.
- Police officers in Sweden and Finland: Clear legal frameworks and expanded operational capabilities to cooperate seamlessly across the national border.
In Practice
- Finnish police officers are allowed to carry out urgent police tasks on Swedish territory within the border region.
- Finnish police are permitted to bring their official service weapons across the border into Sweden.
- Clear rules apply regarding the legal powers and authority of the Finnish police officers while operating in Sweden.
- The exact start date for when these new rules take effect is decided by the government.