On 23 March 2023, President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö decided that Finland would commit itself to the North Atlantic Treaty and the Ottawa Agreement, which were accepted by Parliament on 1 March 2023. The presenting minister was Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto. The President of the Republic also confirmed the acts bringing into force the Treaty and the Agreement.
On 23 March 2023, the President of the Republic decided on Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by approving Finland’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty. The North Atlantic Treaty is NATO’s founding treaty and defines the principles governing the activities of the Alliance and the obligations of its members.
Finland will become a member of NATO once:
- all NATO member states have ratified Finland’s accession;
- Finland has been invited to join NATO by NATO Secretary General; and
- Finland’s instrument of accession, signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, has been deposited with the Government of the United States. The Government of the United States is the depositary for the North Atlantic Treaty.
So far, 28 out of 30 NATO member states have ratified Finland’s accession. Ratifications by Türkiye and Hungary are still pending. Finland’s goal is that both Finland and Sweden, having applied for membership in NATO at the same time, will become members of NATO as soon as possible.
At the same presidential session, the President of the Republic decided on the signing and ratification of the Agreement on the Status of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, National Representatives and International Staff, also known as the Ottawa Agreement. The Ottawa Agreement is an agreement on the status of NATO as a legal person and on the privileges and immunities of NATO staff. The Ottawa Agreement will be signed on Finland’s behalf after Finland has become a member of NATO. The instrument of ratification for the Ottawa Agreement will be deposited with the Government of the United States.
The President of the Republic also confirmed the acts bringing into force the North Atlantic Treaty and the Ottawa Agreement and incorporating them into Finnish legislation. The acts will be promulgated by a Government Decree once the Treaty and the Agreement enter into force for Finland.
