Finland’s Arctic and Antarctic cooperation

Finland is one of the five countries that participate in both Arctic and Antarctic decision-making. Finland is a permanent member of the Arctic Council and one of the Consultative Parties making decisions concerning Antarctica.

Finland’s Arctic policy

In June 2021, the Government approved Finland’s Strategy for Arctic Policy, which will be in force until 2030. It is complemented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs’ 2025 policy document outlining Finland’s Arctic foreign and security policy.

Finland’s Arctic foreign and security policy aims to promote a stable and secure Arctic region, where development is sustainable, based on international law and respectful of the rights of indigenous peoples and other local populations. Finland works to defuse tensions and prevent disputes between states.

The Arctic’s stability and security are built on multilateral cooperation. Finland’s closest partners are the other Nordic countries and Canada. The most important forum for Arctic cooperation is the Arctic Council, whose membership consists of the Arctic states – Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Canada, the United States and Russia – and six organisations representing indigenous peoples in the Arctic.

The Arctic Council’s chairmanship rotates between the Member States. The chair for the current two-year period (2025–2027) is the Kingdom of Denmark, with Greenland in the lead role. Sweden will take over the chairmanship in 2027.

The Arctic Council has not met at political or ambassadorial level since Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022. The Arctic Council’s working groups focus on monitoring the status of the Arctic environment, identifying contamination risks, preventing environmental disasters, promoting sustainable development, preserving biodiversity, and working on special issues related to the Arctic marine environment.

The European Union is a major provider of funding for Arctic research and development. The Union’s policy for the Arctic aims to strengthen the EU’s role in the Arctic region.

Finland’s Antarctic cooperation

Finland’s objectives in Antarctica are to protect the region’s unique environment, to promote international scientific work and to keep Antarctica as free of political tensions as possible in the changing conditions.

A key forum for Antarctic cooperation is the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), which convenes annually to discuss matters related to the Treaty. The Consultative Parties to the Treaty, Finland among them, have the right to make decisions.

Finland acceded to the Antarctic Treaty in 1984 and was granted Consultative Party status in 1989.

The Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty is located Buenos Aires.

The Finnish Antarctic Research Program (FINNARP) operations office at the Finnish Meteorological Institute maintains Finland’s research station Aboa in Queen Maud Land in Antarctica and arranges field work in Aboa.

Research on Antarctica is mainly funded by the Research Council of Finland. The aim is to develop new, internationally significant breakthroughs in Antarctic research. Research topics have related to atmospheric sciences, geology, geophysics, biology and other fields.

A valid permit is required for all activities in Antarctica. The Finnish Supervisory Agency is the licensing authority in Finland.