Finland
Mine Ban Policy
Mine ban policy overview
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Mine Ban Treaty status |
State Party |
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National implementation measures |
Penal Code amended |
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Transparency reporting |
Updated report submitted in 2014 for calendar year 2013 |
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Key developments |
Stockpile destruction 95% completed as of June 2014, scheduled to finish by the end of 2015 |
The Republic of Finland deposited its instrument of accession to the Mine Ban Treaty on 9 January 2012, becoming a State Party on 1 July 2012.[1]
Finland has amended its penal code to implement the convention’s provisions in domestic legislation, including penal sanctions for violations of a minimum of four months imprisonment to a maximum of six years.[2]
Finland submitted an initial Article 7 transparency report in 2013 for the second half of 2012 and provided an annual updated report in 2014, covering calendar year 2013.
Finland has regularly attended the Mine Ban Treaty’s Review Conferences, Meetings of States Parties, and intersessional meetings despite not joining until 2012. It participated in the Mine Ban Treaty’s Fourth Review Conference in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2014 and the Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in December 2013. At both meetings, Finland informed States Parties of its progress towards stockpile destruction and reaffirmed its commitment to complete the destruction process by the end of 2015. Finland also reiterated pledges to promote the universalization and full implementation of the convention, and expressly commended the “important work of the United Nations, the ICRC and civil society organizations, in making the Convention work in an efficient manner.”[3]
Finland also attended intersessional Standing Committee meetings of the treaty in Geneva in April 2014, but did not make a statement.
Finland is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
Finland has stated on numerous occasions that it has never used antipersonnel mines and does not have any mined areas, has not produced antipersonnel mines since 1981, and has never exported antipersonnel mines.[4] Finland has not acquired any antipersonnel mines since the early 1970s.
In 2010, information from the Ministry for Defence was released revealing for the first time the size and composition of Finland’s stockpile of antipersonnel mines.[5] This total was reaffirmed in mid-2012 when Finland disclosed that it stockpiled 1,029,763 antipersonnel mines banned by the treaty, comprising 801,618 Sakaramiina 65-98 blast mines as well as 228,145 Putkimiina 43-86 and Putkimiina 68-95 stake mines.[6]
Under Article 4 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Finland is obligated to destroy its stockpiled antipersonnel mines under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 July 2016.
At the Mine Ban Treaty’s Fourth Review Conference in June 2014, Finland informed States Parties that it had completed over 95% of its stockpile destruction and was on track to finish the destruction by 2015. It states that a total of 744,891 antipersonnel mines were destroyed in 2013, an increase from 200,000 destroyed in 2012.[7]
In its 2014 Article 7 report, Finland declared a remaining stockpile of 55,181 antipersonnel mines as of 2 November 2013: 8,893 Putkimiina 43-86 antipersonnel mines and 46,288 Putkimiina 68-95 mines. It reported the destruction of its entire remaining stock of 663,582 Sakaramiina 65-95 mines, as well as 75,549 Putkimiina 43-86 mines and 5,760 Putkimiina 68-95 mines, in the period from 2 November 2012 to 10 December 2013.[8]
Finland began destroying the stockpile by open detonation in August 2012 at a location in Finnish Lapland.[9] From August until 10 December 2013, destruction continued at the Ähtäri army depot in central Finland and at Kittilä, an area in the north of the country used for years for the destruction of old ammunition and explosives. Finland reported that blast mines were to be destroyed by removing the fuze and metallic parts for recycling, with parts to be used during fire and explosion training. The stake mines were to be destroyed by open detonation.[10] In 2011, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs estimated the cost of the stockpile destruction at approximately €220,000 (US$291,742).[11]
Finland said a key factor obstructing its accession to the treaty was the difficulty of procuring alternatives to antipersonnel mines.[12] The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has said a replacement for antipersonnel mines must be procured between 2009 and 2016 in order to maintain a credible defense.[13] The procurement of replacement systems started in 2009.[14] Finland’s 2009 Security and Defense Policy Review stated that “it is possible to replace a part of the landmines’ purpose with special munitions, Claymore mines and ground surveillance sensors as well as modern anti-tank mines.”[15] The Defence Committee concluded that a total of approximately €300 million (US$398 million) would allow adequate substitutions for antipersonnel mines to be procured and that it would be possible to remove these weapons without weakening Finland’s national defense.[16]
Retention
In its 2014 and 2013 Article 7 reports, Finland has declared retaining 16,500 antipersonnel mines for training and research purposes.[17] In 2011, Finland stated that the retained mines are necessary for the development of and training in destruction techniques, and will be retained for these purposes for the next 20 years.[18]
Contamination from explosive remnants of war
Finland has stated that it does not have mined areas. However, according to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, some areas may contain unexploded ordnance (UXO), which could include mines, left over from World War II. These areas with a risk of UXO are recorded.[19]
[1] This came six years later than its initially-stated goal. The decision to step back from the goal to join the treaty in 2006 was included in the Security and Defence Policy Review 2004, which was approved by parliament on 21 December 2004. The goal of joining the treaty by 2006 was first stated in December 1997, reiterated in December 1999 and December 2000, and confirmed by a government report on foreign and security policy approved by parliament in December 2001.
[2] “Law amending Chapter 11 (War crimes and crimes against humanity) of the Penal Code 39/1889,” 22 December 2011. It has also reported the following additional measures to implement the convention: Standard Operating Instructions from the Finnish Defence Command published on 3 April 2012; an Army Command decision on decommissioning of antipersonnel mines published on 24 February 2012; and a decision of the Finnish Defence Command on the approval of a plan of destruction of its antipersonnel mines published on 25 October 2010. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2012), Form A; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2013), Form A.
[3] Statements of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Maputo, 23 and 27 June 2014; and statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2013.
[4] Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011; statements of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Maputo, 23 and 27 June 2014; statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2013; statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 27 May 2013; statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Twelfth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 3 December 2012; statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Eleventh Meeting of States Parties, Phnom Penh, 28 November 2011; and statement of Finland, Intersessional Standing Committee Meetings, Geneva, 21 May 2012.
[5] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Draft Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Ottawa Convention on Antipersonnel Mines,” 14 December 2010; and Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011.
[6] Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011; and letter from Markku Virri, Ministry of Foriegn Affairs of Finland, 7 September 2012.
[7] Statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Maputo, 23 June 2014. Previously at the Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties in December 2013, Finland reported that stockpile destruction was 90% completed. Statement of Finland, Mine Ban Treaty Thirteenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 December 2013.
[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2013), Form G.
[9] “Finland Destroying Landmine Stocks,” yle (News service), 21 August 2012; and letter from Markku Virri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, 7 September 2012.
[10] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2012), Form F; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2013), Form G.
[11] Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011; and letter from Markku Virri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, 7 September 2012. Average exchange rate for 2010: €1=US$1.3261. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 6 January 2011.
[12] See Landmine Monitor Report 2007, p. 821. The Security and Defence Policy Review 2004 stated that the Finnish Defence Force would be provided with €200 million in extra funding over eight years for replacements for mines, and the army would have to allocate an additional €100 million. The replacement process was to start in 2009 and continue until 2016. The review proposed to replace antipersonnel mines with close combat weapons and sensors.
[13] Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Prime Minister’s Office, “Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2009, Government Report,” Publication 13/2009, 5 February 2009.
[16] Parliament of Finland, “The Defence Committee’s opinion 2/2011 vp,” PuVL/2011 vp – HE 15/2011 vp, 28 September 2011, on “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011.
[17] It reported retaining 9,000 Sakaramiina 65-98, 3,000 Putkimiina 43-95, and 4,500 Putkimiina 68-98 antipersonnel mines. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2013), Form D; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2012), Form D.
[18] Parliament of Finland, “Government Bill to Parliament on the approval of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling, and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and their Destruction,” HE15/2011, 12 August 2011.
[19] Ibid.