THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE IN A NUTSHELL

Below is a brief account of the tasks, organisation, departments and units of the Ministry of Defence. More information is available also under  the heading 'Ministry of Defence', which provides the pages for the departments and units.

Main tasks and areas of responsibility of the Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence provides guidelines for national defence policy and security and co-operation regarding international defence policy. It is responsible for providing resources for military national defence and creating preconditions for the Defence Forces to operate. In addition, it is responsible for Finland's participation in international crisis management and contribution to the European security structures to secure national interests. The Ministry of Defence is also a channel between the Council of State and the Defence Forces.

Economy and personnel

The total expenditure of the administrative branch for the year 2008 is about EUR 2,42 billion. The defence budget accounts for about 1,3 % of the gross national product. The figure in most member countries of the European Union is clearly higher.

A total of 147 staff (31.12.2008) is employed in the Ministry of Defence. This figure includes about ten military offices. Internally, the Ministry of Defence is led as any other civilian government agency.

Organisation

The Ministry of Defence comprises three separate departments and units and the Secretariat of the Security and Defence Committee. The internal work of the departments is carried out in a number of units.

The Minister of Defence leads the work of the Ministry and the administrative branch. Mr Jyri Häkämies is the Finnish minister of defence. The Permanent Secretary and the executive steering group of the Ministry assist him.

The Permanent Secretary leads and controls the functions of the Ministry. Mr Kari Rimpi is the Permanent Secretary at the Finnish ministry of defence.

The Defence Policy Department

The department consists of the National Defence Policy Unit and the International Defence Policy Unit. The Defence Policy Department is in charge of evaluating the development of security and defence policy environment and provides the basis for defence policy decisions and the planning basis for the Defence Forces. The Defence Policy Department deals with matters pertaining to general national defence preparedness, conscription, military crisis management and peace support activities, and disarmament and arms control.

The Administration Policy Department

The department is a specialist organisation, which deals with research and development of operating patterns in national defence, financial planning and security related matters.  The Department consists of three units, the Research Unit, the Financial Unit and the Security Unit.

The Resource Policy Department

The department consists of the Materiel Unit, Personnel Unit, Information Management Unit and Community and Environment Unit. Areas of responsibility of the Department include creating guidelines for the personnel and employer policy, the materiel policy of the administrative branch and controlling exports of defence materiel. The Department is also responsible for preparing and guiding the community and environmental policy and managing real estate matters.

The Administration Unit

The unit consists of the Information Technology Team and four groups providing various services: Support Services, Personnel Management, Internal Financial Administration and Data Management. The Administration Unit is responsible for providing support services to the leadership of the Ministry, personnel management, real estate and procurement matters, financial administration, information technology systems and information security, preparedness and security planning and general administration.

The Media and Communications Unit

The Media and Communications Unit deals with all communications services of the Ministry of Defence and assists the Minister of Defence and the leadership in various ways, which include press releases and speeches. The Media and Communications Unit contributes to almost all functions of the Ministry. It is also responsible for developing the websites and network communications of the Ministry.

The Auditing Unit

The Auditing Unit follows the execution of the guidelines of the Ministry within defence administration and co-ordinates internal and external auditing in the administrative branch.

The Legal Unit

The Legal Unit prepares the legal framework for military defence, in other words the laws and presidential decrees, government decrees and ministry of defence decrees.

The Secretariat of the Security and Defence Committee

The Committee prepares the matters pertaining to the Committee and acts as secretariat for the meeting of the chiefs of preparedness matters of the Council of State. It chairs the meetings of secretaries of preparedness matters.

The Secretariat of the Advisory Board for Defence Information

Mission of the MTS is to plan defence information when times are normal and to do it for exceptional conditions as well. It also follows the development of the opinions of the Finns on issues closely related to national defence.

 

Other government agencies, establishments, boards and bodies:

• Secretariat of the Security and Defence Committee

• Defence Staff and Defence Forces

• Call-up Boards

• Central Call-up Appeals Board

• Advisory Board for Defence Administration

• Scientific Advisory Board for Defence

• Advisory Board for Voluntary Defence Work

• Finnish peace support organisations

• Construction Establishment of Defence Administration

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, DEFENCE FORCES AND DEFENCE STAFF

In administrative matters, the Defence Forces are subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. However, the Defence Forces are directly under the command and control of the Chief of Defence, admiral Juhani Kaskeala, who is assisted by the Defence Staff.

The Defence Staff is responsible for maintaining, planning and preparing the nation's military capability. As a central administrative authority, the Defence Staff prepares, plans, presents, decides and executes administrative decisions and measures. In matters related to military command the Defence Staff is subordinate to the Chief of Defence and in administration matters comes under the Ministry of Defence. The Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Markku Koli commands the Defence Staff.

Information Division of the Defence Staff:

Street address: Korkeavuorenkatu 21

Mail address: P.O.Box 919, 00131 Helsinki

Fax: +358 9 1812 2439

Email: puolustusvoimat@mil.fi

Or firstname.surname@mil.fi

For more information on the Defence Forces and the Defence Staff, see the link below.

The Finnish Defence Forces webservice
You can find more information about the Finnish defence at the defence forces official internet site.