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Defence cooperation agreement with the United States

In August 2022, Finland decided to start negotiations with the United States on a new bilateral defence cooperation agreement (DCA). The DCA is a binding international agreement that sets forth an up-to-date framework for cooperation between Finland and the United States. The agreement clarifies the rules for cooperation and allows the parties to deepen it in all security situations. In this way, the DCA will reinforce Finland’s security and contribute to the fulfilment of Finland’s obligations as a member of NATO.

It is Finland's aim to strengthen defence cooperation with the United States by creating an up-to-date framework for bilateral cooperation. The agreement now being implemented will concretely strengthen Finland's defence capability and national security. It enables the United States to be present, practise and preposition defence materiel in advance in Finland, creating preconditions for cooperation between Finland and the United States in crises. It was important for Finland in the negotiations to ensure that when the United States acts in Finland in accordance with the DCA, it respects Finland's sovereignty, legislation and obligations under international law, including when storing certain types of materiel in the territory of Finland. A further aim was to ensure flexible and smooth implementation of the negotiated agreement. 

From the United States' point of view, defence cooperation agreements have three key objectives. The agreements will provide a coherent and up-to-date framework for United States' forces, enable US-funded infrastructure investments in agreed facilities and areas, and ensure that the United States has access to them. In addition, the unimpeded entry and movement of troops and equipment as well as the preposition of defence equipment, supplies and materiel will be ensured.

Concurrently with Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Czechia held bilateral defence cooperation negotiations with the United States. The updated defence cooperation agreement between Norway and the United States was considered to contain such specifications that would be useful for Finland, compared to the draft agreement made by the United States. In the agreement negotiations, the aim was to ensure for example from the perspective of regional cooperation that the defence cooperation agreements with the Nordic countries are as uniform as possible.

Implementation phase of the DCA

The defence cooperation agreement (DCA) between Finland and the United States and its implementation phase entered into force on 1 September 2024. After the agreement was discussed in Parliament, the President of the Republic approved the defence cooperation agreement on 5 July 2024.

Implementation agreements and arrangement documents are prepared under the leadership of the Ministry of Defence. The implementation documents clarify the practical forms of cooperation, regarding, for example, the entry into, movement in and departure from Finland of US troops, and other rights and obligations.

In due course, the implementation agreements and documents will be public documents and will be available to everyone.

The Defence Forces have prepared implementation matters in close cooperation with the United States. The preparations will continue with regard to the use of the facilities and areas and the prepositioning of materiel as agreed in the agreement. 

The agreement will also further promote closer bilateral and multilateral exercises.

Defence Cooperation Agreement


Q&A about the DCA


  • The negotiations between Finland and the United States for a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) started in March 2023 towards the end of the previous government term. The DCA is part of a sustained approach to long-term cooperation between our countries and it will deepen our alliance significantly.
  • The DCA supplements our membership in NATO; it is not alternative or comparable to our membership. Finland’s membership in NATO allows us to further deepen our bilateral and multilateral relations.
  • The DCA’s objective is to streamline cooperation between Finland and the United States in all security situations. This is all the more important because of the changes in our security environment.
  • The DCA will strengthen Finland’s defence because it enables the presence and training of US forces and the prepositioning of defence material in the territory of Finland.



  • The DCA includes a Preamble, 30 Articles and one Annex (listing the agreed facilities and areas).
  • The DCA deals with matters such as US access to and use of the agreed facilities and areas; prepositioning of defence equipment, supplies and materiel in the territory of Finland; entry and movement of US aircraft, vessels and vehicles; ensuring the protection, safety, and security of US forces and the facilities and areas they use; criminal jurisdiction; and diverse practical matters related to the activities of US forces in the territory of Finland.



  • The United States will not establish any military bases in Finland. Under the DCA, US forces may use existing facilities and areas of the Finnish Defence Forces as agreed.
  • The primary reasons of the presence of US forces in Finland are training and exercises or similar cooperation that does not require permanent presence. There have been US forces in Finland almost throughout our NATO process especially for training and exercises.
  • Finland’s membership in NATO will mean a stronger presence of NATO forces in our territory, too.



  • As a rule, aircraft, vessels and vehicles of US forces may enter, exit and move freely within the territory of Finland.
  • In entry and movement, US forces will respect the relevant rules of air, maritime and land safety.
  • US forces will coordinate entry with Finnish authorities. Finland and the United States will agree on relevant coordination and notification procedures to support flexible, seamless and safe activities and promote national situation awareness.



  • Yes. The basic principle for selecting the agreed facilities and areas listed in the Annex to the DCA was to reinforce Finland’s defence and to base the selection on the existing infrastructure of the Finnish Defence Forces.
  • In the DCA, Finland authorises the United States unimpeded access to and use of the agreed facilities and areas for activities listed in the DCA, such as visits, training and exercises, support, transit, and staging of forces and materiel.
  • Finland and the United States will have joint access to and use of the agreed facilities and areas except for any facilities or areas specifically designated by the parties for the exclusive access and use of US forces.
  • The DCA enables the United States to invest in the construction and development of the agreed facilities and areas based on plans drawn up in cooperation.


  • Finland’s location has military-strategic significance. The Annex lists military bases in the east and west and the north and south. This will add flexibility to the cooperation with US forces for example in areas that are particularly suited for exercises.
  • The number of agreed facilities and areas in Finland is comparable to their number in Sweden, for example.
  • The DCA does not necessarily affect the normal activities in the listed areas, but it will make it easier to develop cooperation where necessary.


  • In conduct of activities in the framework of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (NATO SOFA), the forces of the sending nation (e.g. the United States) will be subject to the laws of the sending nation. However, the forces of the sending nation must respect the laws of the receiving nation (e.g. Finland).
  • The DCA separately confirms this obligation to respect the laws of Finland.



  • The Finnish Nuclear Energy Act prohibits the import of nuclear explosives as well as well as their manufacture, possession and detonation in Finland. Likewise, it is prohibited and punishable to transport nuclear weapons through Finland. The Finnish Criminal Code criminalises a nuclear device offence.
  • The Biological Weapons Convention prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological or toxin weapons in the territory of Finland.
  • The Chemical Weapons Convention, too, prohibits the stockpiling of such weapons.
  • Finland is also a party to the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines.



  • One difference between the two agreements is that under the NATO SOFA, the entry of forces will always be based on a separate decision or agreement.
  • Another difference is that the NATO SOFA concerns the status of the forces of a NATO member country and other relevant matters concerning those forces while in the territory of another NATO member country. The NATO SOFA is a mutual agreement and has provisions concerning both sending nations and receiving nations.
  • The DCA focuses on the status of the forces of the United States and other relevant matters concerning US forces when they are in the territory of the other party.



  • The NATO SOFA defines the minimum level. However, the DCA may deviate from the provisions of the NATO SOFA.



  • The right to exercise criminal jurisdiction over members of US forces would be divided between Finland and the United States. The decision on who has jurisdiction will be decided based on the provisions of the NATO SOFA and the DCA.
  • Neither of the two agreements exempt members of US forces from criminal liability; instead, they define when jurisdiction is exercised by the receiving nation and when by the sending nation.
  • Under the DCA, Finland waives its primary right to exercise criminal jurisdiction over members of US forces in cases where the right to exercise jurisdiction is concurrent under the NATO SOFA. Finland may withdraw this waiver in specific cases of particular importance to Finland.
  • Offences where Finland may withdraw its waiver to exercise criminal jurisdiction could include socially significant offences, sexual offences and offences against life and health. However, Finland’s decision to withdraw its waiver would always be made on a case-by-case basis.
  • The United States would have primary right to exercise criminal jurisdiction over members of US forces who are suspected of committing an offence in performance of their official duty.



  • Finland and the United States have exchanged bilateral notes to ensure that the Governments of Finland and of the United States agree that the NATO SOFA would apply in cases where Finland’s international obligations concerning the ban on capital punishment have relevance.



  • The United States will conduct all its activities under the DCA with full respect for the sovereignty, laws and international obligations of Finland, including with regard to the stockpiling of certain types of weapons on Finnish territory.
  • Consultation, coordination and exchange of information are essential elements of the implementation of the DCA.
  • Separate national arrangements or bilateral agreements and arrangements may be prepared to carry out the key provisions of the DCA and to ensure the proper implementation of the DCA and a sufficient situation picture of the implementation. Ensuring the protection, safety and security of US forces, prepositioning of defence materiel, and entry of US forces into Finland are among these key provisions.


  • Some of the DCA provisions have particular importance for sovereignty and fundamental rights. These include ensuring the protection, safety and security of US forces, the agreed facilities and areas, entry and movement of US forces, and criminal jurisdiction (capital punishment).
  • The Constitutional Law Committee of Parliament will in due course give its position on whether Parliament should accept the DCA by simple majority or by at least two thirds of the votes cast.
  • The statement of the Constitutional Law Committee on the government proposal concerning the NATO SOFA (90/2023) will have relevance when examining the relationship of the DCA and the Constitution.



  • The United States has a number of defence cooperation agreements with both NATO countries and non-NATO countries. The titles and content of these agreements vary.
  • The United States has a defence cooperation agreement similar to our DCA with nine other NATO countries. These are Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Slovakia. Sweden signed its DCA on 5 December 2023 and Denmark has recently concluded its negotiations.



  • Having an agreement on an up-to-date framework for operations creates for the United States predictability and a set of clear rules for cooperation in different kinds of situations.
  • The DCA with Finland facilitates cooperation and improves the conditions for US forces to operate regionally, as the United States has already negotiated similar agreements with countries in our neighbouring region. In this sense, the Nordic countries form a uniform defensive entity.
  • The DCA also takes into account the significant role of contractors as providers of support services for US forces.



  • Support for NATO remains strong across political lines in the United States. However, burden sharing within the Alliance is essential, and all Allies should invest at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to defence spending and 20% of their annual defence expenditure on major new equipment.
  • The United States has concluded bilateral defence cooperation agreements with NATO Allies to support the implementation of commitments under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.