A major reform of Finland’s asylum and migration system faces criticism from the Deaconess Foundation, which says the planned national implementation of the EU migration and asylum pact weakens legal safeguards and threatens equal treatment.
The EU pact enters force in summer 2026 and requires extensive legislative changes across member states. Finland’s Interior Ministry has prepared a draft package of almost 600 pages. The Deaconess Foundation says the proposal marks the widest overhaul of asylum law in decades and places efficiency ahead of human rights.
The organisation said the government has room under EU rules to protect fundamental rights but has chosen a different path. Anne Hammad, a migration expert at the Deaconess Foundation, said Finland is moving away from safeguards rather than using national discretion to protect them.
“National discretion in EU member states can be used in a way that respects human rights and legal safeguards. Finland is not making use of this, and the direction appears to be the opposite.” Hammad said.
The EU pact aims to strengthen preparedness, resources, and efficiency in asylum, reception, and migration systems. It also seeks to improve the bloc’s ability to respond to changing migration pressures. The Deaconess Foundation said those goals do not justify measures that weaken access to justice or undermine protection for vulnerable applicants.
The Interior Ministry has framed the reform as necessary to speed up asylum procedures. The foundation said faster processing remains a valid aim when paired with respect for basic rights. The organisation said the current proposal fails to meet that balance.
“Making the asylum process more efficient is a legitimate goal. It should be done in a way that ensures that applicants in vulnerable positions receive not only an efficient process, but also treatment that respects fundamental rights and equality throughout the application procedure.” Hammad said.
The Deaconess Foundation said the reform package was prepared on a tight schedule despite its scale, and that several elements risk undermining a dignified asylum process.
The draft law narrows practical access to free legal advice and legal aid. The group said this weakens applicants’ ability to understand and challenge decisions. Shorter appeal deadlines add pressure on people who already face language barriers and trauma.
The organisation also raised concern about unaccompanied minors. Changes to the system of legal representatives for children arriving without guardians risk gaps in protection.
Under the proposal, the right to work lawfully begins only after six months from lodging an asylum claim. The group said this delays self-sufficiency and hinders early integration into society and working life.
The Deaconess Foundation said strict procedural deadlines limit the ability of authorities to identify special needs. This affects people who have suffered persecution, torture, or war-related trauma.
“Careful assessment of some asylum seekers’ situations takes time. A tightened timetable risks overlooking a person in a particularly vulnerable position.” Hammad said.
The foundation warned that the scale of the reform, combined with a strict implementation schedule, risks overloading authorities.
Border authorities, the Finnish Immigration Service, and courts face new duties under the pact. Added pressure risks reducing decision quality and consistency, according to the group. Unequal treatment becomes more likely when workloads rise and timelines tighten.
“A tight implementation timetable combined with the scale of the reform increases the risk that the workload of border authorities, the Finnish Immigration Service, and the courts will grow in a way that weakens the quality of the process and, in turn, equal treatment,” Hammad said.
The organisation called for revisions that strengthen access to legal aid, allow sufficient time for assessments, and protect children and other vulnerable groups. It said efficiency and rights do not conflict when laws are drafted with care.
HT