On 1 July 2019, Finland took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In its programme, the Finnish Presidency underlines the need to comprehensively protect the security of EU citizens through, inter alia, cooperation in security and defence. The key issues to be addressed are:

• Combating cross-border crime and terrorism;
• Efficient border management;
• Countering hybrid and cyber threats.

Another major issue is the comprehensive management of migration. Some of the measures Finland will strive for during its presidency are:

• Proposals to strengthen the EU’s asylum system;
• An EU-wide resettlement system;
• A temporary relocation mechanism for migrants rescued at sea;
• Monitoring of migration routes and maintaining situational awareness;
• Reintegration of returned migrants;
• Strengthening of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

The Finnish Presidency is the second in the current trio Presidency after Romania (January - June 2019), followed by Croatia (January – June 2020).