​The referral debate on government proposal on Finland's accession to NATO will take place on Tuesday, 13 December. The Speaker's Council decided on the schedule today. After the referral debate, the proposal is referred to committee consideration. The Foreign Affairs Committee prepares the report and the Constitutional Law Committee, the Defence Committee, the Intelligence Oversight Committee and the Finance Committee submit their statements to the Foreign Affairs Committee. The Foreign Affairs Committee may ask statements from other committees if it sees it necessary.

Speaker Matti Vanhanen estimates that it is possible to carry out the parliamentary proceedings in a few weeks, because Parliament discussed Finland's accession to NATO thoroughly in the spring.

"The committees can hear experts, and the reporting committee can prepare its report close to completion. After the ratifications of Turkey and Hungary, we will see if there is anything to add to the report. After that, the report will be brought to the plenary session", Vanhanen explains.​

In the plenary session, the committee report is discussed twice, in the first and second reading. The second reading can be no earlier than the third day after the end of the first reading.

Parliament organizes itself quickly after the elections

The handling of international agreements does not expire in Parliament because of parliamentary elections, like other government proposals. Even if the ratifications of Turkey and Hungary extend beyond the parliamentary elections at the beginning of April, the new parliament can continue the consideration of Finland's accession to NATO from where it left off before the elections.

In the spring, Parliament considered two government reports on the changes in the security environment. At the end of the consideration, Parliament supported Finland's accession to NATO with 188-8 votes. So far, all other NATO countries except Hungary and Turkey have ratified Finland's membership. Membership requires the approval of all current member countries.

Read more about the parliamentary consideration of the government proposal on Finland's accession to NATO.

Read more about the two government reports on the changes in the security environment. ​