National Emergency Supply Agency emphasising preparedness for three threat scenarios in its new strategy

The new strategy of the National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) responds to three key threat scenarios: the possibility of a military conflict, broad-spectrum influencing and severe disruptions of the global economy. The planning of the strategy period has been guided by the extremely uncertain global situation and the growing threat of Russia.

The new strategy, which extends up to 2027, defines five key focus areas that address society’s ability to function and the basic needs of the population. The five focus areas are energy supply; food and water supply; transport and supply chains; digital security and security of supply of information; and industrial engineering arrangements for serious crises.

“The risks and threats to security of supply – the continuity of society’s vital functions – have become more concrete. They are also more serious and complex than before. Because of this, the preparation of the new strategy involved considering what kind of crisis tolerance and preparedness the extremely uncertain global situation and the growing threat of Russia require of us,” says the NESA’s CEO Janne Känkänen.

The strategic focus areas are areas where the NESA wants to achieve specific results and impacts in the coming years and where the NESA specifically can develop preparedness and readiness. Furthermore, they are areas where the combination of the impact on society of the aforementioned threats and the probability that they will be realised during the strategy period or in the medium term is considered to be significant The strategic focus areas are also markedly interdependent.

Security of supply activities comprehensively cover the critical functions of society, and the definition of the strategic focus areas does not exclude normal preparedness across the board. Instead, the strategic focus areas are intended to help guide the allocation of the NESA’s limited resources within the National Emergency Supply Organisation (NESO) and in terms of other network activities.

Comprehensive defence relies on the functioning of civil society

The three key threat scenarios that the NESA’s strategy is intended to prepare Finland for are the possibility of a military conflict, broad-spectrum influencing and severe disruptions of the global economy. In addition to preparing for these potential scenarios, the aim is to build up a deterrent to their realisation.

The tasks assigned to the NESA by security of supply legislation are safeguarding the livelihood of the population, safeguarding the functions and systems essential for the economy and safeguarding the functions and systems essential for national defence. In the strategy process, these tasks were examined in relation to the new threat environment.

In the current security situation, it is important to note that the ability of civil society to operate under military conflict conditions also strongly determines the level of comprehensive defence.

“The effectiveness of security of supply activities should be examined especially in relation to the required level of comprehensive defence – in the current situation, it is justified to consider security of supply as a part of comprehensive defence,” CEO Känkänen emphasises.

Ensuring society’s capacity to prepare for serious crisis situations, including the possibility of military conflict, requires strengthening the activities of the NESA and its network and setting sufficiently ambitious strategic objectives.

When it comes to the practical implementation of security of supply, the private sector has an essential role to play on account of the fact that a large proportion of critical infrastructure is privately owned. Similarly, the services essential for the population are largely provided by companies. In recognition of this, the NESA’s strategy facilitates the further development of the traditional network cooperation carried out with the private sector. Without effective network cooperation, the implementation of the strategy will remain incomplete.

Full implementation of the strategy requires securing resources for security of supply activities

The strategy reflects what the draft Government Decision on the Objectives of Security of Supply, which has already been circulated for comment, requires in practice. The measures described in the strategy are also necessary for achieving the objectives of Finland’s Government Programme.

The NESA will carry out an interim evaluation of the adequacy of the funding system in relation to its strategic objectives so that measures can be aligned with the financial situation in the 2025 budget.

The funding of security of supply will be reviewed with the aim of securing a permanently sustainable funding base as part of the reform of security of supply legislation, which is set to be completed in 2027. The current strategic stockpile fee based on the consumption of fossil fuels is not enough to cover even current security of supply activities, let alone preparedness for growing threats and risks.

The National Emergency Supply Agency is an internationally unique organisation whose work with companies and other authorities attracts interest from around the world, as evidenced by the fact that several countries are now building their own security of supply in accordance with the Finnish model. During the new strategy period, the NESA also aims to deepen cooperation with Sweden and create new practical partnership models.

Read the NESA’s new strategy