International funding granted to Finnish Customs
In addition to appropriations awarded through the state budget, Customs finances its operations and procurements through different external instruments for financial support, mostly those of the European Union. Besides the EU, international funding is also granted by national and international funds, foundations, organisations and other government agencies.
EU programming period 2021-2027
During the programming period 2021-2027, Finnish Customs endeavours to use, as far as possible, the following international sources of funding: the instrument for financial support for customs control equipment (CCEI), the Internal Security Funds of the EU (ISF and BMVI), the European Anti-fraud Office (EUAF) and Eurostat.
Customs Control Equipment Instrument, CCEI
The aim of the instrument for financial support is to protect the financial interests of the EU and its member states, strengthen security and protect the Union from unfair and illegal trade. The instrument for financial support also serves the purpose of facilitating legitimate business activities. The specific objective is to harmonise customs control tools and methods throughout the EU. This objective materialises by purchasing, maintaining and updating relevant, reliable, state-of-the-art customs control equipment.
The project consists of 17 customs offices on the eastern border, the ports of Helsinki and Helsinki Airport. In the project, old customs control equipment is replaced with new ones, the control technology is updated and completely new control instruments are acquired. The reforms will improve Customs' ability to carry out customs controls, detect crime and ensure the security of society.
Project schedule: 1.9.2022-31.8.2026
Granted funding: 16 807 402 € (80% of the budget)
The project involves acquiring new measuring equipment for the Customs Laboratory and pre-processing equipment related to the automation of analytics. Measuring equipment can be used to analyse and identify, for example, new illegal substances, counterfeit foods and pesticides. The pre-processing equipment enables an increase in capacity and improves the analytical reliability of investigations into illegal imports.
Project schedule: 1.9.2022–31.8.2025
Granted funding: 1 624 000 € (80% of the budget)
Customs has received funding from the second round of the CCEI funding programme for equipment and system purchases for 20 different customs offices. The project will support the modernisation of customs control equipment and systems to meet current requirements. The equipment package to be acquired will significantly improve the control of highly taxed products imported into the EU and prevent narcotics and other dangerous substances from entering Finland.
Project schedule: 01.01.2025 – 31.12.2027
Granted EU funding: €16 771 203 (80% of budget)
The Customs Laboratory has received funding for 38 laboratory equipment from the second round of the CCEI funding programme. With the equipment to be acquired, the Customs Laboratory will be able to enhance the analysis of medicines, pesticides and contaminants, the identification of new illegal and hazardous substances, and the analysis of fuel and biofuel products. Sample preparation will also become more efficient and traceability will improve. The project started in April 2025 and immediate steps have been taken to promote procurements.
Project schedule: 01.04.2025 – 31.03.2028
Granted EU funding: €1 995 600 (80% of budget)
Internal Security Fund (ISF)
The fund contributes to strengthening the internal security of the EU by preventing cross border crimes such as cybercrimes, environmental crimes and crimes related to drugs, corruption and terrorism. The fund supports increasing the crisis resilience of the Union and preparedness for new threats, for example with regard to critical infrastructure. The crisis resilience is also strengthened by preventing phenomena that are detrimental to security, such as radicalisation. Actions for the protection of crime victims is also supported.
The quantity of IT devices and data used in criminal activity increases continuously. At the same time, the evidence obtained from such devices and data becomes increasingly significant. The development project meets the challenges in electronic investigations posed by digital development. The project enhances the activity and capacity around IT investigations conducted by Customs Investigation, especially in terms of serious and organised cross-border crime.
Project schedule: 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2025
Granted EU funding: 757 613,62 € (75% of budget)
The project will improve the operational capabilities and performance of technical surveillance of customs crime prevention in order to prevent and investigate customs offences. The project will provide Customs with technical surveillance equipment and train personnel in the deployment of the equipment.
Project schedule: 1.12.2022–30.11.2025
Granted funding: 392 595 € (75% of the budget)
The project focuses on purchases of equipment for identification of pathogens and dangerous chemicals for Customs and on the necessary protective equipment for protection against them. Customs’ personnel will be trained in the use of the purchased devices and protective equipment. Through the project the number of the CBRN protective equipment in Customs will increase and the detection equipment will improve the ability to identify CBRN situations. The first meeting of the project was held on 4 December, 2023.
Project schedule: 1 December 2023 - 30 November 2025
Granted EU funding: 209 941 € (75% of budget)
The project will enhance Customs’ ability to prevent, detect and investigate customs offences and to bring charges against persons suspected of customs offences. The aim of the project is to reinforce the performance of surveillance-type information acquisition carried out in the context of crime prevention. The project focuses on purchases of tools for surveillance-type information acquisition to be used especially in combating serious and professional cross-border crime and, on training of Finnish Customs’ personnel in the use of them.
Project schedule: 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2025
Granted EU funding: 257 626 € (75% of budget)
Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI)
BMVI’s mission is to support strong and effective European border management as well as to ensure a harmonised approach with regard to the issuance of visas. The goal is to prevent illegal immigration and cross-border crime, to facilitate legitimate border crossings, to effectively manage migratory movements as well as to anticipate and prevent security risks and threats.
The project involves upgrading the facilities used by Finnish Customs for border controls in Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa to prepare them for the installation of equipment required by the European Entry/Exit System (EES) and the deployment of the system. Structural changes will be made to the customer service points to enable the use of modern facial recognition cameras in connection with border controls, which Customs manages on behalf of the Finnish Border Guard in Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa.
Project schedule: 1 July 2022 to 31 January 2023
Granted EU funding: EUR 106,125.75 (75% of the budget)
The objective is to ensure the operation of the camera surveillance system that the PCB authorities, i.e. the Police, Customs and the Border Guard, use for technical surveillance at national entry and exit points. Having a shared, centralised camera surveillance system for technical surveillance gives the PCB authorities a better joint situational picture of cross-border traffic. The system acts as a tool for maintaining border security and for combating and detecting crime and security threats.
Project schedule: 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026
Granted EU funding: EUR 750,000 (100% of the budget; operating support)
The project involves the development of the Customs case management system, enabling Customs to use the information assets of the EES and ETIAS systems via the query interface of the Police’s Renki system. With the development work, the need for separate manual queries is eliminated, and the automation of the process makes the operations of the central access point more efficient and improves the quality of the data being processed.
Project schedule: 01.02.2025 – 31.01.2027
Granted EU funding: €110 701.65 (90%)
European Union Anti-Fraud Programme
The aim of the programme is to protect the financial interests of the EU by supporting the fight against smuggling of highly taxable products. Highly taxable products include, for example, cigarettes. The programme also seeks to prevent and combat fraud, corruption and other illegal activities. The programme provides support for irregularity reporting, means for exchange of information and operational activities of Finnish Customs.
The project will strengthen the technical investigation capabilities of Customs. Investigation capabilities are improved by automating and developing processes that enable e.g. a more effective exchange of information between different interest groups.
Project schedule: 1.7.2022–30.6.2025
Granted funding: 432 845 € (80% of the budget)
The project promotes Customs' technical investigation capabilities, e.g. for analysing data masses.
Project schedule: 1.3.2023–28.2.2025
Granted funding: 302 906 € (80% of the budget)
The project will enhance Customs’ ability to prevent, detect and investigate customs offences and to bring charges against persons suspected of such offences. The aim of the project is to reinforce the performance of surveillance-type information acquisition carried out in the context of crime prevention. The project focuses on purchases of tools for surveillance-type information acquisition to be used especially in combating serious and professional cross-border crime, and on training of Finnish Customs personnel in using those tools.
Project schedule: 01.01.2024 – 31.12.2025
Granted EU funding: €704 000 (80% of budget)
Eurostat
As a service of the European Commission, Eurostat finances measures linked to the compilation of EU statistics by Member States. Customs Statistics receives funding for development projects concerning statistics on the foreign trade of goods.
EU programming period 2014-2020