The Ministry of Defence’s new online service strengthens Finland’s security
The Ministry of Defence, as part of the Finnish Government and the authority guiding its administrative sector, is responsible for Finland’s national defence policy and security, as well as international defence policy cooperation.
Client: Ministry of Defence of Finland
Industry: Public Administration
Location: Helsinki, Finland
The Challenge: A laborious and manual permit process
Buyers from outside the EU and EEA need a permit to acquire property in Finland. This requirement is based on law, and the Ministry of Defence acts as the permit authority for foreign property acquisitions. The permit process ensures the protection of areas critical to Finland’s security.
A permit will not be granted if the acquisition is deemed to threaten national security or hinder the organization of defence, the surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity or the assurance of border control, border security or the maintenance of emergency stocks of critical supplies.
Previously, the application and processing of permits involved multiple steps and extensive manual work. The new service enables modern and smooth digital interaction for both applicants and the authority.
Since 2020, the Ministry of Defence has made approximately 4,000 permit decisions regarding property acquisitions by buyers outside the EU and EEA. Decisions are made daily, and the service significantly simplifies and accelerates this work.
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The Solution: A streamlined and unified workflow
Together with Twoday, the Ministry of Defence developed an online service for applying for and processing property acquisition permits. This solution streamlines the application process and enhances the efficiency of the authority’s work.
- Integrated electronic identification for foreign individuals: Implemented via suomi.fi authentication and the Finnish Authenticator service.
- Integrated online payment service: Applicants can pay the processing fee directly in the service.
- Integrated digital signature: Decisions are signed within the same system using Twoday’s X-Sign signature service.
- Agile and flexible project leveraging service design: During the service design process, more than a hundred different use cases were identified – many not included in the original plan but essential for the system. Features were adjusted flexibly throughout the project to ensure the final solution met the real needs. Despite the project’s scope and the growing number of use cases, it remained well within budget.
The Results: A unified workflow makes applications and decisions easier and faster
- Consistent digital application process: Identification, submission of applications and attachments, and payment of processing fees are handled seamlessly within a single workflow.
- Faster decision-making: All necessary information for decisions is available in the same system. Digital signing within the service speeds up the process.
- Simplified archiving: Attachments are already in digital form and automatically archived with the application and decision.
- Smooth communication: Interaction between the applicant and the authority during processing is easy through the online service. Applicants can track progress and receive decisions directly in the system.
“Collaboration with Twoday’s team has been excellent. Planning has been proactive, and the results have met our needs. The project has been managed systematically, keeping the customer informed of changes. We have been satisfied with Twoday’s way of working, and Twoday will remain a reliable and important supplier for us in the future.”
Sara Kajander
Deputy Head of Department, The Ministry of Defence of Finland