Clarifying derogation permits for protected game
Act amending section 41 a of the Hunting Act
The conditions for granting derogation permits for protected game animals will be clarified to correspond to the interpretation of EU law. A derogation permit may only be granted if it does not prevent the maintenance or achievement of a favourable conservation status for the species.
- Status
- Passed
- Submitted
- 17 Nov 2022
- Latest event
- 8 Mar 2023
- Votes
- 2
- Speeches
- 44
- Confirmed
- 23 Mar 2023
- Statute
- 447/2023
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
A requirement that a derogation must not hinder the achievement of a favourable conservation status, in addition to the previously prescribed maintenance of that status, will be added to the conditions for granting derogation permits for game animals such as wolves, bears and lynxes. The amendment aligns the wording of the legislation with the EU Habitats Directive and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
What it means
The amendment clarifies the discretion of the Finnish Wildlife Agency when assessing derogation permits and the legal position of permit applicants. Because application practice has already followed the line of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the practical effects of the amendment on authorities and hunters will be minor. The act will enter into force on 1 August 2023.
How Parliament voted
The act ultimately passed without a vote: no MP proposed rejecting it in the final reading. The votes concerned details of the act.
Lausumaehdotus, mietintö / Jenni Pitko 2
No won by 64–95.
Opposition yes, government no. 1 abstained, 39 were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. The seating plan at the time of this vote is not archived, so MPs are grouped by party in indicative seats.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 23 Mar 2023.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
44 speeches · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
The debate concerned derogation permits for protected large carnivores, particularly wolves, and the conditions for population management hunting. Most parliamentary groups considered facilitating hunting necessary to ensure rural safety and prevent predator damage. Some MPs, for their part, emphasised the wolf's endangered status, scientific research data and observance of the precautionary principle.
- Can population management hunting of wolves be permitted before a favourable conservation status is achieved?
- Should wolf policy place more emphasis on species protection or on the sense of security among local residents?
- How should poaching and appeals against hunting permits be addressed?
- Centre PartyIn favour
The Centre Party considered the proposal very important for getting population management hunting of wolves and other large carnivores under way and safeguarding the safety and livelihoods of rural residents.
”Kun harjoitamme kannanhoidollista metsästystä, suden hyväksyttävyys paranee, turvallisuus maaseudulla paranee ja myös uhanalaisen metsäpeurakannan säilyttäminen helpottuu.”
— Anne Kalmari - GreensIn favour with reservations
The Greens took a cautious view of lowering the threshold for hunting and emphasised the wolf's endangered status, the precautionary principle and combating poaching.
”Itse pidän tärkeänä, että suden kannanhoidollista metsästystä ei aloiteta ennen kuin tieteelliseen tutkimukseen perustuva suden suotuisan suojelutason viitearvon vähimmäistaso on saavutettu.”
— Jenni Pitko - Left AllianceIn favour with reservations
The Left Alliance stressed an approach based on scientific evidence and the precautionary principle, and took the view that killing wolves does not eliminate fear of wolves or solve the challenges of coexistence.
”Varovaisuusperiaate paitsi susien myös luontokadon osalta tukisi tässä vahvasti tietopohjaista lähestymistapaa.”
— Anna Kontula - Swedish People's PartyIn favour
The Swedish People's Party supported promoting population management hunting to address the concrete concerns of people living in wolf areas, improve everyday safety and support the pursuit of livelihoods.
”Den här lagförändringen som vi har är nödvändig.”
— Anders Norrback - National Coalition PartyIn favour
The National Coalition Party supported the proposal and emphasised the importance of population management hunting in safeguarding social sustainability and the lifestyles of rural residents.
”Haluan kiittää maa- ja metsätalousvaliokuntaa siitä, että on kuultu niiden alueiden ihmisiä, joissa tämä susikysymys koetaan ongelmaksi ja aiemmin harjoitettu politiikka koetaan ongelmaksi.”
— Heikki Autto - Finns PartyIn favour
The Finns Party strongly supported the proposal and demanded a swift start to population management hunting of wolves to protect rural residents, livestock and hunting dogs.
”Koiralla metsästäminen on yksi peruste sille, miksi kannanhoidollista metsästystä on voitava harjoittaa ja palauttaa sudelle pelko ihmistä ja ihmisen parasta ystävää eli koiraa kohtaan.”
— Jenna Simula
This digest was generated by AI from 44 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin maa- ja metsätalousvaliokuntaan.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 288/2022 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Keskustelu päättyi ja asian käsittely keskeytettiin.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 17 Nov 2022Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö
- 1 Dec 2022Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 23 Feb 2023Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · maa- ja metsätalousvaliokunta
- 27 Feb 2023Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 3 Mar 2023Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 7 Mar 2023Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki metsästyslain 41 a §:n muuttamisestaHyväksytty · 447/2023 · 23 Mar 2023
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki metsästyslain 41 a §:n muuttamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti muutetaan metsästyslain (615/1993) 41 a §:n 1 momentin johdantokappale, sellaisena kuin se on laissa 159/2011, seuraavasti:
41 a §Edellytykset eräiden riistaeläinlajien poikkeusluvalle
Jos muuta tyydyttävää ratkaisua ei ole eikä päätös haittaa lajin suotuisan suojelutason säilyttämistä tai saavuttamista lajin luontaisella levinneisyysalueella, 41 §:ssä tarkoitettu poikkeuslupa voidaan myöntää ahman, suden, karhun, saukon, ilveksen, euroopanmajavan, hallin, kirjohylkeen, itämeren norpan, hillerin, näädän ja metsäjäniksen pyydystämiseen tai tappamiseen:
§
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 .
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 2 Sep 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.