In 2024, the Ministry granted 432 licences for permanent exports and transfers to 52 countries. The total value of these licences reached EUR 1.4 billion, more than doubling the EUR 667 million reported in 2023 and marking the highest figure on record.
Most licences were granted for exports to European countries, with actual deliveries typically occurring within a few years after a licence is approved. The highest-value licences were issued for exports to Sweden (EUR 672 million), Saudi Arabia (EUR 150 million), and the United States (EUR 115 million).
Over 60 per cent of the licence value for Sweden covered land vehicles, spanning several product categories. Exports to Saudi Arabia primarily included life-cycle support services, warranty repairs, and spare parts for a mortar system, while those to the United States were mainly for fire control and surveillance sensors.
The report focuses solely on commercial exports and excludes defence assistance provided to Ukraine as part of international aid. However, in 2024 Finland did grant 29 commercial export licences to Ukraine, with a total value of approximately EUR 22 million.
The value of completed defence exports in 2024 rose to around EUR 206 million, an increase from EUR 191 million in 2023. This marks the highest annual export value since 2014, when exports reached approximately EUR 223 million.
Sweden, Latvia, and Norway were the top three destinations for completed exports last year. Exports to Sweden included land vehicles and small arms, Latvia mainly received land vehicles, and Norway’s imports consisted largely of fire control and surveillance sensors.
Geographically, nearly 95 per cent of all completed exports were delivered to European countries, up from 85 per cent in 2023. The vast majority of exports went to EU Member States.
