Paris, 17 August 2022 (TDI): The Parliament of France ratified and submitted the accession protocols of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), on Tuesday.
SUBMITTED: #France‘s instrument of ratification for the #NATO accession of #Finland & #Sweden to the depository at @StateDept.
We move closer to incorporating these #EU partners into the #NATO alliance and to strengthening the security of these nations and our continent. pic.twitter.com/mvgCiwveLc
— Philippe Etienne (@Ph_Etienne) August 16, 2022
The accession documents were submitted to the depository at the US Department of State. Moreover, both bills ratifying the protocols passed with 209 deputies in favour and 46 against them.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, said, “This sovereign choice of Finland and Sweden, two European partners, will reinforce their security in the face of a real menace in their immediate neighbourhood and bring a significant contribution, with respect to the capacities of these two partners, to the collective posture and our European security.”
Moreover, the French Senate and the lower house of parliament had previously approved the membership applications by Finland and Sweden.
Furthermore, the Deputy Ambassador of France to the US, Aurelie Bonal also said that the joining of two new states will further strengthen the alliance.
Honoured to have deposited the instruments of ratification today.
The sovereign decision of #Finland and #Sweden to join #NATO will strenghten our alliance. #WeAreNATO https://t.co/n7sae2yCN7— Aurélie Bonal (@AurelieBonal) August 16, 2022
Also Read: US approves NATO membership for Finland, Sweden
Accession Protocols
Finland and Sweden’s accession protocols need to be ratified by the parliaments of all the 30 NATO member states before the two Nordic countries can enjoy full protection.
Moreover, in July 2022, the two Nordic countries completed accession talks at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. The 30 allies approve their accession protocols. The protocols will then go to all NATO countries for ratification, according to their national procedures.
Since then, 23 out of 30 NAO member countries have so far ratified the membership applications submitted. France has both approved the membership of the two Nordic states and has now signed their accession protocols as well.
Furthermore, at the end of August, the lower house of the Czech parliament is expected to give approval to the membership bids of Finland and Sweden.
However, six member states including Slovakia, Spain, Hungary, Greece, Portugal and Turkiye have not yet approved the applications of membership of Finland and Sweden to NATO.
