Memorandum of Understanding Between The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Finland Regarding the Technology Prosperity Deal

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Finland (hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”),

Expressing mutual interest in science and technology capabilities and standards to usher in the next Golden Age of Innovation to fortify freedom and prosperity for generations to come,

Affirming the value of bilateral science and technology collaboration to enrich the lives and livelihoods of citizens in both countries, and to elevate the U.S.-Finland Alliance to a higher level,

Building on the longstanding collaboration established under the existing Agreement Relating to Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Finland, done at Washington May 16, 1995,

Taking note of the Joint Statement of the United States and Finland on Cooperation in Quantum Information Science and Technology and also the Joint Statement of the United States and Finland on Cooperation in Advanced Wireless Communications, and

Recognizing the importance of deepening ties with strategic partners as a means to strengthen stability, security, and competitiveness,

Have reached the following understandings:

The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (hereinafter “MOU”) is to enable collaboration towards joint opportunities of mutual interest in strategic science and technology disciplines with a focus on strengthening industrial cooperation and accelerating the development, deployment, and adoption of emerging technologies to power the next generation of global connectivity, secure quantum advantage, advance energy leadership, develop advanced semiconductors, strengthen space collaboration, advance an open and secure super intelligence (SI) stack, accelerate secure biotechnology innovation, strengthen research and industrial security, and advance shipbuilding modernization and Arctic technology cooperation.[1]

The Participants aim to collaborate in a number of disciplines, including but not limited to the following:

Recognizing the importance of secure and trusted technology infrastructure to economic prosperity and national security, the Participants intend to deepen cooperation to advance next-generation SI and network technologies. The Participants intend to collaborate on telecommunications R&D, promote and finance the export of trusted technology stacks, and coordinate on international standards development.

Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:

The Participants recognize that quantum technologies are poised to deliver transformative advances across economic and national security domains. Sustained leadership in quantum innovation depends on secure supply chains, strong research and industrial ecosystems, and close collaboration between trusted partners. The Participants intend to deepen cooperation to accelerate the development, commercialization, and responsible deployment of quantum technologies in ways that enhance prosperity and security.

Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:

The Participants are strengthening cooperation to advance secure, resilient and diversified energy systems. Together we are expanding energy collaboration across SMR development and deployment, nuclear fission R&D, geothermal, and energy resilience, to support innovation and the reliable deployment of next-generation energy infrastructure.

Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:

Recognizing that bilateral cooperation on space benefits both countries’ national interests, the Participants intend to deepen cooperation and engage in dialogue on space security, space exploration, and space technology research, development, and commercialization.

Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:

Building on the above-mentioned areas with dual-use applications and the existing defense agreements, the Participants intend to pursue joint research projects, conduct pilot activities, and explore pathways for scaling promising technologies from research and demonstration to operational and industrial deployment.

Recognizing the importance of advancing biotechnological research, including in biomedical and biomanufacturing fields, accelerating materials innovation through super intelligence, and securing biotechnology and health supply chains, the Participants intend to:

Recognizing the strategic importance of the Arctic to shared security, prosperity, and resilience, the Participants intend to support close collaboration on Arctic operations, ice navigation, maritime domain awareness, cold-weather testing, and enabling technologies. Recognizing Finland’s established leadership in icebreaker design and construction, the Participants intend to collaborate on icebreaker modernization efforts and related shipyard and workforce development.

The Participants intend to accelerate industrial cooperation and to modernize the United States’ icebreaker fleet under ICE Pact, leveraging Finnish expertise to support the secure and timely design, construction, and delivery of next-generation Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs). Expanding this framework, the Participants intend to explore possibilities to deepen their collaboration in ship design and shipbuilding technologies, processes, and shipyard management. Furthermore, the Participants intend to jointly invest in enabling technologies such as SI-driven manufacturing, ice technology, unmanned systems, and space-enabled situational awareness.

The Participants recognize the strategic importance of advancing Arctic connectivity including both satellite and submarine communication services. The Participants intend to advocate policies and commercial cooperation that enhance satellite coverage at high latitudes and support the establishment of subsea communication cables in the Arctic region, thereby strengthening connectivity between North America and Northern Europe and, eventually, the Indo-Pacific region.

Recognizing the importance of shared research integrity and security across critical and emerging technology research and development, the Participants intend to strengthen continued collaboration to protect their technologies, their critical supply chains, and their people. The Participants intend to collaborate on research and industry security, and to identify and mitigate threats to both the research enterprise and private sector research and development.

Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:

1.   This MOU becomes operative on the date of the last signature. The Participants may modify this MOU by written mutual decision. Either Participant may discontinue this MOU at any time by providing written notice of discontinuation to the other Participant. The discontinuation is expected to commence on a date 180 days after the date on which notice of discontinuation is delivered. The Participants intend to advance the implementation of the MOU through the Joint Committee Meeting mechanism. The Participants intend to leverage, as appropriate, the Science and Technology Agreement as an operational framework for implementation of this MOU.

2.   This MOU does not constitute or create and is not intended to constitute or create any legally binding obligations. Nothing in this MOU is intended to alter or affect any existing agreements between the Participants.

3.   Cooperation under this MOU is intended to take place in accordance with the Participants’ applicable national legislation and international obligations, including, for Finland, applicable current and future European Union coordination, laws, and regulations, and without prejudice to the Participants’ respective regulatory processes.

4.   Nothing in this MOU commits the Participants to the expenditure of funds.

5.   Activities involving personal data are intended to comply with applicable data-protection frameworks. Nothing in this MOU authorizes the disclosure or transfer of classified, controlled, confidential business, or proprietary information. Matters involving the ownership, protection, access, use, licensing, or commercialization of intellectual property are expected to be addressed through separate implementing arrangements or project-specific agreements, as appropriate.

6.   The foregoing represents the understanding reached between the Participants on the matters referred to in this MOU.

Signed in Washington, D.C. on October 29 in English.

[1] In Finland, ‘super intelligence’ refers to ‘artificial intelligence’