General Affairs Council to prepare for the June European Council meeting

Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will attend the EU General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday 14 June. The Ministers will make preparations for the forthcoming European Council meeting to be held on 17 June and discuss the European External Action Service and the European Citizens’ Initiative.

The Council is to agree on the headline targets of the EU growth and jobs strategy – the Europe 2020 Strategy – to be decided on by the European Council. Finland considers it important that issues relating to education and social inclusion that were not agreed on at the March European Council be supplemented with quantitative targets. Topics of significant importance to Finland to be discussed by the Council also include the Digital Agenda for Europe – i.e. the development of the ICT-based internal market – and reinforcing economic policy coordination.

A follow-up discussion will be held on the European External Action Service. The General Affairs Council reached political agreement on the establishment of the European External Action Service at its meeting on 26 April. Since then, negotiations have been held between the European Parliament and the Commission, the High Representative and the European Council in order to reach consensus with the Parliament on the decision to establish the Service.

The General Affairs Council will continue preparations for the European Citizens’ Initiative with an aim of seeking mutual understanding of the issue at the Monday meeting. The citizens’ initiative is a new way of exerting influence enabling citizens to participate in EU decision-making.

Inquiries: Anna Bruun, Adviser to the Minister of European Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2052