Ministers for European affairs to prepare for December European Council

The EU General Affairs Council (GAC) will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 13 December. Topics on the agenda will include preparations for the December European Council, transparency and targeting of political advertising, the Commission’s enlargement package and the annual rule of law dialogue. Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen will represent Finland at the meeting.

The GAC will discuss the draft conclusions for the European Council meeting on 15 December 2022. In that meeting, the European Council will discuss Ukraine and Russia, economic and energy issues, security and defence, and the Southern Neighbourhood. Finland considers it important that the EU continue its strong, effective and united response to Russia’s military attacks in Ukraine. Finland also supports the Commission’s proposal to grant EUR 18 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in 2023. Finland considers it important to address problems with the energy market quickly at the EU level and is open to exploring different options for reducing energy prices and mitigating uncertainty and risks in the market.

“Right now, supporting Ukraine is one of the EU’s top priorities. Ukraine needs all possible support to win the war. The EU must also make a determined effort to find solutions to bring down high energy prices,” Minister Tuppurainen says.

In its meeting, the GAC will seek to reach a general approach on the proposal for a regulation on transparency in political advertising. The compromise proposal prepared by the Czech Presidency would ease the obligations of small and medium-sized providers of political advertising services. In addition, it provides a more precise definition of political advertising and clarifies the relationship between the regulation and freedom of expression. The compromise proposal is acceptable to Finland. 

The General Affairs Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on the Commission’s annual enlargement package. Enlargement policy must continue to be based on rigorous but fair conditionality and fulfilment of all membership criteria. Partners must commit to the EU’s values and align themselves to the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. The Commission’s proposal to grant the status EU candidate country to Bosnia and Herzegovina may also be on the agenda. Finland can support the proposal to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided that it is linked to the need for progress in key reforms as proposed by the Commission.

The GAC will continue its annual rule of law dialogue with country-specific discussions focusing on key developments in Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden. In Finland’s view, it is important that the General Affairs Council draws on the Commission’s Rule of Law Report as a basis for its annual rule of law dialogue. The report provides a good framework for discussions on emerging developments related to the rule of law and other common values in the EU and its Member States.

The Council is also set to adopt a joint declaration on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2023 and 2024. Finland is prepared to accept the declaration.

At the meeting, the current Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the forthcoming Swedish Presidency will present a roadmap for the 2023 European Semester. The GAC will also continue its discussion on the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe.

In the General Affairs Council (GAC), the EU Member States are primarily represented by their ministers for European affairs. The tasks of the GAC include preparations for the European Council meetings. The GAC is also responsible for a number of cross-cutting policy areas, including negotiations on the multiannual financial framework and EU enlargement. Questions related to the rule of law are also an established part of the GAC’s agenda. 

Inquiries: Heli Siivola, Senior Specialist for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 576 7745 and Emilia Tervonen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 516 1035, Prime Minister’s Office