European Council endorsed priority areas for the Annual Growth Survey

On 17 March, the first day of its meeting in Brussels, the European Council endorsed the policy priority areas of the Annual Growth Survey that the Member States will reflect in their national programmes.

The three priority areas are:

• re-launching investments
• pursuing structural reforms to modernise the economies of the EU
• conducting responsible fiscal policies 

- In order to promote the economic recovery, the European Council highlighted measures that are of vital importance also for Finland. We need more investments, structural reforms and responsible fiscal policy. By implementing these measures, we can pursue a faster recovery of the European economies and thus support the positive development of growth and employment, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä says.
 
The European Council also noted the situation of farmers, especially in the dairy and pig sectors, who are seriously affected by the drop in prices. It invited the Commission to quickly act upon the outcome of the Council (Agriculture) meeting of 15 March. The European Council will closely follow the evolution of this sector that is of such importance for Europe.
 
- I am very pleased that we managed to note the difficult situation of farmers in the conclusions of the European Council. The strong support shown by the heads of states must, however, be translated into practical decisions in order for the situation to improve, Sipilä demands.
 
On the first day of its meeting, the European Council also discussed the cooperation between the EU and Turkey to control the inflow of migrants. On the second day of the meeting, the EU and the Prime Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoğlu, aim to achieve an agreement on immediate and concrete measures to be taken to manage the migration from Turkey to the EU Member States.
 
Inquiries: Kare Halonen, State Secretary, EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 315, Jari Haapiainen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 406 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office