Future EU must be fair

(Published in Finnish 26.3.)On Tuesday 26 March, Prime Minister Katainen outlined his vision for the future EU. According to the Prime Minister, the economic crisis and related comments by polarised camps have overshadowed debate on Europe's future. This has undermined citizens' sense of fairness towards the EU. The Prime Minister's answer to the challenge is fair integration. "Fair integration is about commitment to jointly agreed rules and European values. Fair integration is also about respecting others even in the face of difficult times," said Prime Minister Katainen at a seminar in Wanha Satama, Helsinki. At the moment, Prime Minister Katainen sees no need for major institutional reforms. Instead, we should now implement what has been agreed to make Europe stronger. A strong Europe is made up of strong national economies. We can improve competitiveness with European-level measures but this requires that all Member States do their homework. Member States must also show solidarity towards the poorer regions through the EU budget. However, each country is responsible for keeping its own domestic fiscal houses in order and that is something that cannot be outsourced. Youth unemployment is first and foremost a serious national problem but risks becoming a threat to the future of Europe as a whole.