Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs discusses Finland’s participation in informal meetings during Hungarian Presidency
On Thursday 22 August, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed Finland’s participation in informal ministerial meetings during the Hungarian EU Council Presidency, efforts to advance Finland’s EU policy priorities and two upcoming informal council meetings.
The Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed Finland’s participation in the informal ministerial meetings to be held during Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Ministerial Committee decided that Finland would refrain from participating in the meetings in Hungary at the political level until further notice. In other words, Finland will not send ministers or political state secretaries to the meetings, although it will be represented at the official level. This approach is in response to the actions taken by Hungary during its Presidency. Finland’s most important priority is supporting Ukraine. The decision made today is a continuation of the one made regarding the July meetings. Finland is taking this approach together with the Nordic and Baltic countries.
The Government will continue its active efforts to influence the programme of the next European Commission. The ministries and the Government EU Affairs Department are working together on letters to each new Commissioner and will send them as soon as the appointments and portfolios have been finalised.
The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs also discussed two informal meetings to be held exceptionally in Brussels next week: the informal meeting of foreign ministers on 29 August and the informal meeting of defence ministers on 30 August. Both will focus on the EU’s support to Ukraine. Finland is in favour of efforts to increase military support to Ukraine, for example through the Peace Facility, with additional proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
The foreign ministers will also discuss the situation in the Middle East, while the defence ministers will discuss the EU’s military crisis management and defence preparedness.
Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 40 523 5768, Jari Luoto, Director General, EU Affairs Department, tel. +358 50 468 5949, and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office
Agendas for the meetings of the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs and public documents discussed at the meetings are available on the Government website (in Finnish).