Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discusses 21st EU sanctions package

In its meeting on Friday 26 June, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined its positions on the new package of sanctions proposed by the Commission and the External Action Service in response to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. The 21st sanctions package expands personal and entity sanctions, sectoral sanctions and sanctions against Belarus. Finland supports the sanctions.

The new package would impose further sanctions on representatives of the Russian government and persons supporting the government, as well as on the Russian financial sector, parties supporting the military industry and those connected to shadow fleet. With respect to sectoral sanctions, the new package would tighten sanctions on the energy and financial sectors and place further restrictions on imports and exports. The EU also proposes temporarily freezing the oil price cap mechanism in order to maintain a sufficiently low price cap given the current situation in the oil markets.

The view of the Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs is in line with Finland’s positions on previous sanctions packages. Finland emphasises the need to continue to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia, especially through sanctions and customs duties, which weaken Russia’s economy and military capacity.

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs outlined Finland’s priorities for the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), which will meet in the composition of employment and social affairs ministers on 29 June in Luxembourg. Items on the agenda for the EPSCO meeting include the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, fair labour mobility and housing security. Finland emphasises the importance of national measures in dealing with the challenges facing the housing market. The council is also set to approve conclusions on housing and on preventing and combating cyber violence against girls. Finland is prepared to support the conclusions.

In connection with the meeting, Special Adviser for EU-Arctic Relations Jyrki Katainen briefed the ministerial committee on his activities.

Inquiries: Elisa Tarkiainen, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister in EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 595 7751, Minna Kivimäki, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 431 and Marko Ruonala, Chief Communications Specialist, tel. +358 50 522 8233, Prime Minister’s Office