Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discusses efforts to simplify EU regulation

In its meeting on Friday 4 July, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland’s positions on the Commission’s proposal to simplify regulation for businesses and received an update on the preparation of a plan for affordable housing in the EU.

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs outlined Finland’s positions on the Commission’s 21 May proposal for a regulation and directive to ease the regulatory burden on businesses. The proposal would simplify the obligations of small mid-caps and also puts forth a recommendation on how small mid-caps should be defined. The aim of the proposal is to extend the relief already offered to SMEs to small mid-caps and to simplify regulation in a number of sectors.

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs also outlined Finland’s positions on the Commission’s proposals for a regulation and directive on digitalisation and common specifications. The package of measures includes two proposals that would make targeted updates to several EU regulations on digitalisation and common specifications for products. The goal is to simplify companies’ notification and reporting requirements, ensure that digitalisation is taken into account and enable the use of common specifications to demonstrate a product’s compliance when harmonised standards are not available.

The aforementioned proposals are part of the Omnibus IV package, which aims to simplify regulation, make a determined effort to reduce bureaucracy and create a regulatory environment that promotes innovation, growth, high-quality jobs and investments.

Finland’s positions on the Commission’s proposals will be made public after the government session.

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs received an update on the preparations for a plan to make housing more affordable in the EU. Housing has taken on a more prominent role on the European Commission’s (2024–2029) agenda. The Commission aims to publish the first European affordable housing plan at the beginning of 2026. As a basis for the plan, the Commission has identified priority areas where the EU could support the Member States in addressing structural factors related to affordable and sustainable housing and increasing public and private investment.

In addition, the ministerial committee outlined Finland’s positions for the following upcoming meetings:

• Eurogroup on 7 July and Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) on 8 July
• Informal meeting of employment, social policy and health ministers on 7–8 July
• Informal meeting of environment and climate ministers on 10–11 July

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will discuss the European Semester, the implementation of the economic governance framework and the enlargement of the euro area to include Bulgaria. In addition, the Danish Presidency will present its work programme. The Council will also hold policy discussions on the revision of the EU securitisation framework and the digital euro. The Eurogroup will discuss the euro area’s fiscal stance, an assessment of the international role of the euro, euro area enlargement and the election of the President of the Eurogroup. 

Discussions at the informal meeting of ministers responsible for employment and social policy will focus on free and fair labour mobility with a particular emphasis on decent working conditions for migrant and posted workers. Another topic of discussion will be competitiveness in the field of employment policy.

The informal meeting of environment ministers will focus on the EU’s preparations for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) and European climate policy beyond 2030. The ministers will also discuss the state of negotiations on the Plastics Treaty and the status of the European environment in 2025.

Inquiries: Juuso Kilpinen, Special Adviser for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 322 9636, Jari Luoto, Director General, EU Affairs Department, tel. +358 50 468 5949 and Lauri Heikkinen, Senior Communications Specialist, tel. +358 46 923 5090, Prime Minister’s Office