Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs prepares for upcoming EU meetings

In its meeting on Wednesday 18 December, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland’s positions ahead of the December European Council and the EU-Western Balkans summit.

Topics on the agenda for the European Council on 19 December include Ukraine, the Middle East, the EU’s role on the international stage, preparedness, resilience and migration. 

• Finland considers it important that the EU continue its strong, effective and united response to Russia’s military attacks in Ukraine. Finland firmly supports Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU must continue it strong support and must increase it quickly. This is essential in order to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
• In Finland’s view, the EU must consistently ramp up sanctions against Russia and Belarus as Russia’s aggression continues.
• Finland’s position is that the EU must promote peace, stability and the protection of civilians in the Middle East through all its actions. The EU must support diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire, the release of hostages in Gaza and a lasting two-state solution. With regard to Syria, the EU must support a peaceful political transition that respects Syrian sovereignty and ensures that the Syrian people have ownership over decisions concerning their country’s future.
• In Finland’s view, the EU should take on a stronger geopolitical role. Rapid, profound and long-lasting changes have taken place in the security environment. Finland will continue its work to deepen the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) cooperation and to strengthen the role of the EU on the global stage. 
• Finland considers it especially important to promote preparedness in the EU and to ensure that the Union takes a comprehensive approach when responding to crises, including through its preparedness strategy.
• Finland also considers it important for the Commission to show strong support for solutions in the Member States and at the EU level to combat the instrumentalisation of migration. Finland emphasises the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to migration issues, in which measures are promoted both within the EU and in relations with countries outside of the Union.

In Finland’s view, the summit between the EU and the Western Balkans countries, which are currently working towards EU accession, is a useful opportunity to strengthen relations and common will and to outline ways to intensify cooperation in a variety of areas. The shift in the European foreign and security policy environment brought on by Russia’s war of aggression underlines the importance of the EU-Western Balkans partnership.

The Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs also discussed Finland’s positions on the preparations for the EU’s Preparedness Union Strategy. The strategy is due to be published in the spring, and Finland will continue its active work to influence the preparations in line with its EU policy priorities.

Inquiries: Elisa Tarkiainen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 50 433 4533, Satu Keskinen, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 508 6722, and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office