Prime Minister Orpo promotes Finland’s EU policy priorities in Brussels

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo highlighted Finland’s key EU policy priorities in his meeting with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Tuesday 10 September. Topical EU issues were also on the agenda in Prime Minister Orpo’s discussions with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.

The discussions between Prime Minister Orpo and President von der Leyen focused mainly on the next Commission’s programme and the future commissioners’ portfolios. Von der Leyen, who will continue as Commission President in the next term, published the political guidelines for the programme in July.

“Finland is pleased with the new guidelines. They are in line with Finland’s EU policy priorities for the next five years”, said Prime Minister Orpo.

Finland’s main EU policy priorities are to strengthen Europe’s strategic competitiveness, improve comprehensive security in Europe and promote a clean transition, the bioeconomy and the circular economy. Finland has worked hard to advocate for these issues in advance so that they will be included in the programmes of the Council and the Commission for the 2024–2029 parliamentary term.

Prime Minister Orpo and President von der Leyen also discussed the division and contents of portfolios for the future commissioners. President von der Leyen will publish her proposal on these in the next few days.

In his discussions with Roberta Metsola, who will also continue as President of the European Parliament, Prime Minister Orpo stressed the importance of ensuring that the new Commission can begin its work as soon as possible given the current security policy situation. The term of the current Commission will end in October.

Prime Minister Orpo also stressed the importance of continuing strong support to Ukraine in his meetings with both President von der Leyen and President Metsola.

“We can be even faster and more efficient. We need to help the Ukrainian energy sector quickly as winter approaches. Finland is calling for a swift decision on using frozen Russian Central Bank assets to finance a loan for Ukraine. We also support tightening the sanctions imposed on Russia and advancing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace plan,” said Prime Minister Orpo.

Inquiries: Tuomas Tikkanen, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister in European 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