Prime Minister Orpo to meet with presidents of European Commission and Parliament

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will travel to Brussels on Tuesday 10 September. There, he will meet with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who has been elected to lead the new Commission as well. Prime Minister Orpo will then meet for discussions with President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, who has also been elected for a new term.

Prime Minister Orpo and President von der Leyen will discuss the new Commission’s programme based on the political guidelines presented by von der Leyen in her speech to the European Parliament in July. In his discussions with von der Leyen, Prime Minister Orpo will highlight the most important EU policy priorities for Finland: strengthening Europe’s strategic competitiveness, improving comprehensive security in Europe, and promoting a clean transition, the bioeconomy and the circular economy. Prime Minister Orpo and President von der Leyen will also discuss the distribution of portfolios among the new commissioners.

“The EU now finds itself at a significant juncture, and as such I have been keeping in close contact with the President of the Commission. President Ursula von der Leyen is currently preparing the programme for her new Commission, which includes a proposal for the commissioners and their portfolios. Finland has been working systematically to ensure that the most important issues for us are highlighted in the Commission’s next five-year programme,” says Prime Minister Orpo.

Prime Minister Orpo has already met with President von der Leyen three times this year outside of the European Council meetings: twice in Finland and once in Stockholm.

The Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland’s policy priorities for the 2024–2029 EU parliamentary term back in January. Finland has been active and systematic in pursuing its policy priorities in both the Council’s and the Commission’s programmes. Finland’s advocacy proved successful when the Council agreed on its strategic agenda, which defines the Union’s political objectives for 2024–2029, this past June. Finland has continued its active work to influence the future Commission’s programme. The term of the current Commission will end on 31 October

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.