Energy, knowledge and EU funding on the agenda when three Finnish ministers met with Finnish MEPs

Ministers Lintilä, Tiilikainen and Lindström met with Finnish Members of the European Parliament in Helsinki on 27 April 2018. The meeting agenda included topical EU questions such as cohesion policy, working life and the clean energy package.

Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä opened the event and described Finland’s objectives in the negotiations on the multiannual financial framework and the preparations for the EU cohesion policy.

“It is important that cohesion policy continues throughout the Union and that it will be harnessed to increase European competitiveness,” Minister Lintilä said.

Minister Lintilä also drew attention to the importance of deploying artificial intelligence for the economy and employment in Finland and elsewhere in Europe. There is international interest in Finland’s national artificial intelligence strategy.

Minister of the Environment, Energy and Housing Kimmo Tiilikainen talked about the clean energy package and other topical energy and climate issues. The clean energy package contains proposals for reaching the EU’s energy and climate goals for 2030.

Minister Tiilikainen praised the Finnish MEPs for their constructive cooperation in the negotiations on the Renewable Energy Directive.

“The Renewable Energy Directive is extremely important for Finland, as it creates an EU framework for increasing renewable energy,” Minister Tiilikainen says.

Minister of Employment Jari Lindström presented the Commission’s proposal for a Regulation establishing a European Labour Authority. The Authority should be up and running already in 2019.

“It has a good goal as it aims to contribute to fair movement of labour. The Authority’s activities should, however, produce added value, and it should not be used to influence the competence of the Member States,” Minister Lindström said.

The Finnish Members of the European Parliament were represented in the meeting by Heidi Hautala, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Petri Sarvamaa, Nils Torvalds and Henna Virkkunen. In addition to topical EU issues, the ministers and MEPs also discussed national issues, such as the availability of skilled workforce.