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Prime Minister Sipilä and Prime Minister of Luxembourg Bettel met in Helsinki to discuss Finland’s upcoming Council Presidency

Government Communications Department
Publication date 12.3.2019 17.50 | Published in English on 12.3.2019 at 18.02
Press release 150/2019
Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence Kesäranta

On Tuesday 12 March, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel met for bilateral talks at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence Kesäranta. The topics discussed included the priorities for Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU and topical EU affairs, such as preparations for Brexit and finalising the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), i.e. the EU’s long-term budget.

“Sustainable growth, developing the EU’s common security and defence cooperation, and measures to mitigate climate change must be in a key position on the EU agenda for the coming years. It is also important that we continue the dialogue to make sure that rule of law prevails in all Member States”, Prime Minister Sipilä says.

The Prime Ministers also shared views on the process to finalise the Multiannual Financial Framework and the Union’s climate objectives.

“As the next Presidency of the Council of the EU Finland is committed to making serious efforts to complete the MFF. Surely we will find a financing solutions that is fair and equal, taking account of both the new and more traditional priorities and the reduced total level of the MFF resulting from Brexit”, Prime Minister Sipilä says.

Prime Minister Sipilä thanked Prime Minister Bettel for Luxembourg’s contribution to the joint letter drafted on Finland’s initiative and signed by 17 EU countries, stressing the importance of further developing the EU’s Single Market. The letter was sent to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk at the end of February.

The meeting was part of a series of meetings by Prime Minister Sipilä leading up to July Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The aim for Prime Minister Sipilä is to meet leaders of all EU countries before Finland’s Presidency, which will start in July.

Photos of the meeting

Inquiry: Kare Halonen, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319, Niina Nurkkala, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 380 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office

 
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