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Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discussed next EU Strategic Agenda

Government Communications Department
Publication date 8.5.2019 10.08 | Published in English on 8.5.2019 at 13.17
Press release 331/2019

In its meeting on 8 July 2019, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland's positions prior to the informal summit of heads of state or government to be held on 9 May in Sibiu, Romania, the country currently holding the presidency of the EU Council. The meeting will discuss the priorities of the EU's next Strategic Agenda for 2019–2024, to be approved by the European Council in June. Finland is the first Presidency to put these new priorities into practice in the Council’s work.

Finland has actively contributed to preparing the Strategic Agenda, particularly emphasising growth, security, climate issues and the Union’s common values.

Finland considers that the best way to promote growth, competitiveness and employment is through strengthening the internal market and respecting an open and rules-based global trade system.

With respect to enhancing the EU's external security and defence cooperation, Finland aims to strengthen the EU's capabilities and foresight by pursuing strategic discussions in the field of security and defence, upgrading relevant structures and funding arrangements, and ensuring consistency across European defence initiatives. Another objective is to step up the fight against hybrid threats within in the EU.

The EU's climate goals should be set such that the European Union can contribute to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement, especially that of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. For the EU’s part, this means reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

Finland also considers that the following priorities should be clearly written into the Strategic Agenda: the EU’s common values; the rule of law principle; bolstering the EU's global role; a comprehensive approach to migration; greater efficiency and transparency in EU decision-making; better regulation; enforcement of decisions; and inclusion of citizens. 

The Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs also outlined Finland’s positions for the following Council meetings:

  • Foreign Affairs Council – 13 May 2019
  • Foreign Affairs Council (Defence Ministers) – 14 May 2019
  • Agriculture and Fisheries Council – 14 May 2019
  • Foreign Affairs Council (Development) – 16 May 2019

The main topic of the Foreign Affairs Council will be Libya. Foreign and defence ministers will have a joint session with the G5 Sahel countries. The agenda of the defence ministers features permanent structured cooperation (PESCO). The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will exchange views on the new delivery model set out in the proposal for a regulation on the CAP strategic plans. They will also discuss the agricultural aspects of the Commission’s Communication “A clean planet for all” as well as trade-related agricultural issues. The ministers for development will address effective multilateral cooperation (including implementation of Agenda 2030), the Sahel, the role of youth in development and in the implementation of Agenda 2030, and the EU's development funding during the next MFF period.

Inquiries: Kare Halonen, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319, Niina Nurkkala, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 50 347 2661, and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister's Office

 
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