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Minister Skinnari to the European Parliament Committee on International Trade

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Publication date 2.9.2019 14.43
Press release

Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will speak at a meeting of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) in Brussels on 3 September.

The Minister will present Finland’s trade policy priorities during the Finnish Presidency of the EU Council and exchange views on EU trade policy with the EP committee dealing with matters within his remit.

The Minister will also have a meeting with Bernd Lange, Chairman of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) of the European Parliament.

Finland’s has the following trade policy priorities: strengthening the multilateral trading system, promoting bilateral trade relations with the EU, and ensuring speedy and effective implementation of the trade agreements that have been negotiated. Moreover, Finland wants to reinforce the binding nature of the sustainable development goals written into EU trade agreements. Open, ambitious and rules-based trade policy is in the interest of the whole EU.

INTA’s responsibilities include participation in the establishment of the Union’s common commercial policy and in its implementation and monitoring, and especially matters relating to relations with third countries and negotiations concerning bilateral and multilateral trade agreements from the European Parliament’s perspective.

“The European Parliament plays a significant role in the Union’s trade policy. It gives its approval on agreements and provides valuable viewpoints on the direction of trade policy. While holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Finland considers it important that the EU agenda is taken forward in a constructive spirit with the European Parliament,” Minister Skinnari says.

Minister Skinnari’s presentation at the INTA meeting is a part of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. Ministers representing the Council presidency present the priorities of their presidency to the committees of the European Parliament and have an exchange of views with Members of the European Parliament.

The meeting can be followed live from the European Parliament starting at 10.00.

Inquiries:

Ilkka-Pekka Similä, Director General of the Department for External Economic Relations, tel. +358 295 350 257

Juha Niemi, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, tel. +358 295 350 232

Tino Aalto, Special Adviser to the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, tel. +358 50 436 9188

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected].

 
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