Prime Minister Katainen met President Van Rompuy in Brussels

Government Communications Department
17.1.2013

(Translation. Originally published in Finnish on 16 January 2013)

During his informal visit to Brussels on 16 January, Prime Minister Katainen met President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes, the Commissioner responsible for the Digital Agenda for Europe.

Discussions between Prime Minister Katainen and European Council President Van Rompuy focused on the EU's Multiannual Framework (MFF). President Van Rompuy said that as the negotiations are still ongoing, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Prime Minister Katainen drew attention to Finland's special regional and agricultural policy features, such as the special conditions of North and East Finland, and the development of our financial contribution to the EU budget and, in this respect, the need to find a fair solution to the issue. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has not yet announced when the MFF negotiations between all 27 Member States will be resumed.

Katainen and Van Rompuy also discussed briefly the economic situation in Cyprus. Prime Minister Katainen's message was clear: the rumours about money laundering in Cyprus must be taken seriously. The banking sector in Cyprus must function in a transparent manner based on European rules. Common money is not to be spent on addressing financial obscurities, said Prime Minister Katainen.

Prime Minister Katainen thanked Commissioner Kroes for the Commission's efforts to achieve the digital single market by 2015. The main objective of the Digital Agenda is to ensure the growth potential of ICT-based digital economies in all EU countries. Katainen emphasised that the project was important to Finland especially as regards copyright issues and the operating conditions for innovation companies.

Inquiries: Pasi Rajala, Special Adviser for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2055 or +358 400 464 393 and Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 596 5821, Prime Minister’s Office