Since 2014, Finland has chaired the European Defence Agency’s project “European Maritime Capabilities in the Arctic”. The project has reported about a need for the European states to consider the continent’s northern dimension and to be prepared for the environmental changes up north, where the rising level of human activities will have direct impact also on safety and security issues.

Pääministeri Juha Sipilä määritteli 22. marraskuuta eduskunnalle antamassaan ilmoituksessa kuusi EU:n tulevaisuuden kannalta tärkeää asiakokonaisuutta:

“Climate change has proceeded at double speed in the Arctic as compared to the rest of the world. All together about 75 % of the Arctic sea ice mass has melted already.” Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization Petteri Taalas urges countries to raise ambition level in climate talks.

A regulation establishing the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) was adopted in the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg in October. The Office will be in charge of investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of fraud and bribery offences against EU funds.

On 23 October, the EU’s employment ministers reached an understanding concerning amendments to the directive that regulates the employment terms and conditions of posted workers. The amendments include a provision that posted workers would in future be entitled to the same pay for the same work as employees in the host country.

Helsinki promises no hiccups whatsoever if the decision is made to relocate the European Medicines Agency in the Finnish capital. The quirky campaign launched on Thursday, assuring the EU of smooth sailing and great livability for the agency’s personnel in their new home. It also addresses Helsinki’s wider aim of becoming one of the world’s health capitals both in terms of research and the commercialisation of the health and life science industries.

A group of Commission officials as well as MEPs and Parliament officials visited Finland on a two-day excursion to learn about Finnish bioeconomy solutions in the sectors of forestry and clean energy.

The Finnish Government has decided to open passenger rail transport to competition. In the 2020s, the national railway company VR will no longer have exclusive right to the provision of rail transport services in the Finnish rail network and other operators can enter the passenger rail transport market as well. The reform will be carried out in an orderly manner, divided into stages and follow the principles of good human resources policy.

The European Union is the world’s biggest trading block and most advanced economy. We have an extensive internal market based on a liberal free trade policy to thank for that. Trade within the European Union and with the rest of the world is the basis of our prosperity. It creates growth and jobs and allows us to finance welfare states for our citizens. A continued liberal trade policy is essential, if Europe is to remain among the world’s most important economic areas.

Transformation of the energy sector increases renewable power generation that depends on the weather. Consumers will become also producers. Society is being electrified; for instance, electric cars are changing the energy market. It is evident for a variety of reasons that a new kind of agility is needed on the electricity market. What sort of intelligence does this require of systems?