Current affairs

EU foreign ministers will convene in Luxembourg on 24 June. Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

The Government has approved the proposal for the Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy. The report assesses Finland’s foreign and security policy environment and defines Finland’s objectives and priorities for the next few years.

The EU leaders were gathered in Brussels for an informal meeting of the European Council 17 June to discuss the upcoming appointments to high-level EU roles. The leaders aim to reach a decision on the appointments at the EU summit on 27–28 June. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo represented Finland. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo took part in the

The EU’s Nature Restoration Regulation received a qualified majority of votes at the European Union Environment Council on Monday 17 June. The Regulation will enter into force in July-August. The Member States must submit their national restoration plans within two years from the entry into force of the Regulation.

The management structure of the Team Finland network in Finland will be renewed and the foreign activities of Business Finland will be integrated into the Foreign Service. The changes will proceed in stages and the implementation will take place in cooperation with the business community.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will meet Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Igli Hasani in Helsinki on 12 June.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will host the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) in Porvoo on 13–14 June.

A total of 15,071 persons visited the Finnish diplomatic and consular missions abroad to vote in advance in the elections to the European Parliament. Altogether 150 crew members voted on board Finnish vessels. In the 2019 European elections, 16,547 persons voted abroad at the Finnish missions and on board vessels.

In the light of Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine, the Council today adopted a set of legal acts ensuring that the net profits stemming from unexpected and extraordinary revenues accruing to central securities depositories (CSDs) in the EU, as a result of the implementation of the EU restrictive measures, will be used for further military support to Ukraine, as well as its defence industry capacities and reconstruction.

The Council adopted a landmark reform of the European asylum and migration system on the 14th of May.