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The EU Foreign Affairs Council convened in Brussels on 10 December. The topics of discussion at the meeting include Russia, the Middle East peace process, Western Balkans, EU’s southern neighbourhood and EU-US relations. Finland was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja. See Minister Erkki Tuomioja’s comments after the meeting.

On 22–23 November, the EU leaders convened in Brussels for an extraordinary European Council to negotiate on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2014–2020. Today, on 23 November, the leaders discussed the second proposal put forward by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy. Work on the MFF will continue and the aim is to reach agreement early next year.

Negotiations on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF, the EU budget for the years 2014–20) have now entered their final phase. The EU Heads of State or Government are to reach agreement on the framework at the European Council meeting in Brussels on 22-23 November. The Cabinet Committee on EU Affairs outlined Finland's key objectives in the negotiations.

Finnish Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb participated on Tuesday in a high level foreign and EU policy seminar in Berlin. Stubb addressed the seminar together with the German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom, William Hague. In his opening remarks Minister Stubb stood for deepening the Euro zone. According to Stubb, enhanced cooperation should however not divide the EU in two and it should be open to everyone.

The EU Heads of State or Government, meeting in Brussels on 18 and 19 October, agreed on further measures to establish a mechanism for bank supervision. The EU leaders assigned the Eurogroup finance ministers to draw up, by the year-end, operational criteria that will guide direct bank recapitalisations by the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

The EU Heads of State or Government will convene for a European Council meeting in Brussels on 18-19 October. The meeting will discuss the development of the European Monetary Union on the basis of the interim report presented by President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy. The European Council will also review progress in the implementation of the Compact for Growth and Jobs. Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen will represent Finland at the meeting.

The EU Foreign Ministers gathered for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 15 October. The meeting agenda included among other things the situation in the EU’s southern neighbourhood, the Middle East peace process, Iran and Mali. Additionally, the Foreign Ministers had a working dinner with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. See FM Erkki Tuomiojan’s comments right after the meeting.

The EU Foreign Ministers will gather for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 15 October. The meeting agenda includes the situation in the EU’s southern neighbourhood, the Middle East peace process, Iran, Mali, the EU’s Eastern Partnership and relations between the EU and China. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.

President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy will meet Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen in Helsinki on 12 October. Discussions will focus on key EU issues such as the situation in the euro area, the development of the European Monetary Union, and the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2014–2020. During his visit, President Van Rompuy will also attend the meeting of the Grand Committee in Parliament.

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen met the President of France, François Hollande, on 2 October in Paris to discuss issues concerning the euro area, the development of the European Monetary Union and the EU's internal market. The countries published a joint statement on the deepening of the digital market to the President of the European Council, the Commission and the other Member States.