News

Yesterday, the Council approved the joint text on the EU’s general budget for 2024. The joint text has been agreed in negotiations with the European Parliament on 11 November. Total commitments are set at €189 385,4 million and total payments at €142 630,3 million.

Commission adopts 2023 Enlargement package, recommends to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, to grant candidate status to Georgia and to open accession negotiations with BiH, once the necessary degree of compliance is achieved

Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs is planning to launch a tendering process for outsourcing its entry permit application submission services in 2024. As a preparation for the upcoming tendering process, the Ministry will survey the market in autumn 2023.

Comments on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs proposal may be given at lausuntopalvelu.fi until 8 August 2023.

Comments on the draft government proposal may be submitted to the lausuntopalvelu.fi service until 15 August 2023.

Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Transport and Communications Minna Kivimäki has been nominated a candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). There are altogether seven candidates for the post.

Finland will join NATO on Tuesday 4 April. We collected the daily events and links to live webcasts from Brussels.

Finland seeks election to the International Maritime Organization Council (IMO) for the 2024–2025 term.

Passports and identity cards issued by the Finnish authorities will have a new appearance as of 13 March 2023. Minor technical adjustments will also be made to residence permit cards and residence cards. The changes will have no effect on the validity of previously issued passports, identity cards or residence permit documents.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 9 and 10 February. The meeting will focus on Ukraine, the economy and competitiveness, and migration. After the meeting, the Prime Minister will visit Luxembourg.