Current affairs

Due to the coronavirus epidemic, Finland suspended the reception of ordinary visa and residence permit applications starting on 19 March 2020. The reception of ordinary visa applications continues to be suspended but activities relating to residence permit applications were gradually resumed in the missions on 16 June 2020.

On 11 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend a virtual meeting of Foreign Ministers between the EU and its Eastern Partnership countries. At the meeting, the ministers will discuss the EU’s support to Eastern Partnership countries during the coronavirus pandemic and the future priorities of cooperation. Preparations for the meeting of Heads of State or Government of the Eastern Partnership, to be held on 18 June, will also be on the agenda.

Owing to the coronavirus outbreak, Finland, in line with the rest of the Schengen countries, has suspended the reception of normal visa applications in Finland’s missions with immediate effect from 19 March until further notice.

Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani will visit Finland on 11–12 November and meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb will participate in the Eastern Partnership Summit of the EU to be held on 21-22 May in Riga. Goals of the Eastern Partnership include the promotion of stability and democracy in the EU's eastern neighbourhoods. The partner countries are Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze is visiting Finland on 11–12 May 2015.

On Friday 24 April, the President of the Republic accepted the association agreements concluded between the EU and its Member States and Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. The agreements deepen the countries' political and economic cooperation with the EU and its Member States.

Secretary of State Peter Stenlund represents Finland at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), held in Barcelona on Monday, 13 April. At the meeting, the Southern ENP partner countries will present their views and hopes concerning the review of the neighbourhood policy.

Representatives of the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) will visit Finland to learn about open government and decision-making in the framework of the new development cooperation project.

Alex Petriashvili, State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, will visit Finland on 8 October 2014. Minister Petriashvili will meet with Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Lenita Toivakka, and Speaker of Parliament Eero Heinäluoma.