The Government discussed proposals for the European Union's new foreign policy

Government
Press release 129/2003
30 April 2003



The new Finnish Government 's Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy held its first meeting on Wednesday, 30 April. The members discussed with the President of the Republic the Articles regarding the Union’s external relations contained in the draft Constitutional Treaty put forward by the European Convention. The Cabinet Committee on European Union Affairs had discussed the same issue in its meeting earlier in the day. The Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy received a summary of the current situation in Iraq.

The draft Constitutional Treaty groups the Articles on external action under one Title which, from Finland's point of view, improves the clarity of the Treaty. In order to improve the Union's external image and the coherence of the various sectors of external action, the draft contains a proposal for the creation of the post of EU Foreign Minister who would carry out tasks now assigned to the High Representative or the Commissioner for external relations. Finland finds the proposal acceptable provided that the Foreign Minister will not act as the chairperson of the External Relations Council and that the proposal will not narrow the Commission's rights nor introduce restrictions to present Community-level action.

Finland is also of the opinion that the Union’s capability for effective external action must be ensured as the Union enlarges. This can be achieved by adopting measures, as a main rule, by a qualified majority vote. The use of the so-called emergency brake must, however, be maintained, in other words decisions regarding issues of great national importance must be made unanimously at the European Council. Decisions regarding security and defence policy would continue to be subject to unanimous decision-making. Any involvement in crisis management arrangements and contribution of resources to Union-level action would remain voluntary.

Finland considers that the definition of the Union’s current crisis management arrangements can be specified as proposed in the draft. The tasks to be included would cover joint disarmament operations, military advice and assistance, conflict prevention, support action in combating terrorism at the request of a third country, and post-conflict stabilisation.

Finland is of the opinion that the field of civilian crisis management has not been given adequate consideration in the draft Constitutional Treaty. For that reason Finland proposes the inclusion of a completely new Title on civilian crisis management in the new Union Treaty.