Press releases, 17.12.2009

Report on effective EU policy: towards forward-looking target-setting

Government Communications Unit
Press release 379/2009
16.12.2009

Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors presented Wednesday, 16 December, the newly-published report on exerting influence within the EU. The report looks into how EU affairs are currently handled in Finland and strives to find ways to enhance Finland’s exercise of influence in the EU.

The report suggests that Finland should take more active measures to influence the European Commission, in particular, at the early stages of EU affairs preparation. This is when exerting influence is most productive. Strong exert of influence requires forward-looking target-setting and prioritisation both in the ministries and at the Government level.

’What we are talking about is a change in the way we think. We need to put our effort to the promotion of Finland's positions in Brussels rather than working on their details in Helsinki,’ European Affairs Minister Thors said at the publication of the report.

According to the report, Finland’s national coordination system for EU affairs provides a well-functioning framework, and there is no need to change its foundations. It enables a uniform approach to the handling and management of EU policy in Finland.

At the decision-making stage, Finland’s activities could be further developed through influencing the European Parliament more effectively. In doing this, all actors of the Parliament should be taken into account. Possibilities to exert influence at the European Council need to be fully utilised.

The report includes concrete development measures, and their implementation is to begin at the start of 2010.

Further information: Jukka Salovaara, State Under-Secretary, EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182 and Lauri Tierala, Adviser, EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2120, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs