Trade ministers to discuss the future guidelines for EU trade policy in Brussels

Press Release 261/2014
20 November 2014

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Lenita Toivakka will participate in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Friday, 21 November.

At their meeting the trade ministers will discuss updating the EU’s trade defence instruments and the reciprocity of public procurement. The ministers will adopt conclusions on the future guidelines of the EU’s trade policy and on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership between the EU and the United States. Finland expects the pace of negotiations between the EU and the United States to pick up after a slack phase, and anticipates the conclusion of negotiations as soon as possible. Finland emphasizes the importance of the open dissemination of information about the negotiations.

“I consider important, in particular, the discussion with Cecilia Malmström, the new Commissioner for Trade, concerning the future of the EU trade policy and the trade negotiations between the EU and the United States. Both of these issues are central to Finland, as a country living on exports,” says Minister Toivakka.

It is Finland’s view that in its trade policy, the EU should seek economic growth that takes sustainable development into account, and should strive to increase investment and employment and to enhance Europe’s competitiveness.

Also to be discussed at the meeting are the situation concerning the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round of negotiations and the EU’s free trade negotiations with Japan and Vietnam. Finland is in favour of bringing these negotiations to completion during 2015.

Additional information: Miika Tomi, Press Attaché to the Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade, mobile tel. +358 50 574 0507; and Jukka Pesola, Head of the Trade Policy Unit, mobile tel. +358 40 749 5871.