Foreign Minister Soini to attend General Affairs Council meeting

Government Communications Department
Press release 56/2016
15.2.2016

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will attend the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday 16 February. The focus of the meeting is on preparations for the European Council, which will be convening the same week.

The European Council convenes on 18 and 19 February. The main topics of the Council are migration and negotiations involving UK relations with the EU. In the context of migration, Finland deems it important to implement effectively the orientations adopted earlier. Finland hopes that the UK will opt to remain in the EU and considers the proposed compromise put forward by European Council President Donald Tusk a good foundation from which to bring the negotiations to a conclusion.

The General Affairs Council agenda also includes a follow-up to the December European Council, the March European Council agenda and an overview of the interinstitutional agreement on better law-making.

Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser, tel. +358 46 923 4581 and Henrik Ruso, Specialist for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 349, Prime Minister’s Office