European Council meeting in Brussels on 15 and 16 June

Government Communications Unit

Press release 188/2006
8.6.2006




On Thursday, 8 June 2006, the Government announced Finland's representation at the Brussels European Council that will take place on 15 and 16 June. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, accompanied by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, will attend the European Council meeting. The President of the Republic, Tarja Halonen, will attend the European Council when the meeting is dealing with matters within her purview.

The European Council is to decide, in accordance with conclusions adopted in June 2005, on how to continue the Constitutional Treaty process. The Constitutional Treaty will be dealt with as part of the broader issue of the EU’s future, another main theme in the European Council being the Union’s enlargement. Discussion on the Union’s future will be based on discussions held in the informal meeting for foreign ministers organised at the end of May in Klosterneuburg in Austria and on a Commission’s Communication contributing to the discussion on the future of Europe issued on 10 May. In the context of enlargement, the European Council will aim at providing guidelines for the discussion on enlargement in general.

The conclusions of the June European Council will have substantial effects on the work to be done under Finland’s Presidency. In the preparation of the European Council, Finland has given particular consideration to policies concerning the Constitutional Treaty, enlargement, energy policy, strengthening of the Union’s external relations, promoting transparency and improvement of the effectiveness of decision-making in relation to cooperation in police and criminal matters.

Further information: Antti Peltomäki, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2180, and Laura Aho, Adviser, EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2150, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs