By Paula Lehtomäki is Finland’s foreign trade and development and European affairs minister - 28th June 2006
Finland will use the EU presidency to cultivate unity between member states, writes Paula Lehtomäki.
Finland takes over the EU presidency at a turbulent time. The agenda covers a wide range of issues, from the constitutional treaty to energy policy.
We believe it is important to improve the EU’s working methods and therefore better regulation and transparency are also on our agenda.
Better regulation
Improving the quality of EU-level regulation gives a significant boost to European competitiveness and sustainable development.
Finland welcomes the fact that the EU has taken its first steps towards better regulation over the last few years.
During our EU presidency we will actively take this work forward. Boosting competitiveness in Europe is one of the main priorities of the Finnish presidency.
To achieve results on better regulation – a high quality regulatory environment – we need political commitment and cooperation between institutions.
Besides this, we also need practical working methods in all the institutions.
It is a fact that results can be achieved only if the principles of better regulation are incorporated in the day-to-day work of all the institutions.
As the country holding the presidency, Finland will focus especially on the implementation of existing commitments.
During our presidency, we are committed to embed better regulation into the council’s everyday work.
Emphasis will be on better use of European commission impact assessments in the council’s working groups. Also, the commission’s work to simplify existing EU legislation will be supported by taking forward simplification proposals at the council.
Increasing transparency
Finland will pay particular attention to all aspects contributing to transparency in the council, including communication, access to documents, clarity of texts and public sessions.
For a northern country, increasing transparency is a natural, self-evident aim. We are prepared to implement the June European council’s political decision on increasing the number of public deliberations at ministerial level from the beginning of our presidency.
Special attention will be paid to the public debates on legislative projects in co-decision. We will propose that public sessions are organised for more areas which are politically important and generally interesting to the citizens rather than just legislative files.
One concrete step that will be taken from the beginning of our presidency is the transmission of council meetings by audiovisual means.
If the council’s procedure is not finalised by the beginning of July, we are prepared to start, through temporary arrangements, the web-casting of public sessions of the council on the internet.
We will use these modern means of communication on the presidency’s website in order to increase the availability of up-to-date information. The website will provide for example access to council agendas and background notes as well as to Coreper and working group agendas.
Constitutional treaty
Finland will focus a lot of attention on the debate over the EU’s future. As was agreed at the June summit earlier this month, the period of reflection will be continued into 2007 when Germany will propose ways of continuing the reform process. Concrete steps will be taken by the end of 2008.
In Finland we feel it is important that the process is kept in motion – and the treaty alive. We are ready to start preparatory consultations with the other member states and the EU institutions with the aim of assessing the situation and exploring possible future developments of the constitutional treaty.
The unresolved situation with regard to the constitutional treaty should not obstruct the development of the EU. A lot can, and should, be done on the basis of the existing treaties and instruments as regards, for example, external action, justice and home affairs and transparency.
External energy policy
The framework for discussing energy policy during Finland’s presidency covers a wide range of issues, but because of the timing of certain communications from the commission, it is likely that the focus will especially be on external aspects of energy policy.
Actions related to the sustainability of energy production and consumption will proceed along two tracks during 2006: improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy.
The action plan on energy efficiency will most likely be ready this summer and it will be on the agenda of our presidency. A strategy for addressing the medium and long term time frame for renewable energy beyond 2010 will be discussed in the context of the new energy policy. Furthermore, the biomass action plan may generate legislative proposals.
The external aspects will cover integration of the energy policy objectives into foreign policy and development of dialogues and partnerships with third countries. Particular focus will be attached to energy dialogue with Russia.
Energy issues will naturally be on the agenda of the EU–Russia summit. Regardless, focusing on external aspects of energy policy, the functioning of the internal energy market and its impact on competitiveness and security of supply will stay on the agenda this year.
Although the discussion on a European energy policy is timely and necessary, it is important to keep in mind that it is possible to improve coordination and cooperation on energy while respecting the current separation of competences between the EU and its member states.
All decisions concerning the use of different energy sources should be taken nationally.
The EU is facing big challenges and also great expectations. Finland will work hard to promote the European agenda, inherited from the Austrian presidency, but we also have our own priorities which we want to highlight.
However, the most important task for the presidency will be to secure and promote unity between the member states. Whether it is about the constitution or Doha round negotiations, we must act as one.
In order to be credible, not only to its citizens but to the rest of the world, the EU must speak with one voice – and we all know that is not always easy.
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