Tuomioja approaches Finnish EU Presidency with pragmatism
Pragmatic approach is the key phrase for the Finnish EU Presidency, according to Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja who outlined the Finnish agenda for the correspondents in Brussels on Thursday, 29 June, two days prior to the zero hour.
We want to keep the constitutional process alive, said Tuomioja and demonstrated the Finnish determination by referring to the Finnish Parliament's decision to ratify the treaty some time in September. He expected an 80-90 percent majority.
Even if the treaty is never to be adopted by the EU member states, Finland will advance the process through consultations and proposals. It is important that European citizens will see concrete results, which is also the objective of the Finnish Presidency, he said.
No cherry-picking
It is not cherry-picking, he emphasised. Cherry-picking would imply parts of the treaty implemented and ratified separately. Based on the existing treaties, we aim at enhancing the efficiency of decision-making and the coherence of common policies, particularly security policy, said Tuomioja.
Finland approaches enlargement openly. We insist on objective evaluations and implementation of all membership criteria on a country by country basis, said Tuomioja. It is important not to send wrong signals to future applicants as the European perspective is a strong weapon for the EU, especially in the Western Balkans, Tuomioja pointed out.
Lisbon into reality
Tuomioja also said that Finland would work towards making the Lisbon process a reality, not hesitating to promote the Finnish, and Nordic, model as an example how to maintain social security without compromising competitiveness. We are happy to share our experiences with any interested parties, said Tuomioja.
The EU-Russia relations will be high on the agenda. Not only because Russia is our neighbour, but because Russia is strategically so important to the EU member states, Tuomioja specified. A new framework document on the Northern Dimension will be negotiated during the Finnish Presidency as well as a new mandate for the PCA agreements, the present ones shortly expiring.
Common energy principles
Energy in overall is a broad issue and featuring prominently on the Finnish agenda, but it is important also vis-à-vis Russia. It would be preferrable if Russia adopted the European energy charter, but we can also look for other ways of applying common principles, said Tuomioja. What we do not want to see is a repetition of the Russia-Ukraine standoff in January regarding gas deliveries, he said. As long as there are no fully transparent market prices, there is scope for political deliberations, but we must not forget that Russia is not only an exporter. It needs investments and technology to be able to keep up and increase the present level of energy production.
However, anything and everything can happen during the Presidency and we are prepared to tackle any issue, reassured Tuomioja who will promote transparency, the Finnish pet child, by launching his personal blog on the Finnish Foreign Ministry site next week.
