After six months, Romania handed over the presidency of the Council of the European Union to Finland. The Prime Minister and Ministers from this Scandinavian country will lead meetings with their counterparts from other member states by December 31st.
The priorities of the Finnish Presidency will be to strengthen shared values and the rule of law, competitiveness and social inclusion, take over the role of a global leader in the fight against climate change and overall protection of citizens’ safety.
The European Union faces an increasingly challenging and unpredictable global political environment: great powers compete, and unilateralism is frequently present, an international system based on rules and its norms are changing.
Related: Pekka Haavisto: EU enlargement is in Finland’s interest
The cornerstone of European integration – peace, security, stability, democracy, progress – must be protected. Only joint actions and the defence of shared values, the EU can tackle the biggest challenges of our time, while at the same time promoting the well-being and progress of its citizens, says the Finnish Presidency website.
“Finland will have the opportunity to influence the future of the EU during the presidency of the Council of the European Union. This future should be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. The presidency slogan emphasizes this goal: Sustainable Europe – a Sustainable Future, says Finland’s Prime Minister Anna Rina.