EU affairs
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Coordination of EU affairs at the
Ministry of Transport and Communications
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Decision-making by the Council of
Ministers
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Preparation of EU affairs in Finland
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is responsible for
the national preparation and monitoring of EU affairs concerning
transport and communications. Finland’s representative in the EU
Council of Ministers in its composition for the handling of
transport matters is Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen. In the
composition for issues relating to communications, the
representative is Minister of Housing and Communications Krista
Kiuru. The Council of Ministers assembles in Brussels or in
Luxembourg.
In addition to the formal meetings, the Ministers usually assemble
on an informal basis twice a year. The informal meetings are held
in the member country currently holding the EU Presidency.
1. Coordination of EU affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications
At the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the preparation
of EU affairs, led by the Ministers, takes place in the Departments
for Transport Policy and Communications Policy. For each matter,
the department appoints a responsible official to direct and
oversee the progress and handling of the matter throughout the
process.
A representative of the department will participate in the
meetings of the Cabinet Committee on European Union Affairs and the
parliamentary Grand Committee in the role of an expert whenever
matters relating to transport and communications are being
discussed.
The position of Finland on each issue under consideration in the
European Union is formulated so that the opinions of the interest
groups are also considered. The Government Secretariat for EU
Affairs and Finland’s Permanent Representation to the European
Union operating in Brussels also have a central role in the
formulation of these positions.
2. Decision-making by the Council of Ministers
EU legislation in matters concerning transport and
communications is drafted in working parties consisting of civil
servants from the different member states. The frequency of
meetings by the working parties varies depending on the complexity
and scope of the matter.
In the working parties, Finland is represented by experts employed
by Finland's Permanent Representation to the European Union, and
the meetings are also attended by experts from the Ministry of
Transport and Communications or its administrative branch,
depending on the national importance of the matter.
After the working party process, the matters are taken to the
first Committee of Permanent Representatives (Comité des
représentants permanents, Coreper I). Here, Finland is currently
represented by Ambassador Marja Rislakki, Deputy Permanent
Representative of Finland to the European Union.
After the Coreper process, matters are referred to the Council of
Ministers. In the EU, matters relating to transport and
communications are handled in the Transport, Telecommunications and
Energy Council, which assembles four times a year. Transport issues
are discussed in all four meetings of the Council, while
communications issues are processed every six months, most commonly
in the June and December meetings of the Council.
3. Preparation of EU Affairs in Finland
The Prime Minister’s Office is in charge of the overall EU
policy of Finland and coordinates the preparation and handling of
EU matters in the Government. The priorities of Finnish EU policy
are decided on in the Cabinet Committee on European Union Affairs
led by the Prime Minister.
The Parliament participates actively in the preparation of EU
affairs relating to transport and communications. The Parliament is
informed of every proposed change in legislation issued by the
European Commission by a document entitled a Government Letter.
Before each meeting of the Council of Ministers, the agenda for the
meeting is discussed in the parliamentary Grand Committee.