Hyppää sisältöön
Media
Valtioneuvoston kanslia etusivu

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s speech at the Annual Meeting of Finnish Heads of Mission 2017

Government Communications Department
Publication date 21.8.2017 11.49 | Published in English on 21.8.2017 at 18.12
Speech

(Check against delivery)

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I truly wish we could have opened this year’s Meeting of Heads of Mission on a happier note. The attack in Barcelona on Thursday was followed by one in Turku on Friday. This is the first time that a terrorist act is suspected of having been committed in Finland.  The act is utterly deplorable, repulsive and cowardly. It violates all standards of humanity and the basic principles of all religions.

In the light of various threat assessments made, we have feared that this type of incident could occur in Finland and have made preparations accordingly. One of the goals of terrorist attacks is to shock society and to create and intensify confrontations between different groups. We must make sure that this goal will not be achieved. What we need right now is for people to show restraint and trust. We must not draw conclusions that go too far based on a single, individual case. Confrontation must be avoided, and bridges must be built.

Several people tried to stop the attacker and help the victims in Turku.  These unbelievably brave people came from very different social backgrounds. This underlines that we are all very much in the same boat. We must, all of us together, speak up for humanity, democracy and the rule of law.

For me, what took place on Friday – especially the way people at the scene reacted – shows that people have an enormous amount of courage irrespective of their nationality or origin. Finland is an open, international and forward-looking society. We must not stray from this path, even though it might seem easy to turn inwards after what happened on Friday. When a terrorist attack like this happens, aiming to shake society to its very core, we must stand together and reject such attempts. What our country needs right now is cooperation between all political parties, non-governmental organisations and religious communities.

We are part of Europe in every sense of the expression. And a Europe that engages in close cooperation will keep moving forward. Looking back over the period I have been serving as Prime Minister, I can say that the difficulties faced by the EU countries have made them stronger and brought them together. We Europeans stand united against terrorists and defend our shared values. This is what must happen now in Finland, too. We cannot let the actions of a small group of people affect our trust in human rights, in the goodness of people, and in freedom, equality and democracy. We will make every effort to defend these principles even more resolutely than before. 

Finland must continue to help individuals and families who are in distress, ravaged by war and persecution. Irrespective of our own difficult financial situation, Finland will continue to help people in crisis hotspots, invest in peace mediation and accept asylum seekers and refugees.

At the same time, however, we must do all we can to ensure that those who come to Finland are from circumstances of genuine distress. Where this is not the case, there must be a quick procedure in place for removing from the country those who have arrived here on the wrong grounds. We must be able, at an earlier stage, to identify those who try to abuse the asylum system.

We have done a lot of work during this government term. In the Government's mid-term policy review session, we defined security as one of the priority areas. A lot of work has been carried out within the European Union as well. If the investigation so requires, new measures will also have to be taken.

Already at the beginning of this government term, we decided to modernise our intelligence legislation within a short timescale to meet the current security requirements and to harmonise it with the legislation in force in other EU Member States. We cannot continue to operate in a situation where we receive information from abroad on people who potentially pose a threat for our own citizens, but our legislation does not allow us to investigate such people in a sufficient manner and in sufficiently good time. Primarily, the intelligence legislation needs to be reformed for the purpose of guaranteeing the security of our citizens, but the reform is also part of our national responsibility.

After the events in Turku, this should be clear from the constitutional perspective as well: the right to life surpasses the right to privacy. Joint efforts to bring this legislation into force as soon as possible are now called for. I truly hope that all parliamentary parties will join these efforts.

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen,

A year ago here at the Finnish Heads of Mission Meeting when I spoke about the European Union the mood was expectant and rather uncertain on account of Brexit. Ahead of us in the spring there lay the Dutch and then the French elections, which could have resulted in a radical shift in the EU’s direction and a weakening of its ability to act.

By contrast, the mood today is perhaps even optimistic. Over the past year, the European Union has demonstrated unity and a capacity to look to the future once again. We have acknowledged that the EU has a lot of scope for improvement in the way it functions. Credibility and a role for the Union in the minds of its citizens cannot be taken for granted but must be earned.

The latest elections in Member States have shown us that this trust is returning. The message about the overarching purpose of the EU as a guarantor of peace, stability and prosperity has been understood in the different countries. The need to take care of these fundamental responsibilities has not changed in any way.

The United Kingdom’s exit from the Union, and the exit negotiations led by the Commission, will dominate the year ahead of us too. The UK’s withdrawal will affect Finland in many ways. In the negotiations on the Brexit agreement, Finland has been pursuing a policy that will secure our interests while also protecting the Union and its unity. Although the early stages of the negotiations have at times been less than smooth, we are pleased with the unity shown by the EU27 in the preparations.

There will be no winners in this process. The UK has been an important partner for Finland. Indeed we already know that, without the Brits, many of the matters that we deem important, such as the promotion of the single market and free trade, will demand greater efforts from us.

During the current year, the European Union has had its sights firmly on the future. This has been underlined by the Council’s reflection process, launched in the summer last year, concerning the future of the 27-member Union. The outcome of that process was the Rome Declaration on the future of the European Union, published in March. Our influence on the content of the declaration was considerable, ensuring that it incorporated principles that are important for us in helping take the Union forward. Additionally, five reflection papers published by the Commission, dealing with the social dimension, management of globalisation, EMU, defence and the multiannual financial framework, are all linked to the discussion about the future of the European Union. We are actively involved in these sectoral discussions in a proactive manner.

Finland is also closely involved with the EU’s reform work.  The Union must be reformed and improvements made in the way it operates. However, making change to the Treaties is not something we consider topical at present. This was clearly also the position taken in the Rome Declaration adopted in March. In terms of the functioning of the EU, a re-examination of the Treaties – and the many years of negotiations that would follow – could cripple the Union’s ability to act and its negotiating power. We cannot afford that. The conditions for being able to function more effectively and to move forward, in defence for example, do exist, even without re-examining the Treaties.

The EU should be developed above all by fostering unity. If necessary, we can proceed at different speeds, but the door must always remain open to all Member States. Finland participates in all important EU projects when it is in our national interests to do so and when justified for reasons of influence. In practice, this has been the case almost without exception.  

Key concerns for the EU in the short term are economic growth, security and management of migration.

I know from experience that balancing public finances and instituting reforms are not easy matters. And if it’s not easy here, then neither will it be in Greece, France or Italy. It’s a lot easier to blame problems on the EU or to withdraw behind a position of joint responsibility. Reforms must be carried out, structures made workable and rules complied with before we can proceed in deepening the EMU. It is now paramount to complete the work done to create a banking union in particular and to implement reforms. Finland does not advocate greater shared responsibility or the sharing of risks in the banking sector. We must retain investor responsibility. It is essential to look to the future, but we must also complete tasks that have been agreed.

A strong single market and free trade are instrumental for creating jobs and promoting growth. Finland is working actively to safeguard the conditions for free trade both at the European and the global levels. The effective operation of the single market requires continuous work to fully harness the potential offered by digitalisation, for instance. We shall be discussing this next month in Tallinn.

For Finland and for the European Union, climate and energy policy are not merely an obligation but represent a huge opportunity as well. The EU must be at the forefront of the bioeconomy and the circular economy. This is something that Finland has a strong role in too. The European Union has ambitious goals for renewable energy sources and for reducing emissions from fossil fuels. Finland is committed to these goals.

The use of renewable materials must be promoted. I think that the LULUCF Regulation on land use will work against this though. We still need broad national support on this and cooperation so that we are able to guarantee that theoretical land-use sector calculation rules will not hamper the sustainable use of our forests or weaken the strong foundation of our bioeconomy. I discussed this issue yesterday with Sweden’s prime minister and we will resume on Friday in Stockholm. Finland and the other forested countries must continue to work together to find a good solution.

Preparations for the forthcoming multiannual financial framework negotiations have also begun. With one of the biggest net contributors soon to be exiting from the Union, the negotiating position is more challenging than ever before. In regard to the financial framework there will be a lot of pressure on the overall budget and on the emphasis given to different areas within it.

Finland’s position on the determination of the overall budget level is that the United Kingdom’s exit should be taken account in full in the overall financial framework. There is still time to consider the contents.

Another important policy area that is topical in European Union work is security. The events in Turku and in Spain further emphasise the importance of cooperation in the work to combat terrorism. The European Union is the most important tool we have for this. Cooperation within the EU and bilaterally must be strengthened and developed on a systematic basis. Having a shared situational assessment and improving the exchange of information are the best ways in which the European countries can cooperate in this.

Finland has long supported deeper defence cooperation in the EU, and in June 2016 we presented a joint initiative with France. Brisk progress has been made in this during the past year. The matter has not been forced, and Finland has played a very significant role.

In the June European Council we set out a clear policy of making progress with permanent structured cooperation. The aim is to reach agreement among willing and able Member States concerning closer cooperation on resources. The policy on specific check marks for this will be outlined in the autumn. In the area of permanent cooperation, Finland’s focus is on space cooperation, countering hybrid threats, and maritime technology. In addition to these, I have also discussed an increase in Cyber collaboration, among other things. Now we are actively seeking countries to work with in support of our focus areas. So far we have engaged in close cooperation with France and Germany, for example. Finland has also been active in these matters by establishing in Helsinki the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, which was achieved under a tight timescale.

The management of migration will continue to be on the agenda. Immediate situations must be addressed while also creating more permanent solutions. We must have a more effective impact on the root causes of migration, improve border security and ensure appropriate participation in burden-sharing by all Member States.

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen

For Finland, the next few years in EU policy will be very interesting. In two years’ time Finland will hold the Presidency. Big legislative questions of major importance starting with the financial frameworks will be on the agenda. Preparations have already been put in motion on different levels.

Issues related to the Arctic are another set of important questions for Finland in terms of our northern location. Finland’s Presidency will be seen far and wide, and we will use it actively to our advantage to promote Finland’s position in the international arena and to make Finnish expertise better known around the world. The Government’s objective is to make Finland a leading actor in international Arctic policy, both in the European Union and globally.

In March, the Government endorsed the action plan for the updated Finnish Arctic Strategy, which translates the objectives of the strategy into concrete terms and gives a schedule for them. The parameters of sustainable development are taken into account in all activities. A balanced evolution of regional livelihoods calls for sustainable co-existence of the individual fields and close control of the environmental and socio-cultural repercussions.

Climate change exacerbates many problems, including rising numbers in irregular migratory flows and new kinds of conflict. Projections indicate that large areas of the Middle East and Northern Africa will become uninhabitable in the next few decades due to excessive heat. Swift implementation of the Paris Agreement and the promotion of energy transition globally are absolutely essential. And the decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement is an added challenge. The EU must show stronger leadership in climate policy and must complete its own 2030 climate package.

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the wake of many years of decline, the Finnish economy has finally started growing. Last year, economic growth in Finland was recorded at 1.9 per cent and in the first quarter of this year it accelerated to nearly 3 per cent. Why was this?

The global economy has also improved, but the change is not dramatic. I am optimistic about the future, though. Economic growth in the EU, a key market for Finland, would also fuel growth in the Finnish economy. And we should not underestimate the relevance of the budding confidence in the euro and in the ability of the EU area to regenerate. Confidence in the EU’s ability to overcome the challenges it faces builds a foundation for investment.

Accelerated economic growth in Finland is explained by a number of factors. The most important one is the restored belief in the sustainability of the national economy and changes in the competitiveness of work and production. The Competitiveness Pact drawn up between the Government and the labour market organisations and the pay settlements that have been close to zero over the past three years have paved the way for rapid improvement in more competitive labour. Productivity has also finally begun moving in the right direction. Meanwhile costs in Finland’s key competitor economies have risen. Finland’s improved competitiveness can already be seen in the export successes of companies.

Numerous structural reforms and deregulation also play an instrumental role. A huge amount of small but essential changes have been made in the labour market. These create more incentives to accept work. As outlined in the Government Programme, we have also paved the way for economic growth by opening up the economy to competition and by dismantling regulations that restrict competition. This applies to, for example, retailing, transport, logistics and construction. The objectives of the health and social services reform lie elsewhere, but it is clear that the reform has fuelled interest in the Finnish health sector.

I am also pleased that confidence in the domestic markets is growing stronger all the time. Thanks to the improved economy, many have already found a new job and fewer people fear losing their job. Owing to better household confidence in the economy, private consumption has further boosted economic growth.

I must also underline the sustained efforts made by public actors to retain or lure activities to Finland in different industries, such as the shipyards, mines, car factories and data centres. The same applies to all the new products and innovations being generated from Finnish forests. Your role has been extremely important in many of these projects and in generally increasing awareness of Finnish industries internationally.

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This summer I joined a major Team Finland delegation to Beijing. A record number of different types of agreements on cooperation were signed during this visit. Needless to say, this was made possible largely because of all the sustained planning and political work done in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Team Finland network prior to the actual visit to Beijing.  Both this and my visits to Mexico and Argentina in the autumn again prove how important you all are within the role of networks abroad in strengthening business services abroad and thus boosting economic growth in Finland.

Since the previous Heads of Mission Meeting a decision was made to revamp Team Finland’s operation. The purpose of these changes is to dismantle the service structure from the existing silos, to make the service pledge clearer and to delineate the respective responsibilities for service provision. Human resources must be allocated more towards the client interface and from domestic activities to operations abroad.

The existing system must become more cost-efficient and able to generate greater effectiveness. By setting up the Business Finland innovation funding centre and establishing the Business Finland limited company, we aim to achieve a more robust Finnish network of export promotion that is at least on a par with its competitor countries. How well we succeed will be gauged by how satisfied businesses are in the services they receive.

To sum up economic developments, despite the many hard decisions and the harsh criticism these decisions have received, or perhaps precisely because of them, Finland is now on a relatively stable growth path. Exports have picked up and Finland is again attracting foreign investment. But there is still much for the Government to do, some of it remaining for the next government as well.

The main thing is that we’re now focusing on a good growth track. As prime minister, politically it would be easy for me to advocate tax reductions and pay raises. This would undoubtedly be the easiest road to take towards the next parliamentary elections in the wake of so many difficult years. But it would not be a responsible economic policy. In the current economic upswing, restraint must be exercised both in regard to tax cuts and in the context of the labour market.

Excellencies, Heads of Mission, Ladies and Gentlemen

This year marks 100 years of Finnish independence. The centenary slogan is ‘Together’, and this theme proved dreadfully fitting last week Friday at the marketplace in Turku: it is together that we will best overcome the reality of terrorism.

In spite of the setbacks and crises we have experienced, I am proud to be able to say that Finland’s story is a story of success. Our years of independence have also undergone periods of change, war and recession. Today we are experiencing another period of change. And I know, without a shadow of doubt, that we will pull though again, becoming stronger than ever.

Finland’s centenary is of great symbolic importance in many of your host countries. It is my hope that you will make use of this as we approach the culmination of the jubilee year, conveying Finland’s message with pride and with the theme of the jubilee year in mind.

Let us pursue our work for an internationally strong and influential nation that is an innovative and youthful centenarian  – Together. This work proves how determined we are to promote our common Finnish and European values.