Commission proposal for the future cohesion policy favourable for Finland

On 29 May 2018, the European Commission issued a proposal for modernising the cohesion policy to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU Member States and their regions.

The proposal is part of the negotiations for the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2021–2017 that determine how the EU’s budget will be used in the future.

Finland’s goal has been to ensure that funding for cohesion policy continues at a level that makes it possible to modernise our regions and policies so that they better serve the EU’s competitiveness and European values. One important goal has been that special funding for sparsely populated regions in eastern and northern Finland will continue at or above the present level.

The Commission proposal fits in with Finland’s objectives and forms a good foundation for the next negotiations round with the EU Member States. Preliminary calculations indicate that Finland would be among the few countries that will have greater benefit from the cohesion policy than at present. Finland would receive EUR 100 million more than during the current term, according to the Commission proposal. Moreover, sparsely populated regions would continue to be one of the allocation criteria.

“I am pleased that the Commission proposal recognises Finland’s special characteristics and our good results. We have succeeded in our efforts to influence the Commission before it drafted its proposal,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

There will be long negotiations before the EU reaches the final decisions on the funding and content of the future cohesion policy. It is possible that the next multiannual financial framework will be finalised during Finland’s EU Presidency of the EU in autumn 2019.

“We will continue our pro-active work and do our best that the final financial framework and the cohesion policy regulations correspond with our objectives. The Commission proposal is an excellent start,” Lintilä says.

During the spring, Minister Lintilä has been campaigning actively to influence the EU’s forthcoming financial framework He has met six Commissioners and cohesion ministers from several Member States. Permanent Secretary Jari Gustafsson from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has also joined the effort and visited four European capitals (Berlin, Paris, Brussels and Haag) to discuss Finland’s views on the EU cohesion policy.

Inquiries:
Jannika Ranta, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 50 340 2250
Petri Haapalainen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 4922