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Minister Terho to attend General Affairs Council

Government Communications Department
Publication date 16.11.2018 15.25
Press release 538/2018

Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sports Sampo Terho will represent Finland at the meeting of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday 19 November. The Council will prepare for the special meeting of the European Council of 25 November, where a political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom is due to be approved and the Union’s draft Brexit withdrawal agreement will be initiated on behalf of the Parliament and the Council.

Finland is satisfied that a draft withdrawal agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom was contracted on 14 November. Finland’s priorities, i.e. the right of citizens and the financial provisions, remain unchanged in the draft agreement. A major new point in the draft agreement is the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. It details a backstop solution, which would apply only if no other agreement is later reached.

The outline of the political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom is based on the premise that in practice cooperation will be as close as possible at all policy levels, subject to the conditions set out by the parties. Finland will take a position on the withdrawal agreement and on the outline of the political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship in the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs meeting on 23 November.

Inquiries: Heli Siivola, Senior Specialist for EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 476, Prime Minister’s Office