Six months in Finland, chairs the meetings of the European Union. During the working visit of the EU Commission in Helsinki, focused mainly on climate change. “Sustainability” is the Motto of the Finns.
Commission President Juncker and Prime channel: “Europe needs leadership and stability,”
Mineral water in plastic bottles during the Finnish presidency of the Council until the end of December in the “Finlandia Hall” off-limits. The water comes in the Convention centre in Helsinki from the faucet. Food is not Packed in plastic. The “Finlandia Hall” can be reached from the Hotels in the Finnish capital, the railway station and the bus station on foot, by Bicycle or tram. Driveways with the car are frowned upon. The organizers of the six-month term as presidency of the EU, have made it a priority to leave the smallest possible ecological footprint.
With the money that would normally be spent on gifts, pens, or free conference materials, want to pay the Finns compensations for carbon dioxide pollution. Because the participants of the EU-meetings in Finland are mainly with the aircraft in the far North is a Land, travel and, accordingly, ambient air pollution levels cause. From a Finnish point of view, unnecessary meetings were canceled because of that.
An enormously complex EU summit in Finland, to come all the 28 heads of state and government with a fleet of aircraft would be painted the new government team just. Also, there should be no “official tourism” after Helsinki, the Finnish EU Embassy in Brussels. Technical meetings of the EU officials could be just as likely to be in Brussels.
The Finns committed to climate protection
The slender, as a sustainable EU presidency has come up with the new red-green coalition government in Finland. A lot of time to prepare was not the new Prime Minister, Antti Rinne. Only four weeks ago, the social Democrat, was able to complete the coalition negotiations.
EU conference centre “Finlandia Hall”, Helsinki: Economical and sustainable
In the early parliamentary elections in April, the social Democrats were the most for the first Time in 16 years the strongest force, ahead of the right wing. The main objective of channel for the Finnish leadership in the EU progress in the fight against global warming. “The time for solutions is now,” said the Premier in a Blog at the Start of the presidency.
“It is very important that the EU speaks on this subject with one voice,” said the Finnish head of government, this Friday in Helsinki. The EU-Commission in Brussels came to the traditional first visit, of course, but then with the plane. It goes to the Finns, should agree on the European Union is soon to economies by 2050 “Emissions-neutral”, i.e., no climate-damaging carbon dioxide release.
24 EU member States have agreed to this goal already. The Finns want to change the last four – the Visegrad countries of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – still. The Eastern Europeans are calling for financial compensation for countries that are affected by the energy transition, particularly. It should be negotiated in the next few months.
Reasonable and quiet
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker praised the visit of his commissioners in Helsinki, the quiet and calm nature of the Finns. “Finland has always been in favour of the European path. Right now, Europe needs leadership and stability. And for that, you are,” said Juncker at the Finnish head of government channel turned.
The Prime Minister, channel: “it is Important that the EU speaks with one voice”
Finland wants to go ahead in the area of climate protection with a good example. In 2035, the new red-green government program provides for it, is to be launched between Helsinki and Lapland is no CO2 anymore. 2050 the country wants to have a “negative Ambient air quality”, i.e. more carbon dioxide sector to reduce it to the atmosphere gives off.
The Finns are alarmed, because this summer is the hottest in the history, and also last year it was a week of extraordinarily warm. The Finnish meteorologist Mika Rantanen of the University of Helsinki, tweeted a week ago on the Northern polar circle was measured to be about 30 degrees Celsius:. “There are no events in the Finnish climate history, showing that it was ever hot in the early summer than it is today.”
Money against the rule of law
The Finnish EU-chair tray has not only to protect the climate, but especially when the topic of “rule of law” is still a chicken with the Visegrad States, the plucking – especially with Poland and Hungary. Against these two States, the method of the EU for the Verification of the rule of law. The next long-term budget, from 2021 to 2027, the payment of grants shall be subject to the rule of law in the recipient country. How exactly the look you want, is controversial.
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Rent-a-Finn: how to be happy
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Rent-a-Finn: how to be happy
Poland and Hungary, which are among the largest recipient countries, fight back with hands and feet against the link. The EU Commission recommends in its draft budget in the seven years of the “medium-term fiscal framework” to 1.13 trillion euros to spend. This is the Finns, who are among the net contributors, to much.
Promises for the Balkans
Antti Rinne wants to make pressure, in the case of new Commitments to the Western Balkans. North of Macedonia and Albania should be called during the Finnish presidency a date for the opening of accession negotiations. Here, Germany was clearly on the brake, although the EU Commission the two countries, has to certify the “negotiation maturity”. “Finland has always been a friend of the extensions,” said Prime Minister channel in Helsinki. The neutral country is only enter the EU in 1995, as one of the great neighboring Soviet Union was crumbling and Europe was politically restructured.
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Finland creates homes for the homeless
A handicap has the ambitious presidency of the Council of the new Finnish government: In four months, a new EU Commission takes office – perhaps under the German Ursula von der Leyen. This means a lot of Elan with the Commission and incorporation of vagina time for the new President of the Commission. Whether on the European construction sites move much, is doubtful, said a Finnish EU diplomats. The dispute over the budget, it will probably solve only under the German EU presidency in the second half of 2020.
And then there was the Brexit
The exit of great Britain, has already been postponed twice and is now at the latest on 31. October to midnight provided. The Finnish presidency had to do all hands full to manage the Brexit, especially if it should come to a “hard” Brexit without exit agreement. “Actually, we were thinking Yes, the British are during our presidency already out there, but now you’re still sitting at the table,” said a Finnish EU Diplomat with a slight eye roll. The UK abstained from 2017 after the positive Brexit Referendum on his presidency.