Coordination of EU matters
Finland’s system for coordinating EU affairs aims to ensure that Finland can present a coordinated position in line with Finland’s general EU policy on any issue under consideration in the European Union at any stage of consideration. The Government Secretariat for EU Affairs is responsible for ensuring the coordination of EU affairs and the smooth functioning of the coordination system.
The system for coordinating EU affairs consists of
- competent ministries,
- sub-committees on EU affairs,
- Committee for EU Affairs and
- Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs.
Sub-committees on EU affairs
The Committee for EU Affairs has appointed 36 sector-specific sub-committees, which provide the foundation for the preparation of EU affairs by public officials. The chairperson and secretary of each EU affairs sub-committee usually represent the competent ministry.
The sub-committees can convene in a restricted or extended composition. The restricted composition includes public officials from the competent ministries, and representatives of other ministries and government agencies. The extended composition also includes representatives of various interest groups and stakeholders. In addition, each sub-committee has representatives from the Government EU Affairs Department at the Prime Minister’s Office and the Government of Åland. The sub-committees meet as necessary.
The Ministry of the Interior is responsible for two sub-committees: the immigration, asylum and integration sub-committee (EU6) and the justice and home affairs sub-committee (EU7).
In the restricted composition, the immigration, asylum and integration sub-committee (EU6) has representatives from Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Åland and Finnish Immigration Service. The extended composition also includes Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), Finland Chamber of Commerce, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, Federation of Finnish Enterprises, Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff (Akava), Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK, Finnish Refugee Advice Centre, Amnesty International Finland, and Finnish Red Cross.
The justice and home affairs sub-committee (EU7) only has a restricted composition. The sub-committee is chaired by a representative of the Ministry of the Interior and the vice-chair is from the Ministry of Justice. Both ministries have their own sub-committee secretaries. The sub-committee has representatives from Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Defence, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Åland, Customs, National Police Board of Finland, Finnish Border Guard, Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, and Office of the Prosecutor General.
Contact information
The immigration, asylum and integration sub-committee (EU6):
Chaired by Minna Hulkkonen, Director General of the Migration Department at the Ministry of the Interior
Secretary: Minnamari Piipponen, Planning Officer
The justice and home affairs sub-committee (EU7)
Chaired by Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General of the International Affairs Unit at the Ministry of the Interior
Secretary: Virpi Karjalainen, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of the Interior/Sonja Sjöman, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Justice
Email: [email protected]