Summary:
The EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström met Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on June 30th, discussing a free trade agreement. Ms Malmström said that a broad agreement could be ready for signing on Thursday, July 6th. Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen believes there is a real chance that a political consensus about the agreement will be reached by then. He says the sensitive issues in the overall agreement relate to the access of European food products on the Japanese market and to the concessions the EU will make to customs duties for cars imported from Japan. Mr Mykkänen estimates that the European market opening up to Japanese competitors would not create any significant challenges for Finland and notes that the trade agreement could increase Finland’s exports of lumber, health technology and food products to Japan.
Catégorie : Presse Finlandaise
Finland joins JEF troops today – Timo Soini, what is it about?
Summary:
Finland joined the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) today. Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini says there is no need to dramatise the matter but that the goal is to simply strengthen security. Mr Soini does not wish to speculate in what kinds of situations the troops could in the future be used but states that it is important that Finland is involved in extensive cooperation that it can benefit from in the form of training and new information.
Media: 
Demokraatti.fi
Date: 30.6.2017
Journalist: Johannes Ijäs
Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini
Minister Kai Mykkänen is not afraid that Finns’ jobs will disappear to China – « as an open economy we will do what we are best at »
Summary:
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen believes that the rise in the standard of living in Finland would not have been possible without foreign investments. Mr Mykkänen believes that promoting free trade can bring Finland plenty of new business opportunities. The minister is not concerned that the increase of Chinese investments in Finland would result in Finnish jobs disappearing abroad but believes that behind the investment boom is China’s need to control overheating in its own economy. Mr Mykkänen points out that international trade requires commitment to the same basic rights but admits that China is a challenging country when it comes to e.g. getting it to comply to the international basic rights of workers.
Working group proposes doubling EU innovation spending – Finnish industry dreams of additional funds worth hundreds of millions
Summary:
A high-level working group proposes that the EU double its spending on research and innovation. Finnish industries think that in the future, Finns may have better chances to get money from the EU since Finnish views have been been taken into consideration in the group’s report. Jorma Turunen of the Technology Industries of Finland says the EU’s significance as a supporter of Finnish businesses and universities has increased as Finnish investments in research and innovation have dropped. It is unclear whether the EU will be able to help as the Union’s budget faces pressure from Brexit.
Sauli Niinistö: « So much has changed in geopolitics »
Summary:
President Sauli Niinistö believes the European Union must strengthen itself so that it is not a pawn but has a clear and independent role. Mr Niinistö emphasises that geopolitical uncertainty has increased particularly between the United States and Russia, and the relation between the two countries seems to be disintegrating at a surprising speed. According to the president, Finland has been a driving force in EU defence cooperation.
Media: Talouselämä
Date: 1.7.2017
Journalist: Katja Incoronato
Main source: President Sauli Niinistö
Business idea based on moss receives million support from EU
Summary:
Finnish company Novarbo Oy has received 2.44 million euros from the EU Horizon 2020 programme to develop the production of a new kind of substrate for greenhouse cultivation. A part of the Biolan Group, Novarbo makes biodegradable and sustainable substrate boards out of peat moss and calls the product Mosswool. The EU funded project starts in September and goes on for two years.
Media: Maaseudun Tulevaisuus
Date: 28.6.2017
Journalist: Henrik Hohteri
Main source: n/a
Sipilä: Finland has « strong allies » in defence cooperation – Germany and France agree on EU projects
Summary:
According to Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, the tightening of EU defence cooperation is happening swiftly. He says that the goals of France and Germany are similar to Finland’s goals. There have been dreams about EU defence cooperation for decades, but the US President Trump has made EU countries start taking action. Finland was speaking for EU defence last summer, when Sipilä and former French President Francois Holland published a joint communique advocating the deepening of EU defence cooperation and Nato relations. EU leaders hope to agree upon structural cooperation at the end of the year.
Support for development cooperation on the rise in Finland: more and more would raise aid level
Summary:
85% of Finns believe development cooperation is fairly or very important, a survey commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs shows. The share of Finns who believe development cooperation is very important has increased as has the share of those who would like to raise development cooperation funds. When it comes to targets of development aid, education gains the most support from Finns, followed closely by helping women and girls.
Media: YLE Uutiset
Date: 29.6.2017
Journalist: Lauri Miikkulainen
Main source: -0101