Summary:
Chair of the Finnish Parliament’s Defence Committee, MP Ilkka Kanerva (Coalition) proposes that Finland establish a security council, writes Verkkouutiset. The Council would deal with EU foreign affairs and Finnish internal security issues. The council would solve the problem of the President being officially outside decision-making regarding EU foreign, security, and defence affairs while being responsible for the management of these issues together with the government. As an example, Mr Kanerva mentions situations where the EU is defining its relationship with Russia. Moreover, the President as the Commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces should be more included in EU defence policy.

Summary:
STT reports on the carbon sink decision made by EU environment ministers. The Finnish Forest Industries thinks the decision is not very good or balanced and places the member states in unequal positions. The organisation assesses that the previous decision by the European Parliament made much more sense. According to the Parliament’s decision, the use of wood can be increased if wood assets keep growing. The negotiations will continue between the European Commission, the member states, and the Parliament. The negotiations are expected to be difficult.

Media:  Turun Sanomat
Date: 14.10.2017
Journalist: STT
Main source: Finnish Forest Industries

Summary:
Ilta-Sanomat writes that the Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg underlined the importance of Finland in developing Nato’s relations with Russia. Mr Stoltenberg attended the opening ceremony of European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki with EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Federica Mogherini and Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö. Both Ms Mogherini and Mr Stoltenberg considered the Centre as an example of the cooperation between EU and Nato. President Niinistö said that the presence of Ms Mogherini and Mr Stoltenberg showed that EU and Nato are committed to countering common threats.

Media:  Ilta-Sanomat
Date: 3.10.2017
Journalist: Hanna Vesala
Main source: –

Summary:
According to the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), the sustainability criteria of solid biomass is a significant threat to Finland’s forestry industry and agriculture. As a part of its renewable energy directive RED II, the Committee for Environment of the European Parliament would classify various peat energy sources as non-renewable. MTK considers that the criteria should also allow the production of bioenergy with raw materials produced in sustainably nurtured peat forests and fields. The EU Parliament’s Environment Committee is expected to vote on the sustainability criteria in the end of this month.

Summary:
Helsingin Sanomat reports that as Prime Ministers Juha Sipilä and Dmitri Medvedev met in St Petersburg on Thursday, a question on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline provoked Mr Medvedev to praise Finland and to denounce the European Commission and the United States. Mr Medvedev thanked Finland for a practical and constructive position on the project, but predicted that the Commission’s stance will not be as practical. According to him, the EU is politicising the project, and the US is pressuring the EU as the current administration and the Congress are trying to create conditions for US gas production in Europe.

Summary:
Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (Centre) has said on the YLE’s Haloo Europe podcast that Finland has allied with France to build a common European defense, and that he had agreed on this with the French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr Macron has started his European tour in Athens, during which he intends to present his vision for reforming Europe. According to Mr Sipilä, the development of a joint European defence is expected to advance in leaps and bounds after the German election at the end of September.

Media:  Verkkouutiset / Nykypäivä
Date: 11.9.2017
Journalist: Sami Metelinen
Main source: Prime Minister Juha Sipilä

Summary:
The European Parliament has voted to support the proposed change to the LULUCF decision regarding the Finnish forests. The vote will probably allow Finland to significantly increase logging in the coming years. The legislation will be later formulated in the negotiations between the European Parliament, the European Commission and the member states. Environmental organisations have criticised Finland for its effort to gain exceptional rights, which could endanger the efforts against climate change. MEP Nils Torvalds (ALDE) said that the change proposal will not undermine the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

Media:  Helsingin Sanomat
Date: 13.9.2017
Journalist: Pekka Mykkänen
Main source: –

Summary:
The European Commission is now proposing a new way to calculate the forests’ carbon sink, based on total growth. A certain share of the growth would be the amount of allowed felling. The new proposal is 85 per cent. If the proposals by the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament or the European Commission on carbon sinks were accepted, Sweden would benefit from increased felling compared to Finland.

Media:  Maaseudun Tulevaisuus
Date: 4.9.2017
Journalist: Kari Salonen
Main source: n/a