Ministers for EU affairs discuss de-escalation and economic recovery

On Tuesday 26 May, Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen attended an informal video conference of ministers for European affairs on the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Government information, the EU ministers discussed the coordination of de-escalation measures among the Member States and sharing of best practices as well as efforts to ensure a balance between the launch of economic activities and protection of people's health.

Additionally, ministers presented their preliminary views of EU actions concerning the economic recovery and shaping of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the years 2021-2027 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister Tuppurainen said that Finland is actively supporting the cooperation within the EU in order to contain the pandemic and to find the best possible tools for the economic relief package.

“The coronavirus crisis affects the whole of Europe, which is why we need to find solutions that correspond to the size of the continent. Finland takes a constructive and open-minded approach to searching common solutions. It is in our common interest that in the post-coronavirus world, the European Union's opening will be jointly coordinated and controlled and that we discuss solutions to help Europe return to a growth track together,” Minister Tuppurainen said.

The Commission told about progress in the preparation of the first annual Rule of Law Report. The report is expected to be ready in September. Ministers for European Affairs did not make any formal decisions during their discussions.