Marin to inform EU Council that Finland opposes recovery package

Prime Minister Sanna Marin will represent Finland at the video meeting of the members of the European Council on Midsummer’s Eve on 19 June.

At the meeting, the EU leaders are expected to hold their first discussion about the Covid-19 recovery package proposed by the European Commission to support the revival of the Member States’ economies and the recovery of Europe following the Covid-19 crisis.

A €750 billion stimulus package was presented on 27 May by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to help the 27 member states deal with the economic crisis.

The main problem, for the most defenders of fiscal discipline, lies in the nature of these funds. The Commission's plan establishes that €500 billion would be distributed as grants among the countries most affected by Covid-19, a decision opposed by Finland and other countries such as Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

"Finland is open to further work, but cannot accept the Commission’s proposal for a recovery instrument as such," the Prime Minister's office stressed in a press release.

The UK and Russia

In addition, the leaders will hear a progress report on the negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and the UK and will briefly discuss the continuation of the sanctions introduced in response to Russia’s actions that have destabilised the situation in Ukraine.

As far as the Multiannual Financial Framework is concerned, Finland’s main questions are related to the moderate overall level, financing for rural development (Pillar II) and conditionality, in particular with regard to the rule of law and climate measures.