Barroso arrived in Finland on Thursday evening and met with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) later over a working dinner. Their talks covered among other things EU funding for the next budgetary period from 2007-2013. It is thought likely that the awkward discussions among member states on this subject may coincide with Finland's position as rotating President of the EU in the second half of 2006.
During his visit, Barroso is also scheduled to meet the President of the Republic Tarja Halonen.
The guest speakers at today's seminar, which has been organised by Prime Minister Vanhanen, will include former prime ministers Paavo Lipponen (SDP) and Esko Aho (Centre).
The present visit to Finland is Barroso’s first since he was appointed to the presidency of the European Commission in November last year. In September Barroso visited Finland and Prime Minister Vanhanen in the capacity of a prospective president.
In his opening speech at the seminar Prime Minister Vanhanen noted that in economic terms Europe has fallen behind its most important competitors. Vanhanen said he shared Barroso’s view that the EU must now pay special attention to competitiveness, growth, and employment.
