Prime Minister Vanhanen: Finland wants to promote EU efficiency during Presidency

Matti Vanhanen

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) says that Finland could well make the European Union function more efficiently during its turn at the EU Presidency in the second half of this year, even without ratification of the proposed constitution.
      Vanhanen said in Brussels on Thursday that more efficiency could be breathed into EU foreign policy, as well as in internal and legal matters.
      The proposed EU constitution, aimed at making the EU more efficient, will not take effect during the Finnish EU Presidency, because French and Dutch voters turned it down in referendums held last year. Before it takes effect, the constitution will have to be ratified by all 25 member states.
      The proposed constitution would have called for the establishment of a post of foreign minister for the EU. Vanhanen feels that the creation of such a post is not possible without the constitution.
      Vanhanen said that the EU should not create the impression that it is cherry-picking pieces of the treaty.
     
During his visit to Brussels Vanhanen met with Commission President José Manuel Barroso as well as European Parliament Speaker Josep Borrell.
      Both Barroso and Borrel supported Finland’s plans to ratify the proposed EU constitution soon.
      Vanhanen opposes the idea that the document could be trimmed back in order to make it more easily acceptable by Europeans. He said that cutting up the draft constitution is not sensible, because reaching agreement on the matter was a difficult process.
      "It is hard to imagine what the new compromises would be like. Then, matters left outside should be agreed on at a lower level. I do not understand how that would work", Vanhanen said.
      Vanhanen also opposes any further postponements. However, he concedes that it is not possible to decide on the ultimate fate of the constitution before elections in France and The Netherlands next year.
      "A pure waiting period will not help much now we need to prepare the soil."
      Borrell said that Finland’s intention to ratify the constitution is an "important step". He also does not believe that the dispute can be permanently resolved before the French elections.
      "Nobody is expecting France to hold a new referendum on the constitution. However, this has nothing to do with the Finnish EU Presidency", Borrell said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki region to host 70 meetings during Finland’s EU Presidency (16.3.2006)

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