JEF Finland has set out its government programme objectives for the incoming government term. The most important themes are combating climate change, the European Union’s global role, and strengthening democracy. JEF Finland demands that European cooperation be placed at the heart of the government programme.
“Finland must clearly take a more active role in the EU during the coming government term. Finland cannot afford to sit on the sidelines when the future of us young people is at stake”, emphasises JEF Finland President Iiris Asunmaa.
JEF Finland’s Government Programme Objectives for the 2019-2023 Parliamentary Term
Combating Climate Change
Combating climate change must be the top priority of the Finnish government’s EU policy. Climate change is the greatest problem of our time, and the European Union has strong prerequisites to be part of the solution.
JEF Finland calls on the incoming government to:
- Act in favour of a significant and rapid expansion of the scope of EU emissions trading.
- End environmentally harmful corporate subsidies and work actively for their removal in the Union’s institutions as well.
- Promote significant EU-level investment in projects that benefit the fight against climate change, such as increasing clean energy production, reducing transport emissions, and promoting the circular economy.
- Demand that the climate perspective be comprehensively taken into account in the Union’s common agricultural policy, including by ending public subsidies for animal production and other environmentally harmful forms of food production.
Global Role
Strengthening the European Union’s global capacity to act would be unambiguously in Finland’s interest. The Union is Finland’s most important and influential reference group in international politics.
JEF Finland calls on the incoming government to:
- Develop the EU’s common foreign policy to be more effective by working to increase the use of qualified majority voting.
- Continue to safeguard the functioning of the common trade policy, since the EU must be able to credibly defend and develop the rules-based system of global trade, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
- Ensure that the EU acts as a global frontrunner in complying with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Democracy
The European Union cannot compromise on its core values, and Finland must defend them resolutely. Democracy, the rule of law, and human rights have always been among the EU’s core values, but they have been challenged by some member states as well as external actors.
JEF Finland calls on the incoming government to:
- Promote tying EU cohesion funding to compliance with the rule of law.
- Support the Union’s capacity to develop its joint cybersecurity to protect against information influence operations.
- Promote transparency in the funding of European political parties, and support the Union’s efforts to prevent attempts at influence by foreign powers.
For more information:
Iiris Asunmaa
President
[email protected]
050 918 7390