Today, 9 May, we celebrate Europe Day, and rightly so! We have been members of the European Union for 25 years. During these years, Finns have grown into part of this peace project, which has brought us many opportunities and opened new doors. In our view, the EU is also Finland’s backbone — a stable structure that makes the maintenance of all our other vital functions possible.
Climate change, the refugee crisis, the rise of populism, an international pandemic — these are just examples of global problems that require ever stronger European cooperation to manage. Finland has been regarded as the EU’s model student, where new technologies and innovations are born that help solve challenges affecting us all. Adopting and rolling out these best practices at the European level is extremely important. Without the Union, this would hardly happen.
Beyond warding off threats, the EU also plays a significant role as an enabler of the market economy and, for example, in establishing the digital single market. The Treaty of Lisbon defines sustainable development, based on economic growth and price stability, as one of the Union’s goals. In addition, the treaty specifies that a market economy and environmental protection aiming for full employment and social progress form the basis of sustainable development. Even though, for example, the EU’s tax policy is not without its problems, without the Union it would be considerably harder for us to create rules for a responsible market economy — not to mention monitor how well they are followed. The European Union enables the free movement of goods, people and companies for us. Without this opportunity, the prosperity built by the market economy would remain only half-realised.
The European Union provides us with security across national borders. The rule of law is one of the Union’s most important and essential values, defining that the exercise of public power is based on law, that the promotion and protection of human rights is guaranteed, and that courts are independent. If our national situation were, for whatever reason, to erode in terms of upholding these values, our backbone, the European Union, is there to safeguard each and every one of our shared and equal human dignity. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
In addition to these big themes, we want to highlight softer perspectives too: a European identity is something we share. Building a shared identity requires genuine international interaction as its foundation. Through free movement, the European Union gives us countless opportunities to see, experience and feel different cultures. If anything can broaden our worldview and deepen opportunities for cooperation across national borders, it’s this. Our generation was born into an EU Finland, and we are in a fortunate position, because thanks to this we have been able to take advantage of, for example, work, study, exchange and traineeship opportunities all across Europe.
In our view, it is precisely this safe sense of belonging that binds us, EU citizens, to our valued backbone. Finns are a resilient people with their own proud history. This, however, doesn’t rule out the fact that we are an integral part of Europe, a global society in which, especially in these uncertain times, compassion for one another, caring, and standing united against threats matter more than ever.
For these reasons, it is fair to say that the EU is our backbone. And for these reasons, we especially have good cause today to raise a glass and enjoy the feeling to the sound of the Ode to Joy! United in diversity!
Text: Neea Loimuvirta
The author studies administrative sciences at Tampere University and is JEF Tampere’s 2020 second Vice President and EU affairs officer. The author’s favourite thing about the EU is our shared identity, along with the fact that European cheeses are also widely available in Finland.