Finland stands firmly behind EU enlargement

The mood in Helsinki towards enlargement has not changed.

Your article entitled “German veto threat to Serbia’s EU candidacy” (1-7 December) has an anonymous reference saying that a negative outcome to Serbia’s candidate status would be greeted with relief by Finland because of its “anti-enlargement mood”. A misinformed source, I am afraid.

The opposite is true. Finland shares the European Commission’s assessment that Serbia has made significant progress and deserves candidate status as long as it continues on the path of normalising its relationship with Kosovo. We now have full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), long an obstacle to progress.

The goalposts for Serbia should not be moved. A tangible EU perspective – both for Serbia and Kosovo – is the best way for securing peace and prosperity.

EU enlargement is the best tool we have for stabilising the western Balkans, and it is working. The signing of Croatia’s accession treaty on 9 December is a further historic step and a positive signal for the whole area. We need a policy that provides a clear path to membership for all the countries in the region.

Finland is firmly committed to EU enlargement. The EU should remain open to new members, as long as fair and rigorous conditions are met. Many great milestones of enlargement have been reached during Finnish presidencies – both the decision in 1999 to open accession negotiations with the countries of central and eastern Europe, leading to the accession of ten new members in 2004, and the renewed consensus on enlargement during the Finnish presidency in 2006.

With increasing economic and social hardship, many European countries have growing populist movements and Finland is no exception with the True Finns. However, it is misleading to think that the mood has changed in Helsinki. We have a majority government that is firmly committed to EU enlargement. Our parliament is for enlargement. We want further progress with enlargement, because we believe that it contributes to European stability and prosperity. If the mood had really changed, I doubt that we would be as committed to Turkish EU membership as we are.

Turkey has its future in Europe, and Finland is keen on further progress with its accession negotiations. A view that we keep on stating, last with an article on 1 December co-authored with ten other foreign ministers. The perspective of EU membership is at the heart of a positive transformation process in Turkey. At the same time, we need to recognise Turkey’s significant economic potential and the constructive role it can play in foreign policy.

I believe that Turkey’s accession process is of vital strategic and economic importance for both the EU and Turkey.

The mood in Finland is for EU enlargement.

Erkki Tuomioja

Finland’s minister for foreign affairs

Helsinki

 

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