Finland as a member of the European Union
Finland would like the EU to develop as an association of independent states rather than along federalist lines. Finland emphasises that the interests of member states should be given equal consideration. As a member of the EU, Finland continues to make a distinction between the deepening of economic integration and the deepening of political integration. The Finnish government has expressed its desire to participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union (EMU) from the beginning of 1999, as outlined in the Maastricht Treaty, and to endeavour to meet the convergence criteria in the appropriate way. Environmental issues form an area in which Finland sees good grounds for a deepening of integration and for wider use of qualified majorities in decision making.

In respect to a common foreign and security policy (CFSP), Finland wishes to support intergovernmentalism and the independent decision-making authority of member states, especially in defence and other vital issues. Political will and the mutual solidarity of the member states are, in Finland's opinion, more important than organisational structures in making a CFSP more effective, which is what Finland desires.

Finland supports the long-term aim of a common defence policy, set out in the Maastricht Treaty and clarified in Amsterdam in 1997, which may lead to a common defence if the EU member states decide unanimously in favour of it. However, Finland does not envisage any development that would give the EU cause to concretise the aim of common defence or that would compel Finland to alter its security policy choices, which are based on military non-alignment plus independent and credible defence. For that reason Finland did not support the assimilation of the Western European Union (WEU) into the European Union. Finns are fully aware that the common political obligations arising from membership of the EU promote their own country's security.

In Finland's opinion, NATO and the American military commitment to Europe continue to play a constructive role in the security and stability of the area. In the same way, Finnish and Swedish neutrality contribute towards promoting stability in northern Europe. Finland is, nonetheless, strengthening its links within NATO's Partnership for Peace programme (PfP) and within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council established in 1997, factors related to the opening of a permanent Finnish mission to NATO in Brussels. Particularly in military crisis management, NATO, in its present state of renewal, is the organisation that holds centre stage.

Finland is satisfied with the understanding reached at the EU intergovernmental conference of 1996-1997 that military crisis management be included among the attributes of the Union's common foreign and security policy (CFSP). In line with a joint Finnish and Swedish proposal to the intergovernmental conference, the WEU has responsibility for the operational implementation of measures decided by the EU, in a way that ensures the full and equal participation in such measures of EU countries which are not members of the WEU.

Finland supports the enlargement of the EU to include the Baltic states and the countries of central and eastern Europe. The goal of membership can be seen to promote democracy, consolidate the rule of law, and strengthen the free-market economies, as these countries will be required to put their relations with neighbouring states in order and solve their national minority questions.

Thus an enlarged EU would bring greater stability to Europe so long as it ensures that it actively develops partnership and cooperative relations with the states remaining outside, such as Russia, thereby strengthening the basis of their reform movements. The avoidance of new lines of division and the need to preserve stability are Finland's primary considerations in viewing the question of NATO enlargement.

The traditional areas of Finnish foreign policy, Nordic cooperation, relations with the countries of the former Soviet Union and activities within the OSCE and the United Nations, have all acquired a new dimension following membership of the EU. The same concerns development cooperation. Through a CFSP, Finland has gained adequate participation in dealing with international issues within the EU, but bilateral relations, as for instance with the United States or neighbouring countries, continue to be a matter of national importance to Finland.

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