Helsinki, 27/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - The interministerial committee for European Affairs of the Finnish government discussed, last week, the Finish priorities during the imminent Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, by underlining in particular that, for Finland, enlargement remains a political priority at the heart of all other priorities. It also notes that, little by little, the countries will have, at the national level, to begin the preparatory works and define the main policies in view of the financing of the enlarged Union, its structural and agricultural policy.
Furthermore, Finland isolates among the main dossiers of the Belgian Presidencies six months: - the finalising of the seat for the European Food Authority, which should be operational at the beginning of 2002 (the interministerial committee underlines that the priority must be given to the Member States that, as yet, do not host Community bodies, namely Finland and Sweden); - the assessment that the Laeken Summit will undertake on the implementation of the decisions from the Tampere Summit, in October 1999 (Finland expressed its displeasure over the pace of this implementation); - market liberalisation; - the fiscal package; - the Community patent; - the sixth framework research programme; - the possibilities offered by biotechnology (a theme dear to Finland); - the legislative package on electronic communications.