The EU that we want

Finland is a successful and prosperous country but we, too, need others. A sustainable future where global challenges can be resolved can only be built through broad cooperation.

The European union is the nearest and most important operating environment for Finland. It is Finland’s most important economic and political framework. The EU strengthens wellbeing, increases interaction between people, countries and companies, and promotes universal values: democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The European union is also a significant security policy actor.

However, the union needs constant development. The union must function better, be better prepared, and improve the wellbeing of Europeans in order for us to be able to handle future challenges together. In the coming years, the work to improve union decision-making and increase democracy must continue. Qualified majority decision-making must be increased and the rule of law followed in all decision-making. Finland must take initiative and be progressive in developing the union.

The EU and current international cooperation are built on the principle that rules and conventions are complied with. We must adhere to this. The European union has tight, cross-administrative links with all policy sectors. EU decision-making is part of our everyday decision-making.

After the pandemic and the war started by Russia, we must concentrate on strengthening the European union and its capacities. With future crises, we must be significantly better prepared. The union must be prepared for different crises, and thus it is important to strengthen the general resilience of the union, its character and capacity as a security community and a builder of international peace.

A global, multilateral rule-based system is in the interests of Finland. Cross-border challenges can only be responded to with international cooperation. The role and influence of the EU must be strengthened.

SDP proposes an integrated approach to strengthen the security of the EU, its member states and citizens. In the coming years, particular attention must be paid to responding to Europe’s significantly changed security situation and the EU’s security and defence cooperation must be developed further. Also, investments in the resilience of the EU are required: for example the competitiveness and reliability of EU industry, prevention of hybrid threats, strengthening security of supply, and preparation for future health crises.

The union’s approach to migration and Schengen development must be comprehensive and respect international agreements.

The European union has global influence also on regulation, as regulation in the union has an indirect impact everywhere in the world. The union should utilise this strength.

The EU is carbon neutral well before 2050

The EU has set a target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. As the set period to reach this target is relatively long, it is justified that efforts made to reach it are monitored and the timeline is shortened, when possible. It is important that the joint EU budget supports a just transition in all member states.

Firm targets and timelines must be set for different sectors for reaching the carbon neutrality target. Existing funds, such as funds for supporting agriculture, must be allocated clearly to decreasing emissions and adapting to the change.

The EU’s economic and fiscal policy rules must be reformed

In the coming years, the economic and fiscal policy rules of the European union will come for consideration. The key task of the rules is to create a fair, even market environment and reduce risks. This has not been successful, particularly for indebtedness, and SDP considers it necessary that the fiscal rules of the EU are reformed.

In the future, a key objective in the economic policy development of the union must be generating sustainable economic growth, improving the wellbeing of the citizens of the union, and preventing cross-border problems. The purpose of the rules is to ensure the sustainability of fiscal policy in the member states. Every member state is responsible for their own economic policy, its sustainability and making necessary structural reforms and future investments. Every country is, in principle, responsible for its debts and incentives for over-indebtedness should not be created.

A competitive Europe

In drafting and shaping international technology policy, Finland must continue to defend pragmatic competition policy in the European union. The EU should be an extended domestic market for Finland and, for example, to the extent that a digital internal market is not materialised, Finland must be determined in removing obstacles and fighting against protectionism.

The objective in European industrial policy must be that the entire continent is home to ethical data economy, new technological breakthroughs, and innovation.

SDP supports the development of the open strategic autonomy of the EU particularly in technology. Harmful, vulnerability-increasing dependency on production in third countries must be reduced.

We will safeguard social rights and workers’ rights in the changing environment

SDP provides its comprehensive support to the development of the social dimension of the EU. The starting point is to strengthen workers’ rights but also the implementation of social rights more broadly, at the EU level. The implementation of the Pillar of Social Rights must be developed further.

The most insecure forms of employment, such as involuntary zero-hour contracts, must be banned in the entire union. Improving the financial and social labour market status of self-employed persons and solo entrepreneurs calls for common, EU-wide rules. The realisation of social rights must be guaranteed also in the digitalising world, particularly in platform economy. SDP promotes gender equality in the labour market, for example increasing wage transparency on the European level.

SDP wants to strengthen the capability of the EU to respond to health policy crises and its ability to coordinate solutions to health challenges. In addition to preparedness for future pandemics, for example the prevention of cancer and development of health technologies on the EU level should be improved.