Finland

Capital: Helsinki
Population: 5.3 mill.
GDP per capita: 31 700 Euros (2006)
Schengen zone: yes
Eurozone: yes
EU-accession: 1995
Cities with European institutions or agencies: European Chemicals Agency (Helsinki)

EU-relations: Finland joined the EU primarily for economic reasons and is now considered an exemplary member in many respects. As a result of an economic upturn this high-tech country is among the wealthiest EU member states. Finland also serves as a model for other EU countries in terms of education, as the PISA-study has shown. Furthermore, Finland has an exemplary record regarding freedom of press (ranking highest according to 'Reporters without borders' in 2006). During the two previous Finnish Council presidencies progress was made primarily with Justice and Home Affairs. However, special attention has also been paid to a common European Foreign and Security Policy. Apart from Cyprus, Finland is the country which incorporates EU-directives most rapidly into national legislation: on average this process takes only 4 months - Germany brings up the rear with 15 months. However, even in this otherwise exemplary EU country, popular sentiment is becoming more sceptical towards 'those up in Brussels' - according to a Eurobarometer survey, Finland has the third-highest number of EU-sceptics (24% in the spring of 2007), after Great Britain and Austria.

On the web

Nordic Council et Nordic Council of Ministers

Le Nordic Council et le Nordic Council of Ministers constituent le cadre de la coopération entre les parlements et les gouvernements des pays nordiques (Danemark, Finlande, Islande, Norvège et Suède). Cette coopération a pour objectif de promouvoir le développement politique, économique, environnemental et social des pays nordiques et de l’Europe du Nord. Le Nordic Council, crée en 1952, se concentre sur la coopération interparlementaire ; le Nordic Council of Ministers, fondé en 1971, est le cadre de la coopération intergouvernementale. Cette coopération a permis notamment la mise en place d’un marché du travail commun et la libre circulation des citoyens au sein de l’espace créé par les Etats membres. (En Anglais)

Nordic Council et Nordic Council of Ministers
Conseil des Etats de la Mer Baltique (CEMB)

Le Conseil des Etats de la Mer Baltique (CEMB ou CBSS) est un forum politique pour la coopération intergouvernementale régionale. Les membres du Conseil sont les 11 Etats de la Mer Baltique (dont la Russie) ainsi que la Commission européenne. Il a été établi en 1992 pour répondre aux changements géopolitiques dans la région à la fin de la guerre froide. Depuis sa création, il a servi de moteur à la coopération multilatérale dans de nombreux domaines tels que l’économie, le développent de la société civile, les droits de l’homme, la sécurité nucléaire, etc. (En anglais)

Conseil des Etats de la Mer Baltique (CEMB)
Info finlande (FR)

Info finlande (FR)
Parliament of Finland

Parliament of Finland

The Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of the University of Roma Tor Vergata, in partnership with Eurosduvillage group, is organizing the eighth edition of the Jean Monnet Summer Seminar a high level seminar on the functioning of the European Union addressed to graduate and Phd students as well as young civil servants. The seminar include two teaching modules lasting one week. The first module (4-8 July) will analyze the decision making process of the European Union while the second one (11-15 July) the foreign policy of the European Union. For more information and registration go to: http://www.eusummerseminar.uniroma2.it/