Petteri Orpo discussed commissioner portfolios with Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. The division of portfolios is still open, but Orpo believes in Henna Virkkunen’s possibilities.
18:03•Updated 18:26
BRUSSELS Prime minister Petteri Orpo (collective) does not accept the former President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi proposal for joint debt.
– We do not support more joint debt arrangements. Draghi even talked about a permanent, recurring arrangement, Orpo stated.
Yesterday, Monday, Mario Draghi presented his report on improving the EU’s competitiveness. According to him, the EU needs 800 billion euros a year for investments. He would partially finance the investments with the joint debt of the member states.
Draghi also suggested that the EU could regularly issue bonds that could be used to finance investments.
Orpo emphasizes that there are many other options before ending up in joint debt.
– I see it as very necessary that we have stronger financial instruments.
According to Orpo, investments must be financed from within the EU budget, using, for example, the Horizon and Invest EU funds.
– We are ready to finance them and to examine our contribution to some extent.
Increasing the EU’s own funds also works for Orpo. Own funds mean, for example, customs and taxes collected in the EU budget, such as the plastic fee, and income has not been of great importance so far.
Otherwise, according to Orpo, Draghi’s report contains many good suggestions for improving the internal market, among other things.
The report was from the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen ordered and it is assumed that the proposals will end up in the program of the next commission.
However, financial matters require a decision by the member states, von der Leyen has emphasized. In addition to Finland, at least Germany and the Netherlands oppose joint debt.
The EU took on joint debt for the corona-era recovery package, and even then the decision was difficult for Finland, among others.
Today, Tuesday, Orpo met the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Speaker of the EU Parliament in Brussels Roberta Metsola.
Finland still wants a competitiveness commissioner
With Von der Leyen, Orpo discussed the Commission’s program and the division of portfolios.
Orpo hopes for Finland’s commissioner candidate Henna Virkkunen (collective) receiving a portfolio related to competitiveness. He was left with a “positive feeling” from the meeting.
– I am especially confident that our candidate Henna Virkkunen is very strong and clearly has good confidence.
Anticipated portfolio allocation Politico Online gave Virkkusen the position of technology commissioner.
Orpo said that there are many things under competitiveness.
– If you think about where European competitiveness comes from, it comes from high competence, technology, digitalization and artificial intelligence. All solutions of the green transition will be based on digitization and high competence.
Portfolio allocation is firmly in von der Leyen’s grip. He also defines what kind of pieces are included in which task.
Until the last moments, von der Leyen has also tried to attract more women to the group, and in the case of a few small countries he has succeeded. The commission is still becoming male-dominated.
According to Orpo, a competent female candidate is in Finland’s interest.
– When it was clear from the beginning that our candidate for the commission is a woman, it has not been a problem. The discussion is much clearer than in the countries that have changed their bachelor’s degree.
According to Orpo, a strong portfolio has legislative and budgetary authority and a strong directorate to manage.
More precisely, Orpo did not want to tell about the portfolio, because the matter is at a sensitive stage. Von der Leyen was expected to report on the portfolios on Wednesday, but the matter was postponed to next week.
Henna Virkkunen is expected to receive a commissioner portfolio related to competitiveness – Orpo for last-minute negotiations in Brussels
Mario Draghi: The EU needs to spend hundreds of billions of euros more on investments every year – proposes joint debt