Minister Väyrynen to attend the meeting of EU Trade Ministers in Brussels
Press release 51/2010
19 February, 2010
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will attend the Informal Meeting of EU Trade Ministers to be held in Brussels on Sunday, 21 February.
The ministers will discuss future challenges and focal areas of EU trade policy during the new Commission’s term of office. Particular topics of debate are the EU’s external competitiveness and the effects of the Lisbon Treaty on trade policy. The state of the multilateral trade system, the EU’s bilateral trade relations as well as trade and development issues will also be discussed.
Finland emphasizes commitment of the EU to the multilateral trade system and quick conclusion of the WTO’s ongoing Doha negotiations. At the same time, however, EU trade and economic interests must be secured through bilateral arrangements as well. The importance of trade policy in promoting sustainable development must also be taken into account.
Additional information: Head of Unit Ilkka-Pekka Similä, mobile tel. +358 40 356 3783, and Markus Ojakoski, Senior Political Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, mobile tel. +358 500 459 009
