The majority of Finns consider the European Union membership a good thing and think that Finland has benefited from it. Cooperation between the EU countries, the union’s positive impact on economic growth, and the new jobs created by the EU make Finns keep the door open to Europe. On the other hand, some Finns are skeptical about the future of the EU.
Europe and the European Union are undergoing changes. These changes have increased the pressure to develop European cooperation in many areas. This raises a question: what will the EU look like in the future?
In the near future, a broad and pluralistic, future-focused civil dialogue on Finland’s position in Europe and the European Union is needed. For this dialogue to be possible, we need an open and fresh mind, a constructively critical attitude, and a willingness to offer new prospects for the development of Europe and Finland. This requires accurate information about situations and possible solutions. The need for dialogue is not only temporary, but permanent. As far as Finland is concerned, the European Union plays a significant role in solving, for example, economic, legislative, immigration and environmental issues. Finland’s accession to NATO also increases the need for a broader foreign policy debate—what is Finland’s place in the world?
Finland has lacked a platform for a joint EU debate between citizens, policymakers and various societal actors. Europe Forum responds to the need: it is a place to discuss the future of Finland and Europe.
