Finland looks set to receive a windfall of some one billion euros in additional funding from the EU in the next budget, covering the years 2028–2034.
Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand (SPP) told a press conference on Friday that the extra allocation is intended to help Finland strengthen its eastern border with Russia.
"According to the allocation figures published last [Thursday] night, the Commission is proposing 1.6 billion euros in funding for Finland based on border and migration criteria. This is over a billion euros more than in the current budgeting period, which is a very wonderful thing for Finland," Strand said, adding that the commission's proposal shows that Finland's concerns have been heard.
"We have worked for a long time both at the civil service and political level and we have used our networks extensively. Many of us have also physically taken these commissioners to the eastern border," he said, referring to the visit by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to the border region in April 2024.
European ministers began meeting in Brussels earlier this week to discuss the long-term EU budget, also called the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is estimated to cost some two trillion euros.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said this week that Finland cannot accept the proposed amount, a significant increase on the 1.2 trillion euros in the current 2021–2027 financial framework.
Strand noted that although the additional allocation was a pleasant surprise for Finland, there is still plenty of room for improvement in the overall proposal.
"The total amount [two trillion euros] is still too high, but the substantive goals are in line with our own goals," Strand said at his press conference on Friday.