Finland as an actor in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy

The key objectives of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) include safeguarding the EU’s common values, preserving peace, consolidating democracy and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, as well as strengthening the EU’s internal and external security. Finland actively participates in preparing CFSP policies and decisions and promotes their effective implementation.

EU's foreign ministers in a group photo in Helsinki.
EU's foreign ministers met in an informal meeting, Gymnich, in Helsinki in August 2019. Photo: Lauri Heikkinen/Prime Minister's Office, Finland.

Responding to changing foreign and security policy challenges requires consistent, uniform and efficient action from the EU. In its broader sense, the CFSP includes all aspects of foreign policy and all questions related to external security.

The CFSP was first created by the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. It has since been strengthened by subsequent treaties.

The Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force in 2009, strengthened the institutional status of the CFSP, making its key objective to increase the effectiveness and global weight of the EU’s foreign policy.  The Treaty of Lisbon gave the EU a ‘Foreign Minister’ and a diplomatic service when it created the office of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy andthe European External Action Service (EEAS), which supports the High Representative.

Instruments of the CFSP 

The instruments to implement the CFSP include political and economic instruments and military and civilian crisis management. 

The EU employs a variety of diplomatic instruments, such as political dialogue, Council conclusions, European Council statements and formal diplomatic representations of official views, known as démarches.Crisis management missions and operations and restrictive measures against third countries, namelysanctions, are among the more tangible measures available to the CFSP.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) assists the High Representative in preparing the EU’s external action and in ensuring its coherence and coordination.

The Council of the European Union may appointspecial representatives with a specific mandate to assist the High Representative. A number of EU Special Representatives, EUSRs, have been mandated to represent the EU in crisis and conflict areas outside the EU. They enable the EU to have an active and comprehensive role in conflict resolution. The EU currently has ten EUSRs, nine of them appointed for specific regions and one for a specific theme.

Finland and the CFSP

TheGovernment Programme defines Finland’s goals for the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Intensifying competition between great powers means the EU must adopt a stronger global approach to safeguard the interests of its Member States.The Government report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy defines the European Union as Finland’s most important community of values and security and channel of foreign policy influence.

Russia’s war of aggression has strengthened the EU as a player in foreign, security and defence policy. The EU and NATO have mutually reinforcing and complementary roles in supporting European security.

The EU plays a major role in providing the framework for European security and defence cooperation and as a provider of comprehensive security. Finland actively supports the strengthening of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and a broad-based and concrete development of European security and defence cooperation as part of the EU’s common foreign and security policy.

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