Bank of Finland at the Europe Forum in Turku: From peace project to security union and a common economic policy as an EU security guarantee

This autumn marks the thirtieth anniversary of Finland’s advisory referendum on joining the European Union, which was held after a lively campaign. The Finnish people signalled that the country’s Parliament should approve the EU Accession Treaty. With the referendum over, distinguished EU researcher Esko Antola urged politicians to lay aside their differences and to take with them to Brussels the shared national objectives of Finland. Antola noted that joining the EU was, after all, motivated not only by the drive for economic prosperity but also by a desire for peace and cooperation.

The thirtieth anniversary is now being marked in circumstances where the EU is seeking a new role as a security provider. This transformation will be examined by Juhana Aunesluoma, Professor of Political History at the University of Helsinki, in this year’s Esko Antola Lecture ‘From peace project to security union – EU transformation and Finland 1994–2024’. Following the lecture there will be commentary from Laura Kolbe, Professor of European History at the University of Helsinki. A panel discussion will then be held, when Kolbe and Aunesluoma will be joined by Governor of the Bank of Finland Olli Rehn. The panel discussion will be moderated by Elisa Newby, Head of General Secretariat at the Bank of Finland.

The second of the Bank of Finland’s events at the Europe Forum in Turku will discuss the idea of a common economic policy as an EU security guarantee. The discussion panellists will be Juha Jokela, Programme Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Taneli Lahti, Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, and Niclas Poitiers, Research Fellow at Bruegel. The discussion will be moderated by Juha Kilponen, who heads the Monetary Policy and Research Department at the Bank of Finland.

The security situation in Europe has been fundamentally shaken by Russia embarking on its war against Ukraine and by its continued aggression on the territory of an independent state. Sharing a long border with Russia, Finland ought to have a clear desire to strengthen common security policy within the EU, but this also calls for greater coherence in EU economic policy.

The Europe Forum event in Turku is an annual event that examines Finland’s role in Europe and in the European Union. The theme of this year’s Europe Forum is ‘Europe’s secure future’. This year’s Esko Antola Lecture is the fifth such lecture organised by the Bank of Finland for the Europe Forum programme. The lecture is named after Esko Antola, a pioneer of research in European studies in Finland.

The Europe Forum programme is available here: https://europeforum.fi/en/programme. The Europe Forum events are open to everyone, but attendance in person requires advance registration online.

The Bank of Finland’s events at the Europe Forum:

• Esko Antola Lecture ‘From peace project to security union – EU transformation and Finland 1994–2024’, The Little Stage, Turku City Theatre, Thursday 29 August at 11:00. Join the livestream here.
• ‘A common economic policy as an EU security guarantee?’ – Panel discussion, The Little Stage, Turku City Theatre, Thursday 29 August at 16:00. The discussion will be in English. Join the livestream here.