EU regulation is also increasingly affecting the Finnish construction industry. RT has intensified its EU advocacy and maintains an EU advocacy agenda on projects that are central to the industry. As a follow-up to its March meeting, RT's board met with EU decision-makers and partners in Brussels together with members of the management team.
The European Commission, which began its term last year, has several projects on its agenda that will soon be visible in the everyday lives of construction companies. From our perspective, the most important ones relate to transport policy, housing policy and financial regulation, the circular economy, and public procurement.
Other current issues of our active EU advocacy include standardization, the reconstruction of Ukraine, the Green Omnibus project aimed at streamlining sustainability reporting, and the CPR Acquis of the Construction Products Regulation. We also monitor many other projects and the national implementation of EU regulations in Finland.
Finland needs more agility in its search for funding
During their visit to Brussels, the RT government received an introduction to our common EU agenda and got to know EU-level decision-makers and influencers. The evening meeting was attended by Finnish MEPs Eero Heinäluoma, Katri Kulmuni, Merja Kyllönen, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Pekka Toveri ja Sebastian Tynkkynen.
Eero Heinäluoma highlighted Finland's modest and too-satisfied role in, for example, the distribution of funding. "Finns are not first in line when funding is sought. This is visible in transport projects, for example. Here, it is always worth adding a little air to your own wishes and taking advantage of everything that is available. I noticed this when I moved here and started to see how this apparatus works in practice."
Other MEPs were largely on the same page. For example, Finland's target level of EU support for securing the EU's eastern border was considered far too low. Merja Kyllönen stressed that Finland has not been able to explain in a sufficiently "convincing" way the significance of the border region for the wider economy and future.
Chairman of the Board Mikko Vasama was pleased with the evening's presentation. "The MEPs spoke very openly and also directly shared their critical views. However, one of their key messages was that there are many opportunities here that are worth taking advantage of."
RT's position in Brussels strong – "homework has been done"
There was also a lunch meeting with Eero Heinäluoma, a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), on Wednesday 19 March, where the objectives of RT's EU advocacy were discussed, especially financial market regulation.
Wednesday's program also included an introduction to the Brussels activities of both the European umbrella organization of the construction industry, FIEC, and the Confederation of Finnish Industries, EK. RT works closely with both of them in influencing the EU, both from the perspective of the construction industry and the wider Finnish business community.
The afternoon concluded with a meeting with the Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Transport and Mobility (DG Move). Herald Ruijters With regard to transport policy, Finnish builders are particularly interested in the Military Mobility project and transport climate policy, i.e. investments in, among other things, strengthening the Union's external border and transport connections, as well as in rail transport and a better road network to reduce emissions.
EU advocacy expert who organized the visit Petri Lahesmaa was concerned about the EU's current ability to function in the cross-pressure of global politics. He compared the EU to an Italian 40-year-old boy whose mother suddenly moved to a new marriage behind a shack. Now Luigi should be able to fend for himself, having become accustomed to spending his money on shoes and jackets.
Lahesmaa, on the other hand, considered RT's position in Brussels to be strong. "RT's experts are deeply involved here in the very places where industry-related policies are being prepared, such as FIEC working groups, standardization and also the Commission's working groups. The organization has done its homework well and that is why it makes sense to cooperate with it."
He also welcomed the current Finnish government's tighter grip on EU policy. Until now, in his opinion, EU affairs have been sidelined in Finnish politics and have received too little attention.
