- The majority of financial sector regulation is created in the EU. To stay on the pulse, Finance Finland is strengthening its lobbying in Brussels.
- Finance Finland’s new Head of EU Affairs is Miikkael Azaize, who will take up his post in April.
- Azaize will be stationed in Brussels in an office shared by Nordic financial sector organisations.
- Before joining Finance Finland, Azaize worked as an international officer at the Centre Party of Finland’s party headquarters.
Finance Finland is strengthening its presence in Brussels. Finance Finland has appointed Miikkael Azaize as its new Head of EU Affairs, who will be posted at the Brussels office shared by Nordic financial sector organisations. Azaize will be Finance Finland’s first permanent representative in Brussels. This posting will not affect the work of Finance Finland’s management and advisers, who will continue their lobbying activities in Brussels.
“The majority of financial sector legislation is created in the EU, so it is important to have someone follow the ins and outs of decision-making and network right at the heart of things, in Brussels”, says Mari Pekonen-Ranta, director of EU affairs at Finance Finland.
Finance Finland published its EU objectives for the 2024–2029 term on 12 March. The key priority is for Finland to be an active member in a strong and unified EU. The financial sector plays a central role in the EU’s strategic autonomy and security. The world political situation highlights the importance of EU membership for Finland’s political and economic identity. The EU must ensure its own competitiveness when drafting regulation ‒ and Finland must ensure that the Finnish specificities are taken into account in EU regulation.
“The EU is now at a watershed: will it become a machine that simply churns out regulation or will it become an institution that safeguards our future and unity, one that we want to be part of?” muses Azaize, who will take up his post at Finance Finland in April.
Azaize’s role involves bolstering Finance Finland’s EU lobbying and communicating EU matters to Finance Finland’s member organisations. He is looking forward to his new job with excitement.
“I know it’s a terrible cliché, but the next five-year term will largely determine the EU’s future in this new world political situation. As a new NATO member country, Finland will also be entering the Parliament from an entirely new standing.”
Before joining Finance Finland, Azaize worked as an international officer at the party headquarters of the Centre Party of Finland. He holds a master’s degree in economic sciences and is currently studying law.
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