- Finance Finland’s Head of EU Affairs Miikkael Azaize is Finance Finland’s first permanent representative in Brussels.
- Azaize joined Finance Finland in April and moved to Brussels in early June.
- Finance Finland’s objectives for the EU term 2024–2029 include more moderate regulation, more diverse capital markets and sustainable growth.
- Azaize will promote these objectives by meeting MEPs and EU officials, forging new connections and attending events and seminars.
- Azaize is stationed in Brussels in an office shared by Nordic financial sector organisations.
Head of EU Affairs Miikkael Azaize is strengthening Finance Finland’s lobbying in Brussels. He is posted at the Brussels office shared by Nordic financial sector organisations.
Why must a lobbyist be based in Brussels? According to Azaize, nobody is going make a point of calling Finland just to share a little titbit of information. Lobbyists must forge their own connections and stay on the pulse.
“In Finland, too, lobbying largely consists of meeting people and discussing topics relevant to the financial sector with decision-makers. This is exactly what I’m doing in Brussels.”
Azaize is Finance Finland’s first permanent representative in Brussels. This posting does not affect the work of Finance Finland’s management and advisers, who will continue their EU-related lobbying activities and visits to Brussels as before.
With the new European Commission starting its work in late 2024, the main policy outlines are being drawn as we speak – and it is this work that we must be part of. While many make derisive remarks about the Brussels financial or lobbying bubbles, Azaize points out that we cannot afford to not be involved in these.
“When you meet people in person and make new connections, you can soon find yourself being added to the WhatsApp group for pétanque players working in the Commission. And that group is used to not only set up matches, but also to discuss work. Successful lobbying builds on personal connections and presence – just as much in Brussels as in Helsinki”, Azaize points out.
Commission to focus on regulation and capital markets
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plenary speech in July offered some pointers as to the new Commission’s legislative plans. For the financial sector, important topics included keeping regulation in check and completing the Capital Markets Union.
Finance Finland highlights the importance of turning to tried and tested practices when improving the capital markets and planning new projects. There is no reason to reinvent the wheel.
“In the Nordic countries, the capital markets function better than the EU average. There is no point in dismantling and rebuilding perfectly good, existing solutions or ruining them with new regulation”, says Azaize.
Another important focus area for the new Commission is rationalising the flood of EU regulation.
“The financial sector naturally needs regulation for the purposes of market stability and investor protection, for example. But it would be good for the new Commission to pay attention to the overlap and inconsistencies in regulation. Regulation should not stifle competitiveness.”
Finns have first-row seats
One of the most important committees in financial sector policy is the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON). The matters submitted to ECON have direct relevance for EU economic policy, financial services regulation and supervision.
Five Finnish MEPs secured seats in this important committee: Eero Heinäluoma (Social Democrats/S&D), Aura Salla (National Coalition Party/EPP) and Jussi Saramo (Left Alliance/The Left) were elected as members, and Katri Kulmuni (Centre Party/Renew) and Maria Ohisalo (The Greens/Verts/ALE) as substitutes.
“I’m looking forward to meeting the Finnish MEPs on the ECON Committee and discussing matters with them. Their views hold weight when the committee discusses proposals pertaining to the Capital Markets Union and the competitiveness of the European financial markets, for example”, says Azaize.
Central European fauna
Before joining Finance Finland, Azaize worked as an international officer at the party headquarters of the Centre Party of Finland. After starting at Finance Finland, he first worked in Helsinki for a couple of months, getting to know the people and the working culture, and then moved to Brussels with his family in early June.
“With a steady flow of our relatives coming for a visit, we haven’t felt lonely at all.”
A big part of Azaize’s free time has been filled with family life, getting to know their new neighbourhood, visiting parks and marvelling at the local fauna together.
“Some parks have turtles that live in the ponds. And just outside my office, there are these green parrots chirping in the trees, which apparently were originally pets. Who would have guessed that you only have to go to Central Europe to see exotic animals”, chuckles Azaize.
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