Finland finishes a successful six month presidency

12.00.00am GMT Mon 18th Dec 2006

Commenting today in the European Parliament on the conclusions of Finland's six month stint running the presidency of the European Union, Graham Watson (Liberal and Democrat group leader) stated:

"In its typically understated way, Finland has concluded a successful six months of EU business. There was no pomp and circumstance that so characterised the Austrian presidency at the beginning of the year but it was a positive, productive and pro-European one, achieving notable closure on many important topics and laying down a new standard for transparency and open debate in Council."

"The summit conclusions themselves are clear and succinct. They lay down what needs to be done to strengthen the coherence of decision-making, create the basis for a comprehensive policy on migration and underline that further expansion of EU membership can only be possible if the necessary institutional reforms are agreed first."

"It is now incumbent upon the German Presidency under Chancellor Merkel to show the kind of leadership that a major country can bring to Europe at a time when the lack of a constitutional compass has left the EU without direction."

EP group leaders will go to Berlin this afternoon to exchange views on the priorities for the coming months