New members appointed to Finland’s delegation of the Committee of the Regions

One member and two deputy members of the Finnish delegation to the European Committee of the Regions will change. The Government has nominated new candidates for the remainder of the Committee’s term until January 2025.

The Government has appointed Niina Ratilainen from the Turku City Council as a new member. New deputy members are Eeva-Liisa Nieminen from the Tuusula Local Council and Manu Huuhilo from the Kouvola City Council. The Council of the European Union will make the final decision on the changes to the Committee’s composition.

The Committee of the Regions is an EU advisory body that issues opinions on new regulations concerning regions and municipalities. The members are elected representatives of local and regional public sector entities or carry political responsibility for an elected body. 

Finland has nine regular members and nine deputy members in the Committee of the Regions.  Eight of them are from Continental Finland and one is from Åland. 

The Committee’s term lasts for five years. The current term started in 2020 and will end in January 2025.

Proposed members of the Committee’s Finnish delegation

Regular members

Markku Markkula, Member of Espoo City Council
Sari Rautio, Member of Hämeenlinna City Council
Anne Karjalainen, Member of Kerava City Council
Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi, Member of Rovaniemi City Council
Mirja Vehkaperä, Member of Oulu City Council
Ilpo Heltimoinen, Member of Lappeenranta City Council
Mikko Aaltonen, Member of Tampere City Council
Niina Ratilainen, Member of Turku City Council (new)

Åland:
Bert Häggblom, Member of the Parliament of Åland

Deputy members

Pauliina Haijanen, Member of Tuusula City Council 
Jari Andersson, Member of Sastamala City Council
Sanna Rissanen, Member of Liperi Local Council 
Merja Lahtinen, Member of Jämsä Local Council
Pekka Myllymäki, Member of Mynämäki Local Council
Patrik Karlsson, Member of Vantaa City Council
Eeva-Liisa Nieminen, Member of Tuusula Local Council (new)
Manu Huuhilo, Member of Kouvola City Council (new)

Åland:
Annette Bergbo, Member of Parliament of Åland

Inquiries:
Petri Haapalainen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 506 4922