The Åland Islands to also decide on the EU reform agreement
Prior to its entry into force, the EU reform agreement has to be ratified in all member states. In Finland’s case, the agreement will have to be confirmed twice. The approval both of the Finnish Parliament and the Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands has to be obtained for the agreement.
In Finland, ratification can be performed once Parliament has approved the agreement. In addition, the Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands must approve introduction of the agreement in order for the agreement to also enter into force in the province in so far as lies within the competence of the Åland Islands.
The Åland Islands is an autonomous province which, despite having a small population (27,000), has a comprehensive autonomy. The Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands (Parliament) is an equal player with the Finnish Parliament in those matters which it is entitled to legislate on.
What happens if the Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands votes against approval of the EU reform agreement? Does it mean that Finland cannot ratify the agreement?
In principle, this is not the case. The Finnish Parliament’s Constitutional Committee has decided that the Finnish Parliament can make a decision on the matter – without taking the Aland Islands into account. As regards the Aland Islands, it is the Provincial Assembly that makes the decision. If the Provincial Assembly were to vote no to the reform agreement, it would mean that the Finnish government could not guarantee in all respects the proper enforcement of the agreement in the province. The situation would be legally and politically problematic for all parties.
The autonomous position of the Åland Islands came to the fore, inter alia, in the referendum on Finland’s accession to the EU in 1994. The Åland Islands could have remained outside the Union even with Finland’s accession. That is why two different referenda were required in the Aland Islands.
In the first referendum on 16th October 1994, the people of the Åland Islands voted at the same time as other Finns. In the country as a whole, 57.0 per cent supported membership, but only 51.9 of the Aland Islands’ voters voted in favour.
A second referendum was also held in the Åland Islands, at which the population was able to vote whether to choose Finland’s path or not. The second referendum was held on 20th November after Sweden had also voted in favour of joining. Membership of the Åland Islands in the Union won overwhelming support. The yes side garnered 73.6% of the votes cast.
On 2nd December 1994, the Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands voted once on the matter. Membership was supported by 26 of the Assembly’s thirty members and the matter was clear. The Aland Islands acceded to the European Union together with Finland on 1st January 1995.
The Provincial Assembly of the Åland Islands has subsequently also given its approval to the Amsterdam and Nice Treaties.
Text and photo:
Kari Ruokola
Europe Information, Area Information Officer on the Åland Islands
Circulating Information Officer at Finland’s permanent representation to the EU 20th September – 18th October 2007