HELSINKI, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Finland's Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen said Monday that the climate agreement on EU carbon neutrality by 2050 was a major achievement during its six-month EU Council presidency.
Finland has held the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2019.
The agreement was adopted by EU leaders in principle at an EU Summit in December. But Poland said it would remain outside the joint decision for the time being, according to media reports.
Tuppurainen told national broadcaster Yle that the new EU budget would probably include elements which would help the transition to carbon neutrality.
Finland also acknowledged areas of little progress during its EU Council presidency.
In a letter to European Council President Charles Michel, the Finnish government mentioned two policy sectors where progress had not been made -- EU countries could not agree on how to deal with the immigrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea, and could not agree on starting membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia.
