The special committees and EU matters
The special committees play a significant role in considering EU matters, which is a distinctive feature of the Finnish system. Their task is to follow developments in their own policy area.
To obtain information the special committees hold hearings, to which they may invite a representative of the relevant ministry, outside experts and spokespersons for interest groups. The special committees issue statements to the Grand Committee outlining their views.
The special committees have an unlimited right to receive information from the Government or a ministry on EU matters under discussion in their policy area.
As a rule each special committee considers matters that fall within the scope of a corresponding ministry. The number of committee statements on EU matters varies considerably from year to year.