HS Foreign 11.11.2003 - It takes practice to survive in EU Brussels

By Laura Pekonen in Brussels

When Esko Seppänen, member of the European Parliament, first arrived in Brussels as a rookie MEP, European Ombudsman Jacob Söderman gave him a valuable tip.

"Söderman told me that the most important thing in Brussels is to eat with people", Seppänen recalls.

Wait a minute - has the devout left-winger turned into a gastrosnob at the sumptuous tables of Brussels?

No. Seppänen explains that the rules in the European Union are simply different from those in Finland.

According to Seppänen, the way politics works

in Finland is that all issues are explained and justified thoroughly. "In the EU, it is close to impossible to trade based on factual arguments, but politics is based on acquaintances. First you talk about this and that at the dinner table, and then matters are agreed upon between friends."

Everyone who fears that European integration will bring peoples closer together and eliminate cultural differences should spend more time in Brussels, says Finnish EU expert Alexander Stubb.

Finnish politicians might even achieve better results in EU negotiations if they knew which string to pull with which people.

Cultural differences first surface

in meeting habits.

Many stereotypes have become stereotypes because they are true, Stubb remarks. A meeting organised by Finns has a ten-point agenda, it begins at 8.15 sharp, the issues are discussed, conclusions are drawn, and then actions are taken accordingly.

In the Italian way, someone says that a meeting will be held in five minutes. People will begin to ask what the topic of the meeting is. The meeting lasts for three hours, with the participants drifting in and out of the room throughout. If someone asks afterwards about the conclusions of the meeting, the Italian will reply incredulously: "What conclusions?"

The model for a Swedish meeting is that the participants hold a general, equal discussion. A the end, the Chairperson will ask: "How do you feel now?"

What about negotiation tactics? MEP Eija-Riitta Korhola

, who recently switched from the Christian Democrats to the National Coalition Party, explains that the representatives of each country have their own ways of twisting others around their little fingers.

"At the beginning of a negotiation, the French will pick an item from the agenda that is an inconsequential detail for them, and then pretend to oppose it dramatically", Korhola says.

"Only at the end of the talks do they bring up the item that is truly important to them, and announce that if it is approved, they will also be prepared to approve the question that they have been so vigorously opposing."

According to Korhola, the Swedes, with their incessant discussions, have trouble reaching any conclusions, and once a decision has finally been made, they may seek to change it later. Korhola feels that the Germans, on the other hand, make decisions too quickly. These decisions are then difficult to alter, as Germans prefer to advise others rather than receive advice themselves.

"It is incredibly important to the British that you have black shoes with laces and a dark suit, and that you articulate clearly. If these three facts are in order, you can go far in negotiations."

Rhetoric is an item

that cannot be underestimated in Brussels.

A Finnish assistant to a French Commissioner received feedback that speeches and memos should not be shortened into concise summaries that are three pages long - short documents are not deemed important. To the French, saying something in a short and compact manner is a sign of stupidity or clumsiness, not efficiency.

"The concise manner of speaking in the European Parliament often leads to Finns not being understood, because they get to the point too quickly", a Finnish official who works at the European Parliament explains. "The French first say what they are going to speak about, then they relate their point, and reiterate it at the end. This way, everyone understands the idea."

The official also laments the fact that Finns

are still too gullible. If a Finn complains about a problem, and a Southern European colleague gives a long answer including the message that the matter will now be put under consideration, the Finn may think that something will actually be done about the problem.

"For the person from Southern Europe, that is just a polite way to saying 'Yeah, yeah, right'", the official points out.

Korhola admits her guilt to a breach of etiquette relating to rhetoric while commenting at a meeting on only the specific proposal in a colleague's speech that she actually had something to say about. This gave the colleague the impression that there was something wrong with the other proposals.

"I have learned to first praise all the proposals made in a speech and then bring up the fact that I would like to change this one point in particular", Korhola explains.

Many practically-oriented Finns

have also been astounded by the hierarchy in Brussels.

EU officials are ranked into A, B, C, and D categories based on their education and the tasks they perform. One Finnish C-level executive assistant says that one of her secretary colleagues is baffled when she goes to lunch with an A-ranked official.

"I spend my free time with the assistants of the European Parliament, because they are often my age", says 28-year-old National Coalition MEP Piia-Noora Kauppi. "But sometimes I feel like some colleagues do not find it appropriate - like it would somehow degrade MEPs."

Titles are also more important in Brussels than in Finland. Kauppi has known one German colleague for years, but continues to refer to him at meetings as "Herr Doktor" instead of simply Karl if she asks him to pass the sugar.

"It feels strange that MEPs do not remember the name of a cleaning lady if the same person visits their office every morning."

So how have the cultural barriers

within the EU been drawn?

Finnish EU veterans say that the lines do not exist between large and small member states, but between Catholics and Protestants. The Nordic peoples are still on average rational, withdrawn, and industrious, and Southerners are social, emotional, and prone to exaggerate.

"For a Finn, it is a sign of courtesy to leave others in peace. Southern Europeans want to be approached", Korhola remarks.

Esko Seppänen believes that cultural differences stem not only from religion, but also from population density and a class society.

In sparsely populated Northern Europe, people are not used to constantly communicating with one another, and in an equal society, issues can be discussed through the facts.

In the more densely populated Southern European countries, the members of the elite find each other through universities or family ties: issues are settled through acquaintances.

Due to the existing cultural differences,

it has been natural for Finns to join forces in Brussels with people from Nordic and Anglo-Saxon countries. However, National Coalition MEP Ari Vatanen feels that Finns have failed to take advantage of a great opportunity by being shy of the more social Southern Europeans.

"When you are patient with people from Southern Europe, they are revealed to be sincere people who show their emotions honestly. And Finns are above all sincere", Vatanen says.

"In the end, we are always second-class in the eyes of the Anglo-Saxons."

So what types of methods have the Finns developed

over the years in order to survive in Brussels?

First of all, you need to be able to choose the correct environment. Korhola has learned never to invite Italians colleagues over for dinner. It is best to offer them only an espresso, "and even then you need to apologise all the time that the espresso is not as good as it could be".

"Food is the most important thing in the world for them. It is not a good idea to commit political suicide by serving a mediocre meal", Korhola explains.

And then there is the question of timing.

"Work-related issues cannot be brought up with Southern European colleagues during dinner until the very end, because they feel it would otherwise be inappropriate", Kauppi says. "But with the Swedes, you can talk shop at any time of the day."

The third issue concerns partners.

Social Democratic MEP Riitta Myller gives the tip that it is always a good idea to be on good terms with the representatives of large member states. The opinion of the large countries is heavier, and everyone wants to side with the winners.

Fourth, you must always repeat your message.

According to Stubb, it does not suffice to give a speech during a European Parliament session, but before and after the speech you must tell as many people as possible why the speech is so important.

A fifth tip is to be familiar with the weaknesses of others. According to Korhola, it is a good idea to ask Southern European MEPs for advice on issues that you yourself want to pursue.

"A desire to protect is awakened in the Southern European. They begin to give you advice on how to pursue the issue. At the same time, they begin to support the realisation of their own excellent piece of advice."

However, everyone agrees that the sixth

and most important point is the one given by Söderman to Seppänen. Vatanen, who lives in France, says that Finns must get to know their colleagues, and not just the colleagues, but also their spouses, children, and hobbies.

"If trust emerges between people, one will buy a used car from another. After all, politics is about selling used cars."

According to Vatanen, Finland's political leadership continues to have an engineer-like attitude towards EU politics: if the questions at hand have been organised properly on a piece of paper, they will be taken care of. Vatanen maintains that someone with a quick tongue who is at home in the Brussels circles is still a rarity among Finnish politicians.

"The real work is usually done in Brussels after meetings, at cocktail parties. At that time, Finns are often sitting on their Finnair flight back home so that they will not miss their sauna reservation."

The longer the Finns visit Brussels,

the better they will of course learn to read the cards in others' hands. Next year, the union will receive ten new members, and the Eastern Europeans will probably feel just as clumsy as the Finns did in the beginning.

Perhaps the Finns can then give them some advice on how to avoid embarrassing situations like the one they were in a few years ago.

At the time, a Finnish minister accompanied a Russian colleague to the airport in Strasbourg, but the flight of the Russian was one hour late. The Finn did not keep the Russian company, but went to sit in a corner alone to read The Economist.

Why waste words if you have nothing to say?

Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 9.11.2003