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Finland Survey: 77% Want EU to Cut Tech, Economic Ties with US

A new survey reveals that 77% of Finns want the EU to reduce its economic and technological dependency on the US. Nearly three-quarters of respondents support tighter restrictions on strategic assets for security. The majority also back developing partnerships with emerging economies like India to reduce dependence on China. Security and self-sufficiency were ranked as higher priorities than climate goals by most respondents.

Key Points: Finland Survey: EU Must Reduce US, China Dependency

  • 77% support reducing EU reliance on US even if it impacts ties
  • 65% back more emphasis on common EU defence
  • Nearly 75% support tighter restrictions on strategic assets
  • Majority support developing partnerships with India, Brazil to reduce China dependency
2 min read

People of Finland support EU reducing economic and technological dependency on China, US

77% of Finns support EU reducing economic and technological dependency on the US and China, even if it impacts bilateral ties, a new survey shows.

"This is not direct anti-Americanism. Finns seem to distinguish between security cooperation and economic and technological dependence. - Researchers"

Helsinki, May 10

People in Finland have expressed support for European Union lowering its economic and technological dependency on the US and China, a new survey has revealed.

According to a survey published by the two think-tanks - the state-supported Finnish Innovation Fund (Sitra) and the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (Eva), 77 per cent of respondents said that Europe must reduce its technological and economic reliance on the US, even if it impacts bilateral ties. However, nine per cent of respondents were against it, Finland-based Yle reported.

In a statement, the researchers said: "This is not direct anti-Americanism. Finns seem to distinguish between security cooperation and economic and technological dependence."

Nearly three-quarters of respondents back tighter restrictions on energy networks, ports, and other strategic assets for security reasons. The same number of respondents stated that European firms should be supported in public procurement, even if that means higher prices. Nearly three out of four respondents express support for developing partnerships with emerging economies like India, Brazil, or Vietnam to reduce dependence on China.

The majority of respondents said security should be given more priority than climate goals when required. Nearly two-thirds back reducing Europe's technological dependence on China, like batteries and electric cars, even if that would slow climate action.

Asked about the issues that the EU should emphasise more in the future, self-sufficiency and security were ranked highly by the respondents, Yle reported.

As many as 65 per cent of the respondents said more emphasis should be given to common defence, while 44 per cent said that the focus should be more on the fight against climate change.

The survey was conducted by Taloustutkimus in March, and responses were taken from more than 2,000 adults in mainland Finland and 34 invited EU experts. It stated that the margin of error is 2-3 percentage points in either direction.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting that 65% want more emphasis on defence over climate goals. Shows how security concerns are trumping everything else. But it's also smart that they want partnerships with India and Vietnam - we have a lot to offer in tech and manufacturing.
V
Vikram M
As an Indian, this makes me hopeful. If Europe starts partnering with emerging economies like India, we could get more tech transfers and investment. But we need to ensure our own manufacturing is competitive, not just cheap labor. 'Make in India' needs to focus on quality and innovation.
A
Amanda J
The part about prioritising security over climate goals is controversial. While I understand the need for self-sufficiency, slowing climate action is dangerous. The EU needs to find a balance. Also, 77% supporting reduced US dependence is surprisingly high.
R
Rohit P
Finland is a small country, so they are being pragmatic. But the survey misses a key point - who will replace Chinese manufacturing? European companies will have to pay higher prices. As an Indian, I hope we can fill that gap, but we need to improve our ease of doing business first.
K
Kavya N
The 65% supporting more emphasis on common EU defence shows how the Ukraine war changed everything. But I'm not sure about 'security before climate' approach - climate change is the biggest long-term threat. These are difficult trade-offs. India faces similar challenges, especially with border tensions.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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