EU leaders meet by video conference on Friday to discuss the EU Commission's plan for 750 billion euros-worth of economic stimulus to lift the continent's economy after the coronavirus crisis.
Finland is represented at the midsummer summit by Prime Minister and head of government Sanna Marin.
The Commission has recommended that some 310 billion euros of the total will be made available as direct grants.
Each country's share will be decided by population, unemployment percentage between 2015 and 2019 and GDP per capita in 2019.
That way, poorer countries are set to receive more in support than their richer counterparts. Parliament's Constitutional Law Committee has already said that the plan is unacceptable as it stands, as it may contravene the EU's founding treaties' rules on budget management.
Yle asked five Finnish MEPs for their views on the package ahead of the summit.
Katainen: "Good intentions won't be fulfilled with these criteria"
Elsi Katainen of the Centre Party and the Renew Europe grouping says that the biggest problem with the Commission's proposal is that it only takes into account the economic situation of countries before the coronavirus crisis.
"These distribution principles mean that those countries where economic policy has been weaker could get more help than those that have been hurt by coronavirus," said Katainen.
In her opinion support should take into account economic damage caused by the coronavirus crisis and related restrictions.
"If that doesn't happen, the good intentions of the whole package — to help countries hit hard by the virus — won't be fulfilled."
Kumpula-Natri: "Criteria are the most important part of the talks"
In Finland there has been a lot of focus on the balance between loans and direct grants in the overall package. Social Democrat MEP Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, though, told Yle that in her opinion it was more important to discuss how the money would be used.
"These criteria are the most important thing to negotiate," said Kumpula-Natri.
She says that distribution of funds should not be performed only at a nation state level, but should also take into account regional differences.
"I'm in my home region of Vaasa right now," said Kumpula-Natri. "When you break down the impact of coronavirus by region, you see one of Europe's biggest impacts on the export-dependent west of Finland.
Kumpula-Natri says she wants to ensure that even industries that will suffer after a time lag will get some support.
"Right now tourism and travel-related businesses are hurting. The crisis will impact industry and exports at a later stage. In Finland recovery is a lot slower than the European average."
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Hautala: "In Finland there's a bit too much complacency"
Green MEP Heidi Hautala says she understands the commission's intention to support those countries that are in the weakest position economically.
"I think the commission's logic looks clear and justified. Take into account that some regions are so under-developed that they already had worse chances of handling the crisis. That's why they are receiving more money, regardless of what the crisis situation is in their country."
"It seems to me that in Finland as well there is maybe a little bit too much complacency, that we have handled everything so brilliantly, not like in the east and south. Italy certainly hasn't been hit by the virus because they have problems in their economic and financial policies."
Virkkunen: "It's in Finland's interests for Europe to get a stimulus"
Henna Virkkunen of the EPP-aligned National Coalition Party says the criteria used in the commission's proposal are broadly similar to those in the EU's cohesion policies. The goal is to reduce economic inequalities between member states.
"Now the goal is however to deal with problems member states are facing as a result of the corona crisis," said Virkkunen.
Virkkunen does not completely dismiss the idea of directing support to the poorer member states.
"For Finland the biggest benefit of this plan is that 60 percent of our exports go to EU countries. It's really in our interests that Europe gets a stimulus."
In Virkkunen's opinion it is also relevant that money is used in a sustainable way. The commission recommends that member states demonstrate that they are taking environmental and economic perspectives into consideration when using the money.
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Torvalds: "This isn't just fixing coronavirus consequences"
Nils Torvalds of the Swedish People's Party and Renew Europe says that Ursula von der Leyen's statements this week justifying the split between loans and direct grants revealed the nature of the package.
"She said that the split was down to the fact that countries in the south and on the east of the union are unable to handle a higher loan component," said Torvalds.
"When you look at the package in the round, and that statement, then sure between the lines it is quite clear that this package does not just, or even primarily, fix the problems caused by the pandemic," said Torvalds.
"Where the virus has hit hardest, there is generally poor administration which has not managed to implement restrictions quickly enough or extensively enough. This applies for example to Italy and Spain."