Discussions at the informal convention – dubbed "Lapland Retreat 2013" – will focus on the future of Europe.
The meeting’s organisers say that the aim is to bring European leaders together, in an informal and leisurely way, to discuss issues concerning the future of Europe and the European Union .
According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the agenda will not include topical issues and the meeting will not be making decisions or guidelines.
The Lapland Retreat 2013 will be attended by Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, and member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank Jörg Asmussen.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras announced early Friday morning that he will not be attending as planned.
Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen is scheduled to deliver a speech in Helsinki next Tuesday regarding the government's stance on future development of the EU and the monetary union.