(Bloomberg) --
Finland's six-month presidency of the European Union cost just two-thirds of what the Nordic nation had budgeted.
The government on Thursday said it had spent about 55 million euros ($60 million), or 32% less than the 81.3 million euros originally reserved for the arrangements. The amount budgeted was already 20% lower than what the country had spent during its previous stint at the EU's rotating presidency, in 2006.
For its latest presidency, which took place during the second half of 2019, it reduced the number of meetings, added video conferences and concentrated all events in one location. It also directed funds traditionally reserved for souvenir ties and scarves at offsetting carbon-dioxide emissions. It even recycled its 2006 logo.
To contact the reporter on this story: Kati Pohjanpalo in Helsinki at kpohjanpalo@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tasneem Hanfi Brögger at tbrogger@bloomberg.net, Nick Rigillo
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