Challenges for the Swedish Presidency

For the second time in the history of the EU Sweden is taking over the Presidency for the coming six months.

The first one in 2001 with the Social Democratic Prime Minister Göran Persson in the front seat was rather successful, and the positive sentiments for the European Union increased a lot in Sweden. But this was before Nine Eleven and PM Göran Persson had the late Foreign Minister Anna Lind at his side. By then we did not know that the Swedish people in 2003 would reject the introduction of the euro.

Today we have another world and another EU! Barack Obama is in the White House and Putin is a bit at the side in Moscow. The EU is more European, there are 27 member states.

And there is another Sweden.

Sweden is governed by a Liberal-Centre-Right government with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Carl Bildt as Foreign Minister. There are two Ministers who have been Members of the European Parliament; Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for International Development Cooperation, and Cecilia Malmström, Minister of European Affairs.

The preparations for the Presidency have been difficult and unpredictable.

Which treaty will be in force? What about Ireland? How is the Commission going to be appointed – according the treaty of Nice or Lisbon? Will there be a new treaty at all?

To all this you can add the newly elected Parliament and our eagerness to make life more complicated for the Council.

Behind all this institutional problems we have a huge global economic down turn and the financial crisis not yet faded out.  The unemployment rate is dramatically increasing in Europe. The climate crisis is a demanding challenge for every decision maker.

The Swedish Presidency will be occupied with the acute economic problem and the recovery plan as well as preparing for The Copenhagen Climate Summit.

Let me add some other challenges:

-         The EU has to be preserved from protectionism and the big countries have to avoid the use of state aid in all forms. The Presidency has to guard the internal market.

-         The EU needs to reform the financial supervision, which include granting new powers to EU committees, and the creation of a European Systemic Risk Board responsible for identifying threats to the EU economy as a whole. But the reforms have to be balanced without overregulation. As an open market oriented country Sweden knows the benefits of a well functioning market.

-         The Telecom package has to be finalised with the respect of integrity and judicial rights on the internet. according to the rejection of the comprise text in the EP in last session in May.

-         The EU has to be more open and more secure with a common and decent migration policy including a common European asylum system. I hope the Presidency also will focus on the fight against cross-border crime and on the fight of trafficking in human beings and illicit drugs.

-         The northern parts of Europe need more awareness. The Baltic strategy is an important tool in creating a better environment in the Baltic Sea as well as to strengthen the prosperity for the whole region.

-         The enlargement has to continue. I hope that the Presidency can solve the border crisis between Croatia and Slovenia and pave the way for the 28: th EU member.

Someone has described the Swedish Presidency as the Presidency from Hell! I am not that pessimistic and I do think that my friends in Stockholm will do a good job and honour the Swedish membership in the EU.

It is fifteen years since Sweden joined the EU, and the Swedish people have newer been as favourable to the EU as today.

These are good omens for the outcome of the Presidency.

Olle Schmidt