Sweden takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from the Czech Republic on Sunday, giving the Scandinavian nation a key management and mediating position in Brussels over the subsequent six months.
“Sweden is taking over the Presidency at a time when the Union is facing historic challenges,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated in mid-December.
In an announcement on his web site, he cites the Ukraine struggle, the battle in opposition to local weather change and European competitiveness as key points that must be tackled. Sweden’s priorities are to deal with “a greener, safer, and freer Europe.”
Kristersson and his Cabinet are nonetheless comparatively unknown faces on the EU stage.
The conservative authorities has solely been in workplace for about two and a half months, changing that of Social Democrat Magdalena Andersson.
Kristersson is the primary Swedish head of presidency ever to work intently with the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats.
The populists usually are not within the authorities, however because the second strongest parliamentary drive and with extra seats than Kristersson’s occasion, The Moderates, they nonetheless have numerous energy in Stockholm.
Despite the EU skepticism of this supporting occasion, Sweden’s EU Minister Jessika Roswall declared that her authorities “will give high priority to EU work.”
In international coverage, it’s anticipated that Sweden will give precedence to the Russian-Ukrainian battle. The nation will prioritize the continuation of army and financial assist to Ukraine and believes that Ukraine’s EU accession course of must also be supported and additional steps are taken to rebuild the nation.
Stockholm can be eager to accentuate contacts with the international locations involved.
Referring to the significance of the safety state of affairs within the Balkans, it said that stability and safety within the jap Mediterranean are within the EU’s strategic curiosity.
Sweden additionally believes that cooperation and mutually useful relations with Türkiye are necessary for the EU’s strategic pursuits.
The Swedish authorities, which advocates retaining the transatlantic ties with the U.S. robust, may even attempt to direct its financial insurance policies within the atmosphere introduced by the protectionist financial choices of the U.S. administration which will adversely have an effect on the European international locations.
The 27 members of the EU rotate the presidency each six months.
