The priorities of the Swedish presidency of the EU Council: Increasing the competitiveness of the EU and supporting Ukraine
Increasing the competitiveness of the European Union (EU) is one of the priorities on the agenda of the rotating presidency of the EU Council, which Sweden took over on January 1 from the Czech Republic. According to the Swedish Government, "security, competitiveness, green transformation, the concept of democratic values and the rule of law" are the four major themes for the period in which Sweden will hold the EU presidency.
The priorities announced by the Swedish presidency reflect the positions that Sweden has traditionally supported within the EU, but also respond to the current geopolitical and economic challenges facing the Union, according to the Swedish government's website.
On the dimension of foreign policy, Sweden will pay more attention to the situation in Ukraine, but also to the EU enlargement process, with 8 countries already having candidate status - Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
In terms of internal affairs, the Swedish presidency will focus on migration policies, the fight against organised crime, terrorism and violent extremism. In this context, Sweden will have to put Romania and Bulgaria accession to the Schengen Area back on the agenda.
In the area of social policies, jobs and health, Sweden will focus on reducing the risk of poverty and social exclusion as a result of the latest crises: the pandemic, the energy crisis and rising inflation. In addition, the Swedish Presidency will actively promote the EU's goals to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, alongside increasing competitiveness, employment, food production, health and well-being.
Support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression is expressly among the priorities of the Swedish presidency, as is security for member states.
Sweden, which has been a member of the EU for 28 years, holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council for the third time. During its 6-month mandate, it will organise 150 meetings, both at the level of heads of state and government, as well as in various fields.
