Priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
On February 6, 2023 INCIPE held the event entitled Priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Spain. The session was attended by Teppo Tauriainen, Ambassador of Sweden in Spain, who established the priorities during the recently started 6 months in which Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, being part of the trio of presidencies also composed by France and Czech Republic. The meeting was presented by the ambassador and secretary general of INCIPE, Manuel Alabart. The presentation was followed by a round of questions moderated by the director of INCIPE, Vicente Garrido.
At the beginning of the presentation, Ambassador Teppo Tauriainen warns that Sweden assumes the presidency of the Council of the European Union at a time of economic insecurity, geopolitical turbulence and historical challenges. Of course, the war in Ukraine will remain a key aspect as it is constituted as a struggle for Europe’s values. Without needing to frame an official slogan, Sweden intends to fulfill three major objectives during its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union: a greener, safer and freer Europe. To this end, they have identified the following priority areas: external and internal security, competitiveness, green and energy transitions, and the defense of democratic values and the rule of law.
With regard to security, given that an immediate end to the war in Ukraine is not foreseen, the ambassador insists on maintaining European unity to support this country and condemn Russia, against which a tenth package of sanctions is already being considered. Following the example of the previous Czech presidency, the Union’s strategic compass will continue to be applied, without neglecting the fight against cross-border organized crime. In the area of competitiveness, the ambassador believes that an economically open, strong and competitive European Union is crucial for European welfare. The proper functioning of the Union’s internal market depends on its integrity and respect for the four fundamental freedoms, and greater emphasis must be placed on measures to strengthen competitiveness without falling into the path of excessive subsidies or exclusive dependence on Russian energy or Chinese minerals.
The area of green and energy transitions takes up a large part of the presentation. For the ambassador, the Russian invasion has revealed the shortcomings of the European energy market, where the electrification of transport and industry must be accelerated. The European Union must remain a world leader in the fight against climate change, and to this end the Swedish presidency is developing a new battery regulation and measures to facilitate the production of energy without fossil fuels. The ambassador believes that the diversity of the member states is a strength with which to overcome the current crisis. Not only that, but the institutional integrity and strategic interests of the European Union must also be promoted, safeguarding values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
Following the questions raised, the ambassador addresses other relevant aspects such as the need to continue working on an immigration pact, paying attention to what is happening in North Africa and Latin America, and the importance of the EU and NATO working together to respond to cyber-attacks. He also urges collaboration to ensure that Ukraine meets the necessary requirements for EU membership, without ignoring the applications of other candidates.
Finally, the ambassador confirms that Sweden will maintain its disarmament policy even when it joins NATO, an event he hopes will happen soon and at the same time as its neighboring country, Finland. For his part, INCIPE Secretary General Manuel Alabart concludes by affirming that the baton that Spain will receive in the presidency of the Council will be orderly and with concrete prospects of success.
Jaime Osorio
INCIPE
