On 1 January, Sweden took over the torch from Czech Republic and will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months. The country holding the presidency chairs all the Council meetings (all the configurations of the Council and at all levels) during six months. This in turn gives it a strategic agenda-setting power on EU legislation.
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson presented the overall priorities of the Swedish Council presidency before the European Parliament on 17 January. These are:
- The security of the European Union, with continued economic and military support for Ukraine, as well as support for the country’s membership to the EU;
- Competitiveness, by securing a well-functioning single market, an open and innovative economy with a skilled workforce;
- Green and energy transition, linked with the climate change, by becoming independent from Russian energy supply and implementing the “Fit for 55” package;
- Respect for democracy values and the rule of law.
On 24 January, Paulina Brandberg, Sweden’s minister for gender equality and deputy minister for employment, and Anna Tenja, ministers for the elderly and social security, outlined the presidency’s priorities in these fields at the European Parliament’s employment (EMPL) committee. Their declarations however seem to indicate that the Swedish presidency will merely continue working on the existing files, including:
- Adopting the recommendation on strengthening social dialogue in the EU;
- Finalizing the trialogue on the asbestos directive;
- Reaching a general approach (a political agreement within the Council) on the chemical agents directive and the exposure to carcinogens, mutagens or substances toxic to reproduction (CMR) at work directive;
- Finding a general approach within the Council on the platform work directive;
- Conclude the trialogue leading to the adoption of the pay transparency directive;
- Continuing negotiations with Parliament on the regulation amending the social security coordination regulation.