Sweden will take over the rotating EU presidency from the Czech Republic on 1 July, and will hold the post for six months.  Speaking at a press conference in Rosenbad, Stockholm yesterday, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt announced his intention to prioritise the tackling of the current financial crisis, high rates of unemployment and climate change.  He also announced his decision to push a review of the EU's current Lisbon Treaty to allow a 2010 adoption of the updated version.

The period of the Swedish presidency coincides with the end of the mandate of the current European Commission, due in October, and follows the recent European Parliament elections in June.

"Two key players and very important partners of the presidency - the Parliament and the Commission - will not be fully operational until quite some time into the autumn, which of course complicates matters," Swedish EU minister Cecilia Malmström said at a debate organised by Brussels-based think tank The Centre.

To the institutional uncertainty, she said, should be added the economic crisis and the planned second referendum in Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty, set for October.

However, Prime Minister Reinfeldt seems undaunted by such issues, and has been clear in stating his priorities for his time in power.  The Financial Times recently published an article penned by Reinfeldt and Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, in which Reinfeldt acknowledged that 'these are tough and trying times for Europe and its citizens', and recognised that although 'the EU has acted decisively to avert a financial meltdown...much remains to be done.'

To read the Financial Times article from 5 June 2009 click here.

The website for the forthcoming Swedish presidency of the European Union can be viewed here.