European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and financier George Soros. These are some of the participants who, together with Sweden’s Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for International Development Cooperation, are expected to attend the annual European Development Days, which this year is being held in Stockholm. The meeting, which will be the largest during the Swedish Presidency of the EU, was presented at a press briefing on Friday, 9 October.

On 16 October Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will head an EU troika visit to Moldova. The purpose of the visit is to meet representatives of the new Government of Moldova, including Prime Minister Vlad Filat and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leanca.

An eco-efficient economy was the theme for the second day of the informal ministerial meeting on competitiveness in Umeå. Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson chaired the discussions between her European colleagues and the industry representatives present.

Andrew van der Lem, Head of EU Strategy at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in the UK, gives his view of the ministerial meeting in Umeå, the road to an eco-efficient economy and the importance of a climate agreement in Copenhagen in December.

When the EU agriculture and fisheries ministers meet in Luxembourg on 19–20 October they will attempt to reach an agreement on a new EU control system, which will ensure that the Common Fisheries Policy is respected. The situation on the milk market is another important item on the agenda. Sweden’s Minister for Agriculture Eskil Erlandsson will chair the meeting.

EU finance and environment ministers will meet this week in their respective council formations to consider the financing issue in EU negotiation positions prior to the European Council summit on 29-30 October and the UN climate meeting in Copenhagen. The finance and environment ministers have a joint responsibility for this crucial issue.

The ministers reached a decision on a new fisheries control system at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 19 October. The Council also negotiated on new fishing quotas in the Baltic Sea for 2010. Measures to address the serious situation on the milk market were also discussed.