Work programme for the Swedish Presidency

Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2009. The Swedish Presidency’s vision is a strong and effective Europe where focus is on the common responsibility to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, including preparedness to manage crises.

The coming six months will be characterised by both change and renewal. The newly elected European Parliament will begin its work and a new Commission will be appointed. The conditions for cooperation will change if the Treaty of Lisbon enters into force.

The biggest and most important challenges are the economy, employment and climate – issues that affect each and every citizen of the EU.

You can find more information about the priority issues on the pages below. Links to the work programme for the Swedish Presidency and the 18 month programme are on the right.