Sweden takes over EU Council presidency

The challenges are huge, writes the daily Göteborgs-Posten on the Swedish EU presidency that began today, Wednesday. "The climate issue - above all with regard to the UN summit in Copenhagen in December - and the financial crisis - with the demand that despite British resistance joint regulations [for the financial market] are coordinated - are two of the most serious challenges that must be met. Then there's the Irish referendum [on the Lisbon Treaty] in October. In the case that it is approved it's up to Sweden to implement the Treaty and clarify who is to be president of the European Council and who is to be 'foreign minister' of the EU. … Sweden is much more pro-EU nowadays than in 2001 [when it last held the Council presidency]. … With Sweden as president European and global policy enters the Swedish living room. The international community, of which we are an important part, will not fail to notice this."

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