Sweden in the EU

The UK left the EU on 1 February. What happens now and what does the transition period that begins entail? What form will future relations between the EU and the UK take? Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren and Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs Anna Hallberg discuss some of the details in an interview.

On Friday 17 January, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will receive Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas. The two heads of government will discuss current issues of concern to our countries. These include bilateral issues between Estonia and Sweden as well as topical issues and EU issues, such as Brexit and the Eastern Partnership. Since Estonia is coordinating Nordic-Baltic cooperation this year, these matters will also be taken up.

Sweden has the first feminist government in the world. This means that gender equality is central to the Government’s priorities – in decision-making and resource allocation. Women and men must have the same power to shape society and their own lives; this is a human right and a matter of democracy and justice. There is also overwhelming evidence that gender equality boosts economic growth. Despite this, trade policy today benefits men more than women. With this in mind, the Swedish government’s feminist trade policy includes six focus areas where we will step up efforts to ensure that trade policy and trade promotion activities benefit women and men equally. We must begin to see gender as a market access issue and give priority in trade negotiations to sectors, products and services that have positive implications for women. We will also take a range of measures and initiatives to improve the gender balance in Sweden’s promotion activities.

On 12–13 December, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will meet his European Council colleagues for the final summit of the year. EU leaders will discuss the EU’s climate goals for 2050, the EU's long-term budget and external relations. Deepening Europe's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and Brexit are on Friday’s agenda.

At the initiative of Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Lindhagen, an EU ministerial meeting on gender equality – The STHLM Initiative – took place in Stockholm on 3–4 December. Ms Lindhagen invited Finland, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and the other EU Member States that will hold the Presidency in the coming years.

Seville, Spain, November 27-28, 2019 Check against delivery.

Following the parliamentary elections in Belarus in November, the Representation of Sweden to the EU hosted a meeting on 21 November with experts from Belarus and representatives of the EU Member States and institutions. The aim was to get an update on the impressions of how the elections were implemented and the situation for journalists.

Sweden’s current Ambassador to the United Nations, Olof Skoog, has been appointed the European Union Ambassador to the UN. The news was presented today by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini.

On Friday 15 November, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will receive North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. Mr Löfven and Mr Zaev will discuss matters including North Macedonia’s reform efforts and negotiations with the EU.