Date: 9 June 2009

Speaker: Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden
Chairman: H. Onno Ruding, Chairman of the CEPS Board of Directors

Speaking at a special CEPS lunch event, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden, outlined the priorities of his country for the Presidency of the EU. A number of them represented a continuation of the agenda of previous presidencies, but Reinfeldt sought to provide a special angle on these priorities. On the handling of the economic crisis, he cautioned that this is likely to become an unemployment crisis and that: “new jobs will not be created by Brussels’ regulations or by protectionism”, but through long-term labour market policies. Concerning climate change, he explained how, despite his party’s dislike of taxes, a levy on CO2 emissions would “do its job smartly” by putting a price on carbon, as Sweden did 20 years ago. Moreover, it would constitute a useful negotiating tool vis-à-vis developing economies, to show that the EU is doing its bit to curb emissions. Finally, the soon-to-be-President of the EU Council reminded the audience of his country’s long-standing pro-enlargement stance. In this respect, he indicated that keeping conditionality as the cornerstone of action, his government would try to act as honest broker, but also as a “pushing mediator” with a view to the continued progress of the accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia.

Click here to see the full text of the speech.

Click here to see a video recording of the event.