The representatives of the political groups in the European Parliament - as well as the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič - said, when Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presented the priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council to the Parliament on Tuesday 17 January, that they were satisfied with the programme, which focuses on four areas: security, competitiveness, green and energy transition and fundamental values.
While several MEPs recalled that Sweden was taking over the EU Council Presidency at a crucial moment, Marco Zanni (ID, Italian) said that the European Parliament was expecting “concrete answers, beyond the urgency, over the next 20 to 30 years”, on the priorities set by the Presidency.
A slogan that echoes the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council’s will not only to be in crisis management, but to take decisions for the long term (see EUROPE 13097/4).
Malik Azmani (Dutch), on behalf of Renew Europe, called on the Swedish Presidency to have “the innovation of Spotify and the efficiency of Ikea”, two world-famous Swedish brands.
MEPs reiterated that they shared the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council’s will to make Ukraine a priority - with continued military, economic and political humanitarian support, but also sanctions against Russia, with the Prime Minister hoping that the 10th package of sanctions would be adopted quickly. Several MEPs also stressed that the situation in Iran should not be forgotten and called for additional sanctions.
MEPs welcomed as well the Swedish Presidency’s green and energy ambitions, although the Greens/EFA group Co-Chair, Philippe Lamberts, denounced the fact that the Sweden Democrats are “blocking any effort to rebuild the ecosystem”, for example, regarding pesticides. Several MEPs stressed the importance of reforming the electricity price market as the Commission is expected to publish its proposal by the end of March.
The Swedish Presidency’s focus on competitiveness also hit the mark, as the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and unfair competition from China are of concern to Member States as well as for the Commission and MEPs. The EPP group Chair, Manfred Weber (German) said “we have to catch up with our competitors”, while Mr Azmani welcomed the importance of innovation in the Swedish Presidency’s programme. Both supported the Swedish Presidency’s commitment to make progress on the free trade agreements under discussion.
Regrets on migration and social issues
While the Swedish Presidency only briefly mentions further work on EU migration policy, many group representatives - each with their own position on the issue - have called on Sweden to take the issue forward. Mr Weber hoped that the Presidency, which “shows its ambition on climate”, would show the “same ambition on job creation and migration”.
The S&D Group President, Iratxe García Pérez, and The Left Co-President, Manon Aubry, denounced the lack of social content in the Presidency’s programme. “2023 must be the year of structural solutions. The main challenge is social discontent”, García Pérez stressed, saying that if inflation continued, a permanent financing instrument will be needed to help the most vulnerable companies and families. She regretted that the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council is not presenting any measures on the pillar of social rights, whereas, in her opinion, it is only by completing the Göteborg objectives that one can have a social Europe.
Ms Aubry, for her part, criticised the fact that there is “no change of course”, that the objective remains structural reforms, the consolidation of public finances and fiscal rules “while the economic crisis plunges millions of people into poverty”.
Finally, while the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU is committed to fundamental values, several MEPs expressed concern about the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats party in the government and the consequences this could have on the Presidency. “You have to defend democratic values, but you agree to collaborate with people who are against these values”, Mr Lamberts denounced. In response, Mr Kristersson recalled that all eight parties in the Swedish Parliament were pro-European. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)