Brussels, 02/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - Setting out the energy priorities of the Swedish Presidency for the European Parliament industry, energy and research committee, chaired by Herbert Reul (S&D, Germany), Minister Maud Olofsson said on Wednesday 2 September that energy efficiency and moving the EU to an eco-efficient economy would be the flagship issues for the Swedish government in the second half of this year. Stockholm intends to complete discussions between the Council and Parliament on the three pending legislative proposals on the energy performance of buildings, labelling of tyres and labelling of energy products. If the new Parliament does not review the position adopted on first reading on each of these texts in May (see EUROPE 9888, 9889 and 9896), the Swedish Presidency plans to begin second reading talks in September, with a view to formal approval being given at the Energy Council of 7 December. Following on from discussions, devoted to eco-efficiency (see EUROPE 9947 and 9948) at the informal Energy Council meeting, alongside which an informal Environment Council was held, in ?re on 23-24 July, the Swedish Presidency wants to make energy efficiency (the cornerstone of its development model) its top priority on the agenda of the Energy Council, which will consider inter alia review of the Community action plan tabled by the European Commission at the end of 2006 (see EUROPE 9286). The Council will also give consideration to the communication on the funding of the strategic plan for energy technologies that the Commission will bring forward before the end of the year (Set Plan, see EUROPE 9549). In the area of energy security, Stockholm intends to continue the debate on the proposals in the energy security and solidarity package presented by the Commission in November 23008 (see EUROPE 9782), and in particular the review of the regulation on gas supply security. With the Commission hoping for first reading agreement by mid-December, the Swedish Presidency will try to make as much progress as possible on this issue so that it can present a progress report to the Energy Council of 7 December. As winter approaches, Olafsson promised that the Swedish Presidency would do all it could to avoid any disruption to the EU's energy supply similar to that caused by January's Russia-Ukraine gas crisis. (E.H./transl.rt)