Sweden lays out its plans

Goran Persson: Sweden is up to the job

By Angus Roxburgh in Brussels

The Swedish Prime Minister, Goran Persson, will appear before the European parliament on Wednesday to outline what Sweden's priorities as EU President will be.

On the face of it, Sweden seems an unlikely choice to lead the EU for the next six months.

Its people are thoroughly Euro-sceptic, it is not in the single currency - less than 12 months before it comes into circulation - and it is not in Nato, just when the EU and the alliance have to sort out their military relations.

The prime minister, trying to dispel any fears that Sweden will not be up to the job, says he does not plan any great new initiatives during the presidency, but rather a huge effort to deliver on promises already made

Three 'E's

"We want to have an efficient, down to earth presidency and we want to deliver results.

Summits will be held around the country to encourage public interest

"We want to work in the Swedish tradition, also with transparency and openness," he said.

Sweden's three priorities, all beginning with "e" are employment, enlargement and environment.

But as Romano Prodi, head of the European Commission, unkindly reminded Mr Persson, they do not also include the Euro.

Swedes are as Euro-sceptic at least as the British.

But the government is hoping that six months of being in the EU limelight might influence public opinion and make it just a little more favourable towards the Union.

"[It is] not so much that Sweden would influence the European Union, but rather how the European Union could influence Sweden, especially the Swedish public opinion," says political scientist Ulaf Petersson.

"The government has made a deliberate attempt to spread out the council meetings all over the territory. I think it's an important part of public relations."

Baby summit

The first Swedish summit takes place in Stockholm in March, focusing on the first "e" - employment - in particular, the very public relations-friendly subject of babies.

The EU's first baby summit - to be held in Stockholm in March

Ministers here have identified Europe's demographic crisis as a key area.

How will we pay for pensions and our ageing population if the workforce is shrinking?

The summit looks likely now to be dubbed "the baby summit".

"The most important question for economic growth in Europe is how to make women and men want to combine work and having families," says Employment Minister Mona Salin.

"I hope the Stockholm meeting will have some of the solutions, but also the symbol it will make if Europe leaders really discussed the question of babies."

Marxism

The second "e" - speeding up the process of enlarging the EU to allow more members in is already very popular with the public - oddly, for a nation that itself would love to get out of the union.

One academic summed this up as a Marxist attitude - not Karl Marx but Groucho.

He once remarked: "I'd never join a club that would allow a person like me to become a member."

It is the great Swedish dilemma unlikely to be resolved during its presidency.