BRUSSELS 29-30 Oct 2009 European Union leaders meet 

European Union leaders meet for the first summit of the EU presidency of Sweden, the member that has the highest share of renewable sources in its energy use – at around 43 per cent. Its stated goal is to see the rest of the bloc in step on climate issues before the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen in December. A coherent EU climate goal could be elusive as the bloc faces institutional uncertainty and members are battling Europe's most severe economic depression in decades.

The EU leaders at are expected to appoint the new list of commissioners, the new EU foreign minister and the president of the European Council at the summit. It is also expected to debate and maybe agree on a loose framework for the new diplomatic service of the bloc.

According to EurActiv, Sweden's challenges include responding as a bloc to the global economic crisis, pushing forward the final stages of the Lisbon Treaty's ratification and presiding over consultations to appoint the EU positions foreseen under the Lisbon Treaty to reform the bloc. The positions include Commission president, the first-ever permanent president of the European Council and the first EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. An all-important Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty could happen before the EU summit. Another No vote from the Irish Republic, which will deepen the institutional uncertainly, will see Stockholm in a damage-limitation mode at the summit.

Sweden will also draw attention to the heavy public deficit that many member states are running in their efforts to fend off the recession. Returning public finances to sustainable levels will therefore be a focus point. Sweden is not a member of the euro zone, but its own budget deficit is smaller than that of most eurozone countries.

Between 1990 and 2006, Sweden cut emissions by 9 per cent, exceeding its Kyoto protocol target, while enjoying economic growth of 44 per cent. The positive growth could help persuade the climate change doubters among EU member countries -- most notably the Czech Republic -- that emissions-cutting is both feasible and desirable during belt-tightening times. The Copenhagen summit is expected to thrash out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

The October summit could be the second to last under the rotating presidency system. It the Lisbon reform treaty comes into force soon, the permanent EU hierarchy will preside over the summits of 2010 and beyond. Jul/09

RELATED READING:

Greens won't cheer when Swedes take over EU presidency from the Czechs (Guardian 30 Jun 2009)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/jun/30/eu-presidency-climate-change-sweden

European Union Swedish presidency
http://www.se2009.eu/en