Ladies and gentlemen!

It is great pleasure for me to see you all here today at his kick-off  party for the Swedish EU Presidency which started on 1 July and will end on 31 December.

It is the second time Sweden holds the Presidency. The first one was in the spring of 2001. EU had only 15 members. We arranged several  EU summits in Sweden one of them in June with Canada with  Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.  I remember it well - and it seems as if it were yesterday.

Today, eight years later, EU has 27 member countries and we all know that Europe has gone through a period of remarkable transformation since the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago.

One of the countries that has joined the EU after 2001 is the Czech Republic, Sweden’s predecessor as holder of the Presidency. I want to take this opportunity to express my great gratitude to Ambassador Karel Zebrakovsky and his staff for excellent co-operation during the handing-over of the presidency and I similarly hope for good co-operation with Spain, one of the old-timers in the Union,  which will take up the Presidency on 1 January 2010. A great thank you also to the EU Commission Delegation in Ottawa for guaranteeing continuity in the way EU is represented in Canada.

The European Union is facing a crucial period, as it has so many times. and our presidency will be characterised by that challenge. Taking on  the challenge is also the motto of our presidency.

The coming six months will be a time of both change and renewal. The newly elected European Parliament will begin its work and a new EU Commission will be appointed. The conditions for cooperation within the Union will change considerably if the Treaty of Lisbon – a new EU constitution -  enters into force.

The two main priorities for the Swedish presidency are the economy and the climate – issues that affect every citizen of the EU and the world.

It is our ambition that the EU will emerge from the present economic crises in a stronger position than before. We, EU member countries, will jointly and together with the whole international community continue to work to counter the negative impact of the crisis on growth and jobs with the aim of a quick economic recovery.  We will fight protectionism  and promote free trade as a means of fostering growth and  development, and strive to see the Doha Round negotiations resumed and brought to a successful conclusion. Also a number of important free trade agreements are on the agenda.

And for the Presidency here in Canada the first priority is to see to it that the newly launched negotiations between Canada and EU for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA, will get a smooth and efficient start this fall.

EU and  Canada should show the world that free trade is a precondition for a rapid economic recovery from the current crises.    

It is our a strong ambition that the EU will continue to take the responsibility for the  threat of global warming. Together with other countries - and there I certainly include Canada -   the EU needs to work hard to achieve the adoption of an ambitious  new climate agreement during the international climate conference in Copenhagen in December. 

We also have other important challenges ahead of us: The EU must continue to move towards a more secure and open Europe, a  Europe where it will be simple to move and travel without passports and visas - but at the same time we must see to it  that criminals and terrorists do not take advantage of the openness.

We will develop further deepened regional cooperation in the EU with the Baltic Sea states through adopting a Baltic Sea Strategy. We will work to strengthen the EU’s role as a global actor and last but not least, we are prepared to manage unforeseen crises. The development in Iran and in Honduras have already required Presidency action.

The continued enlargement process is of central importance.  And Sweden has as you know always been a promoter of  EU enlargement.  Croatia’s negotiations with the EU could reach a final stage during fall. The Presidency is also aiming at continued progress in Turkey’s accession negotiations.

Further development of the so-called European Neighbourhood Policy is given priority. Particular focus will be on the implementation of the Eastern Partnership programme , aiming at strengthening EU’s relations with a number of  Eastern neighbouring countries, among them Ukraine and Armenia. We know that Canada is prepared to support EU in this process and we are very much looking  forward to working with you.

Relations with Russia are of strategic importance for us and it is vital that the EU engagement vis-à-vis Afghanistan and Pakistan is further strengthened. Also here we see co-operation with Canada as vital.

International law, human rights, democracy and the rule of law should permeate EU’s external policy. There Canada and EU have a lot in common!

I admit  - this is a long and ambitious list for a challenging time.  And we are looking forward to working together with the EU- colleagues, with Canada and the rest of the world to meet these challenges.

Before I end a great thank you to Volvo for sponsoring this event. Look at their great cars on display in the garden. Thank you also to the staff of the embassy for helping me arrange this party and….

…to all of you, enjoy the afternoon.

Thank you!