01/30/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/30/2023 04:59
From 1 January through 30 June 2023, Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, also known as the Council of Ministers. With the Presidency, Sweden will plan and lead the work of the Council of Ministers for six months, and represent the Council in its relations with other EU institutions.
Each Member State has priorities for its Presidency, and the Government has decided on four priorities that will apply during the Swedish Presidency:
Given the Coast Guard's work on security issues in various areas, the Authority is involved in several Council working groups. This may involve working groups conducting meetings in Sweden, including visits to the Authority, or the Coast Guard contributing to security efforts during certain high-level meetings. In its appropriation directions for 2023, the Coast Guard has been tasked with supporting the Government Offices in their work with the Presidency.
In one of the Council working groups, the Coast Guard has a greater role. This concerns the working group on the European Maritime Security Strategy.
The working group will address a wide range of issues. Some that are particularly prioritised during the Swedish Presidency are:
Six meetings are planned in Brussels between January and June. In addition to these meetings, the working group plans to hold an informal meeting in Sweden. The meeting will last for three days in June, and will include a visit to the Coast Guard.
The Presidency pursues the Council's work on EU legislation, ensures continuity of the EU agenda and ensures that legislative processes are orderly and that Member States cooperate. To do so, the Presidency must act as a neutral mediator.
The Presidency has two main tasks:
Independently of the Presidency, the Coast Guard is continuously working on several cooperative projects within the European Union. Examples include cooperation with the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the EU Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX).
Cooperation with FRONTEX has been a particular priority in recent years, as the Coast Guard has been one of the authorities tasked with contributing to the development of the standing corps within FRONTEX.
FRONTEX's various tasks also include EU-wide operational interventions aimed at guarding the EU's external border. The task of the Coast Guard and the Police during these interventions is to assist the national public authorities leading the intervention with border surveillance at sea. The Coast Guard is currently involved in an operation in Italy, and this role includes:
Changed 30 January 2023 11:57