Serbia, Christmas and the Spanish Presidency

Post-Copenhagen

It is no secret that we would have wished for a better deal in Copenhagen. The deal the world finally could agree on will not solve the climate issue. There was a lack of political will from some parts and with the current structure of the climate convention, where consenus is needed to come to a decision, the possibilities to delay the discussions are noticeable. Together with several African countries and small island states, the EU pushed for a more ambitious outcome, but those with the lowest ambitions set the agenda.

Among the positive results from Copenhagen is the recognition of the two degree target. The commitment to pay for adaptation and mitigation in the developing countries is also important. The commitment from the industrialized countries amounts to about 30 billion dollars for the period 2010-2012, of which the EU and Japan will contribute with more than 10 billion dollars each, while the US puts in 3,6 billion dollars.

The commitments to emissions reductions, however, remain too weak and no long-term goal is set. Many unclear points remain, for example the fundamental issue how we could come to a new legally binding agreement for those not included in the Kyoto protocol.

It is also disturbing that the deal does not clearly state that we now strive for a global, legally binding agreement during 2010. A lot of work remains to be done if we are to build on this deal and reach an agreement that would put the two degree target within reach.

15 years since the magical yes vote

Today, it’s exactly fifteen years since Swedes voted in favour of Sweden joining the European Union. Those of us who campaigned for a yes vote finally succeeded in convincing a majority of the population to put the ’yes’ ballot in the box. It’s hard to forget the joy of victory in the evening of 13 November 1994, when the final results appeared on the TV screen.

The referendum followed on a long and quite aggressive campaign, paved by exaggerated rumours from the no side, claiming how Sweden would be hit by EU membership. Hormon-treated beef was to invade supermarkets, the right to walk freely in our forests would be banned, Germans were to buy up each and every summer house in the country and democracy would come to an end. Did this actually happen?

Of course not. It’s true, however, that EU membership has brought substantial and positive changes to the Swedish society. Today, we share a Common Foreign and Security Policy with 26 other Member States, we are part of a single market with nearly half a billion consumers. We have tough, common regulations on environment and a common policy on asylum and migration will soon be in place. After fifteen years of membership, the European Union has become an integral part of Swedish democracy.

The government is committed to standing up for Europe back home, by showing the added value of EU membership, tell citizens what the government does in Brussels and engage in a dialogue on EU related issues.

The result? Well, since a number of years, a majority of Swedes support membership in the EU and consider the European Union as a good thing. This support is constantly growing.