EU work
Work at the Ministry of Defence is to a considerable degree defined by Sweden's membership of the EU. This affects almost all of the Ministry's areas of responsibility; all departments of the Ministry and officials at all levels are engaged in EU work.
Main areas of responsibility
EU cooperation in the Ministry of Defence's sphere of responsibility mainly relates to the following areas:
- Civil protection
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Security and Defence Policy
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Surveillance, supervision and control at sea
- The defence industry and research
The Ministry of Defence shares responsibility for some of these areas with other ministries in the Government Offices.
Work in the Council
The Ministry's areas of responsibility are dealt with in different configurations of the Council, primarily:
- General Affairs and External Relations
- Justice and Home Affairs
- Competitiveness
- Transports, Telecommunication and Energy
The Minister of Defence participates twice a year (once per Presidency) in ministerial meetings of EU defence ministers. These meetings take place within the framework of the General Affairs and External Relations Council.
EU defence ministers also meet at informal reunions twice a year in the member state currently holding the Presidency.
Sweden's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels
The Ministry of Defence has six special attachés who serve at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union in Brussels.
