About: Sweden
Environmental measures in Swedish forests will continue to be strong
In a recent opinion piece, a group of NGOs wrote that Sweden's forest policy is wreaking havoc. Herman Sundqvist argues that this is wrong on several counts and that the country is working to improve environmental measures in the forest.
Sweden’s forest crimes
Sweden presents itself as a global torchbearer on the environment, but its forest policy is wreaking havoc. The EU must act to stop it, say five European NGOs.
What to do with rejected asylum seekers?
As the EU considers tougher rules for returning asylum seekers who had their application rejected, more people might be placed in detention and the possibility of voluntary return could be limited, writes Anna Lundberg.
Europe’s political mainstream must try to tame the far right
Far right parties are here to stay and, if unchecked, they will continue growing. The way to halt this process – risky as it may seem - is for the mainstream to try to tame them, argues Harry Nedelcu.
Circular bio-economy supports growth and mitigates climate change impact
A European strategy for bio-economy should take the structural differences of different member states into account while also promoting and reinforcing a common vision for the sector, write Carina Håkansson and Mårten Larsson.
Let’s talk about the losers of protectionism
European politicians have a big role to play in communicating why globalisation matters. We need politicians that are brave enough to talk about the losers of protectionism, not just the losers of globalisation, writes Carola Lemne.
Short-term views on forest climate benefits is a mistake
The Commission’s land-use proposal risks being a step backwards in transitioning to a fossil fuel-free economy. Mårten Larsson explains the alternatives.
EU takes the helm in a year of ocean mobilisation
2017 will be remembered as the turning point in how the international community works together to protect the ocean, write Karmenu Vella and Isabella Lövin.
March for Science: Is the basis of the knowledge society being eroded?
After years of sluggish advance, the house of world economics looks generally strong. However, those who ensure the knowledge base for growth, the scientists and researchers, face threats to their system, writes Thomas Jorgensen.
Will France’s next president be innovative?
France's election is a test-bed for democratic renewal. However, without a more coherent understanding of how to be more democratic, it is unlikely that the next French president will be truly innovative, writes Stephen Boucher.
Antibiotic resistance needs global response
Bacteria are becoming more resistant and only a few new types of antibiotic have been introduced in recent decades. Humanity could once again suffer millions of deaths each year from infectious diseases, warn Lars Adaktusson and Magnus Oscarsson.
Syrian refugees must be part of the solution
The horrors of Aleppo continue to shock the world and the war has displaced millions. Syrian activist Mohammed Alsaud calls on the EU to involve the Syrian diaspora and the refugees themselves in efforts to tackle the issues at stake.
Changing track on trade
A potential CETA trainwreck was narrowly avoided this week, but the chaos surrounding the EU-Canada trade deal has been long in the making and may not be over yet, warns Pieter de Pous.
The EU’s dangerous biomass delusion
Bioenergy advocates claim that Europe’s forests are well managed and don’t contribute to global warming. Yet, biomass production in Europe is projected to rely more and more on materials that have a high risk of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, writes Linde Zuidema.
The major stumbling block of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs its mediators to come to an interim agreement that benefits both sides, while international actors, like the EU, have to differentiate between the factors at play in the Caucasus, writes Dr Gulshan Pashayeva.
The omissions of the EU’s new Arctic policy
Nations both close and distant to the Arctic Circle are increasingly becoming engaged in the North, as the European Union’s new policy for the Arctic shows. The plan is a step forward, but it speaks volumes by what it leaves out, writes Antonia Sohns.
Sweden to vote on closer NATO ties
Swedish lawmakers are set to vote on 25 May on a Host Nation Agreement with NATO that would represent a step toward further cooperation with the alliance for a nation that has resisted alignment with multilateral military bodies for over 200 years, write Olof Kronvall and Colin Cleary.
MEPs recognised the Nord Stream threat – the rest of the EU should follow
The European Parliament stood up to its role as the democratic conscience of the European Union by saying loud and clear that the Nord Stream 2 project must be stopped, writes Jacek Saryusz-Wolski.
Ensure energy directives lead to real and effective energy savings
Substantial parts of EU energy legislation are being reviewed this year, aiming to improve efficiency, cut emissions, increase supply security and save money. But a number of requirements must be met before this can happen, write Marie Linder and Kurt Eliasson.
Laws are signals: Europe could learn from Sweden on human trafficking prevention
To reduce the demand for human trafficking, legislation should shift the criminal burden onto those who purchase sexual services, rather than those who sell it, argues Linnéa Engstrom.
Alarming trends in media freedom blight Europe
Freedom of expression and media pluralism are principles enshrined in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Member states are bound to guarantee them, as they represent the essence of liberal democracies. But Pier Luigi Parcu asks whether this is true in practice.
Handling our structural problems a prerequisite for openness
The Five President’s Report does not provide enough answers on how to push through vital reforms and does not focus on how to solve the monetary union’s main problems, writes Paul Lindquist.
Brussels attacks tear at the fabric of the European Union
Among other negative consequences for the EU, political parties and groups that want the United Kingdom to leave the Union could use the recent terrorist attacks to justify greater isolation from the continent, writes Stratfor, the global intelligence company.