On 1 January 2023, Sweden assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the period from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023. Alongside unprecedented support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian aggression, the Swedish Presidency will focus on security, competitiveness, green and energy transitions, and democratic values and the rule of law. Priorities in the area of Justice and Home Affairs is being given to combating organised crime, terrorism, and violent extremism as well as to the review of the EU’s migration and asylum system.

In detail, Sweden plans to intensify negotiations on the following dossiers:

• The upcoming proposal for a Directive on the transfer of criminal proceedings;
• The proposal for a new Directive on asset recovery and confiscation;
• The revision of the Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law.

Priority will also be given to equipping law enforcement and prosecution authorities in order to effectively combat crimes committed online. The Swedish Council Presidency will continue negotiations on the Prüm II Regulation, focus on implementation of the interoperability programme and move forward with the Directive on information exchange. It will commence negotiations on a new Directive to combat male violence against women as well as intimate partner violence. Lastly, it aims to initiate negotiations on the Commission’s proposal to improve possibilities for collecting and using advance passenger information to strengthen border controls and law enforcement.