Sweden to prioritise the three Es
While the three Es, Enlargement, Employment and Environment, will dominate the agenda of the Swedish Presidency of the EU which commences on 1 January 2001, research and the European Research Area have been designated as high priorities. 'Research is increasingly crucial to development, renewal and employment and will be accorded high priority during the Swedish Presidency. Efforts to create a European research area through voluntary cooperation and networking will be reported at the summit meeting in Stockholm in March 2001,' states the Swedish presidency programme. Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson announced on 14 December Sweden's intentions to pave the way for a political breakthrough in enlargement negotiations, to promote an efficient and ambitious follow-up to the Lisbon European Council and ensure that the Stockholm summit contributes to further progress in areas such as employment, economic reform, innovation, education, social security and welfare, and to intensify EU cooperation in the area of the environment and sustainable development. Another Swedish priority is e-learning: 'Sweden would particularly like to contribute to progress in equipping young people and adults to be able to utilise the potential of information and communication technology and in developing the different components of lifelong learning. Sweden intends to contribute to the successful implementation of the action plan for e-Learning.' Negotiations on the EU's Sixth Framework programme for research will be initiated during the Swedish Presidency. More information on Sweden's plans will be available following a press conference on 15 December.es of inno
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Sweden