EEB-SSNC Meeting on Swedish EU Presidency + Air Quality Policy discussions 

Monday 5 December 2022, SSNC offices, Stockholm + hybrid access. 

Time: 14:00 to 16:00/17:00 CET  

Address: Naturskyddsföreningen (SSNC) offices, Åsögatan 115, 2 tr, Stockholm 

 Registration: Please send your registration to caroline.matsson@naturskyddsforeningen.se by Thursday 1 December and let us know whether you will be participating on site or remotely. 

The aim of the workshop(s):   

Sweden is taking over the presidency of the council on 1 January 2023 and has the responsibility to advance on key European Green Deal files inherited from the current Czech Presidency. Sweden is the third of the current presidency trio, combining France, Czechia and Sweden. What the Swedish council presidency helps get council decisions on will define the legacy of the trio, plus create a basis for the subsequent trio, comprising Spain, Belgium and Hungary.  EEB prepared Priorities for the 2022-2023 Trio Presidency and is in the process of developing a Memorandum for the Swedish presidency that includes EEB’s Ten Green Tests. This workshop aims to share EEB’s draft Ten Green Tests together with Swedish civil society and other experts. This will be an open exchange and form the first part of the workshop. 

In addition, the recently launched Ambient Air Quality Directive, is a specifically important file, particularly given the evidence of multiple health and environmental impacts from pollution, the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines underlining the scientific consensus of stricter air quality standards, and the relevance of a strong European enabling framework.  This will form the second part of the workshop.  Attendees are welcome to join either the whole or selected sessions.  

Input documents: 

• Priorities for the 2022-2023 Trio Presidency 

• A presentation on the draft Ten Green Tests for Sweden will be shared with those registering. 

Preliminary agenda 

Part 1: Swedish Council Presidency:  Sweden taking a leading role in environmental protection? 

14:00 Roundtable of introductions 

14:15: Exchange of views on the Swedish EU Presidency of the Council  

• SSNC opening remarks and perspective 
• Roundtable and reactions from other CSOs based in Sweden and the Nordic countries 

14:30: EEB Presentation of draft Ten Green Tests for Sweden 

• Presentation by Patrick ten Brink, EEB Secretary General on the EEB’s mid-term assessment of the European Green Deal and Draft Ten Green Tests 

• Roundtable discussion on priorities, asks for Council Role and where Sweden should lead by example. Nordic perspective and angles that are important to bear in mind 

15: 30 Way forward: how to get the Ten Green Tests become reality 

• Timeline and proposed actions leading up to the EEB Annual Events in Stockholm 7-10 May 2023 and beyond 

Part 2: Specific Focus: Air Quality and the Ambient Air Quality Directive  

16:00 Specific Focus: Air Quality and the Ambient Air Quality Directive 

• Commission Proposal on the AAQD: Francois Wakenhut, DGENV (tbc) 
• The European Commission Proposal on the AAQD: main elements and need for strengthening:   Margherita Tolotto, EEB Senior Policy Officer for Air and Noise and Patrick ten Brink 
• The Swedish NGO perspective on the revision of the AAQD: Ebba Malmqvist, AirClim or Christer Ågren (tbc). 
• The possible revision of the Gothenburg Protocol: Sweden’s leading role 

• Roundtable: how to make the AAQD fully deliver on the zero pollution ambition? 

 17:00 Closing of workshop  

The target audience for this meeting is civil society organisations