Document LygrEv7VV1Ljq9oZG3EqYkQb

Ms Ursula von der Leyen President European Commission Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels, Belgium Dear President von der Leyen, Brussels, 21 December 2022 Re: Environmental Priorities under the Swedish Presidency of the European Union It gives me great pleasure to send you a copy of the European Environmental Bureau's Memorandum to the incoming Swedish Presidency of the European Union, setting out our hopes and aspirations with respect to the environment-related outcomes of the Presidency via Ten Green Tests. Prepared in cooperation with Seas at Risk, the Memorandum addresses not only topics dealt with under the auspices of the Environment Council but also those dealt with by other Council configurations where these concern matters relating to or affecting the environment. Sweden takes over the EU Presidency amidst a turbulent global political landscape. The illegal Russian war in Ukraine casts a long shadow over Europe, whilst the energy and cost of living crises create social hardships that have not been seen for decades. We are reminded of the importance of the European Green Deal (EGD) as a peace project and the value of solidarity with others, and especially with the Ukrainian people. Sweden's responsibility in encouraging a just green transition, support for the EGD and for a green recovery in Ukraine is essential. Advancing with ambition on the files under the Swedish Council Presidency can help promote transformative change that encourages innovation in industry and sustainable natural resource management, helping Sweden and the EU to become more resilient to resource constraints and price hikes, as well as more competitive in emerging sustainable economic practices and management of natural resources, whilst addressing the triple crisis of climate, biodiversity and pollution. The Memorandum has been prepared on behalf of the EEB's 180 member organizations, spread across 38 European countries and including many European networks, together representing more than 30 million environmentally concerned citizens. We hope that in the coming months this document will serve as a useful point of reference not only for the Swedish Presidency but more widely throughout the Member States and within the EU institutions. The success of an EU Presidency depends upon a collective effort by all parties to the decision-making processes. In this context, we urge you to support the Swedish Government in giving environmental issues the priority they deserve during its Presidency. We would of course welcome any reflections that you may have regarding the issues addressed in the Memorandum. Yours sincerely, Secretary General Cc: College of Commissioners and , members of the Von der Leyen Cabinet European Environmental Bureau Rue des Deux glises 14-16, 1000 Brussels, Belgium @eeb.org www.eeb.org International non-profit association Association internationale sans but lucratif (AISBL EC register for interest representatives: ID number: 06798511314-27 BCE ID number: 0415.814.848 RPM Tribunal de l'entreprise francophone de Bruxelles