Four years have passed since the adoption of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). Ahead of the annual forum which is taking place in November 2013 in Vilnius, Kristine Kern and Stefan Gänzle analyse the evolution of the strategy’s governance and activities.

On 28 January 2013, the EFTA Court passed a judgment in the so called Icesave case, regarding Iceland’s rules on the protection of savers’ deposits following the collapse of all its major banks in the autumn of 2008. In the opinion of the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA), this constituted a breach of the EU Directive on deposit-guarantee schemes.

On 1 July 2013 Lithuania – for the first time – assumed the rotating presidency of the EU Council. This publication analyses the main aspects of the preparations and challenges ahead of the Lithuanian Presidency.

The fundamental task of the European Council has been to define the EU´s general political direction. Its influence and scope of intervention, however, is gradually increasing.

With the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Union has been formally instructed to “develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries” (Article 8 TEU). This new European Policy Analysis examines the nature and object of this broad EU ‘neighbourhood competence’.

The present financial and sovereign debt crisis has underlined the important role of housing finance in the economy. This analysis summarizes previous and current attempts of the European Union to create a common legal framework for mortgage credit contracts.

In this European Policy Analysis, Magnus Jerneck argues that enhanced cooperation between the euro countries presents Sweden with a decisive challenge. According to the author, EU Member States that choose to remain outside the Monetary Union will find it increasingly difficult to exert influence in the EU.

According to the Europe 2020 strategy, public authorities in the European Union should make better use of public procurement in support of general societal goals such as good environmental protection and social conditions. This analysis discusses the proposal from the European Commission on new procurement rules that will enhance strategic use of public procurement.

The confidence in the European Union project is waning because distinctions between political and economic liberalism are not clearly defined, Sverker Gustavsson argues in this European Policy Analysis. Political parties, interest groups and opinion-makers should therefore explain the significance of the project and shed light on inconsistencies.

The economic crisis continues to affect trust in the EU project. In Sweden, as in most other Member States, drop in public support for the EU has been observed.