Jessika Roswall (M) proposed as new EU Commissioner

The current EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson, who has held the position since 2019, will be succeeded by EU Minister Jessika Roswall. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a press conference in Rosenbad on Monday. “Jessika is widely respected, both as an individual and for the country she represents,” said Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

For the past two years, Jessika Roswall has served as a moderate EU minister in the government, a role Kristersson highlights as giving her an advantage as Commissioner. “I will continue to work with my ministerial colleagues and commissioners, the contacts I have made over the years are valuable to me,” said Jessika Roswall at the press conference. When asked if it was clear to take on the task, Roswall quickly responded yes. “After having worked with EU politics for quite some time, it is simply a privilege,” she said.

If everything goes as the Prime Minister wishes, the EU Commissioner will take office in early autumn. The Commissioner’s area of responsibility will only be decided after negotiations with the Commission President. It is most likely that the German Ursula von der Leyen will continue in that role. However, this will not be officially confirmed until the EU Parliament approves her, at the earliest next week.

When asked if she had sought any specific portfolios in the EU Commission, Roswall said: “From a Swedish perspective, since the government took office, we have had priorities around making Europe safer, freer, and greener.” The Moderates have never had a Commissioner in the EU in Sweden’s 28 years of membership.

The EU Commission works essentially as the EU’s government and presents the legislative proposals that are then handled concurrently by the EU Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers. However, the initiatives for the proposals come from the EU’s heads of state and government, who guide the Commission’s work through their regular summits. At the same time, the EU Commission is also responsible for ensuring that member countries comply with common laws and rules.