SWEDISH HEALTH MINISTER TO INVITE NEW U.S.

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000228 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EINT PGOV PREL TBIO TPHY SW SUBJECT: SWEDISH HEALTH MINISTER TO INVITE NEW U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH TO EU MINISTERIAL ¶1. Minister of Health and Social Affairs Goran Hagglund told CDA on April 6 that he would like to invite the new Secretary of Health and Human Services to Sweden. Hagglund intends to invite the HHS Secretary to the informal meeting of the 27 EU ministers for employment and social affairs (EPSCO) in Jonkoping, Sweden on July 6, 2009. Hagglund would like the new Secretary to discuss plans for the new U.S. e-health system. He noted that in Sweden, the e-health system is well developed and a very high percentage of health records are stored electronically. ¶2. Comment: This will be Sweden's third official invitation to Cabinet members of the new U.S. administration to attend events during its EU Presidency. Secretary of Energy Chu has been invited to an EU Energy ministerial on July 23-24, and Secretary of Labor Solis have been invited to attend the EPSCO in Jonkoping on July 8. In addition, Swedish MFA staff tell us that Foreign Minister Bildt will, in their face-to-face meeting on May 4, invite the Secretary to the informal Gymnich ministerial on September 4-5. SILVERMAN