Update on Swedish EU Presidency Minister for Communications

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000718 STATE PASS USTR FOR DAVID WEINER AND KIRA ALVAREZ STATE PASS FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION STATE PASS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMERCE FOR NTIA NSC FOR KRISTINA KVEIN USEU FOR CHASE AND LIPPEAT SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ETTC KIPR SENV EINT ETRD OVIP PGOV SW SUBJECT: Update on Swedish EU Presidency Minister for Communications and Transport Visit to Washington to Get Input for EU Transport and ICT Strategies REF: Stockholm 715 ¶1. (U) Summary: In Reftel, Post recommended appropriate policy-level Washington officials meet with Swedish Minister of Communications Asa Torstensson during her November 30-December 3 visit because she is seeking U.S. input into her efforts to "set the starting position" for discussions of the EU ICT and Transport Agenda. Post has received additional information about the visit, and how it plugs into the EU efforts to develop its ICT strategy for the next five years and its Transport strategy for the next 10 years. End Summary. Appointments Obtained So Far -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Contrary to Reftel, the Swedish Embassy has not yet obtained an appointment for Minister Torstensson with OMB's Vivek Kundra. The confirmed meetings currently are: Annesh Chopra, OSTP Rob Atkinson, CEO of ITIF Rep Oberstar The Swedish side say they are also most likely meet with the research arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with a meeting the Swedish Embassy is hosting for the science counselors of EU member state embassies. The Swedish Embassy has requested meetings with: Vivek Kundra, OMB Secretary Locke at the Department of Commerce; Julius Genachowski, the Chairman of the FCC Sen Jay Rockefeller Joseph Szabo, Federal Railroad Administration Because Secretary of Transportation LaHood will not be in Washington during the Minister's visit, the Swedish side is looking in to the possibility of setting up a meeting in Moscow (where both Torstensson and LaHood will be attending a road safety conference this week),or possibly setting up a meeting with DOT's Deputy Secretary. ¶3. (U) The Swedish Ministry of Communications and Transport organizer for the trip, Petter Bryman, provided additional information on the purpose for the visit, including how it will help set the starting point for EU discussions of both Transport and ICT strategy. ¶4. (U) The is currently conducting a strategic review of its transport and ICT policies, which will result in the publication in 2010 of a new transport policy strategy for the coming ten years and a new ICT policy strategy for the coming five years. As the current holder of the EU Presidency, Sweden's main priority in the field of transport and ICT policy has been to discuss and define the common strategic priorities of the EU member states' governments for the coming five to ten years. As a part of this process several conferences and stakeholder meetings as well as numerous bilateral and multilateral discussions between EU ministers have already taken place. ¶5. (U) In the November 13 meeting with Ambassador Barzun (reftel), Minister Torstensson explained how her visit to Washington comes at a defining juncture in this process. The final negotiations among EU transport and ICT ministers and the adoption of their recommendation for the strategies to be presented next year will take place at a meeting in Brussels on 17 and 18 December that Torstensson will chair. In light of this, the Minister said she wants to hear what American policy makers see as the main challenges for transport and ICT in the coming five to ten years and how they intend to tackle them. ¶6. (U) Regarding the requested meetings on transport, Bryman said one of the main challenges for the EU over the next decade is to create an integrated transport system for all modes of transport. Bryman also noted that Europe is a leader in efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. ¶7. (U) Additional contact information for trip organizer Petter Bryman: Petter Bryman International Secretariat Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications 10333 Stockholm, SWEDEN Tel 46 8 405 36 17 Cell 46 761 42 08 03 ¶8. (U) Comment: As noted in reftel, this visit presents an opportunity to shape the Swedish EU Presidency perspective as Torstensson develops the Member States conclusions on what Europe's ICT and Transport strategy should be. BARZUN