Sweden is one of the few countries that waived any restrictions for Romanians, after they joined the EU, Romanian Center on European Policies experts opinionated in a recent report on Romania's challenge to gain more ground at the EU level. Romania should have a say in regulating the European financial sector, CO2 emission cuts or the Baltic Sea strategy (as a precedent for the Danube strategy) and the Eastern partnership, experts conclude.

The Swedish government announced several heavy priorities which will demand harmonization and advocacy work. In this context, Romania could actively take up the challenge to gain more ground at the EU level, the report reads.

Sweden's main priorities include: the economic crisis and unemployment, climate change , a push for a EU immigration and asylum common policy, a Baltic Sea strategy and expansion and Eastern partnership.

When it comes to the labor market, the report underlines that Romania should take advantage of the Swedish EU Presidency and lobby for a labor restriction waiver. Romania needs to clarify its position towards Moldova, in the context of EU expansion plans, the report reads.

In terms of CO2 emission cuts, Romania should have a say in the European debate on energy and climate change. Our country should uphold the idea of regional energy developments and should lobby for an improved network interconnectivity to cut emissions.

The Swedish plans for the Baltic Sea is a premier because it concerns a region which includes a lot of EU member states and extra-communitarian states (eight of the nine countries at the Baltic Sea are EU member states). This represents an obvious precedent for Romania's own priority, for the Danube river and Romanian authorities should take note of the strategies put forward for the Baltic Sea.