One of the many roles that go unseen at the Member States’ permanent representations to the EU in Brussels is that of assistant. When ministers from all the EU countries meet in Brussels to discuss employment policy or integration and gender equality, Wivi-Anne Hult, assistant at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU, knows most of what’s going on.

EU ministers for employment and for integration and gender equality are meeting in Brussels. It was several weeks ago that Wivi-Anne Hult began finding out and arranging the details of the meeting. Ms Hult knows when the two Swedish ministers Sven Otto Littorin and Nyamko Sabuni will arrive at the Council building, she has the mobile number of the driver who will take the Swedish delegation from the airport and if there is anything she does not know, she knows whom to ask, either in Brussels or Stockholm.

“Around three weeks before the Council meeting, when I have the first draft of the agenda, I contact the ministry in Stockholm to find out which minister and which officials are coming to attend the meeting. I have to plan and ensure that all the practical aspects during the meeting run as they should.”

Everything can change at the last minute

Based on the agenda for the Council meeting, Wivi-Anne draws up a programme. This contains practical information for those involved at the Council meeting, both from the ministry in Stockholm and the Permanent Representation in Brussels. Without making any other comparisons, it is as detailed and precise as a military invasion plan, with names, times and telephone numbers. Before the day of the meeting there are always changes to the schedule, which mean that the programme has to be revised.

“We sort out all the logistics at the last minute. We have to ensure that the minister arrives at the right place at the right time. It’s always exciting when several different ministers attend a meeting. This places greater demands on the organisation of all the practical details such as transport to and from the meeting and which minister will be in which meeting room in the Council building.”

Ms Hult explains that the major task, besides logistics, is assembling the folders with all the background material for the ministers’ discussions and decisions. These include the latest version of the agenda, draft conclusions from the meeting and other background documents. The folders are often as thick as telephone directories.

“The folders contain all the documents that are needed during the meeting.
I make the folders for the EU ambassadors and attachés from the Permanent Representation. The ministers and officials from Stockholm bring their own folders with them.”

Spider in the web

Ms Hult says that her job involves having good contact with the ministries so that everyone has the correct version of the documents for the meeting.

“Cooperation with those who work with EU coordination at the ministry has been great. That’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of this job – being a link between Stockholm and Brussels. It is often easier for me to find out things for colleagues in Stockholm than for them to ring round.”

Our conversation is interrupted by the telephone ringing. Minister for Employment Sven Otto Littorin is at the European Parliament reporting to the Members on what happened at the Council meeting the day before. The meeting at the Parliament has gone more quickly than anticipated and his staff wonder if the transport to the airport can leave earlier. Ms Hult says that she will find out and get back to them quickly with an answer.

What happens when the Presidency is over?

“I am hoping to stay in Brussels. I am busy applying for jobs. Before the Presidency I worked at a regional council here and I am happy here”, concludes Ms Hult. She reaches for the telephone to check whether that earlier transport to the airport can be arranged.