Few EU commissioners have been in the spotlight as much as the Swedish one in recent years. Ylva Johansson has had five intense years of migration policy, combating terror and drug trafficking, and online abuse.
Above all, she will likely be remembered for having brought together the EU's asylum and migration pact, after years of disagreement among member states. That it is criticized by the consistently refugee-hostile far-right does not worry her. Rather, she sees it as a countermeasure to the growth of extremist parties.
This will, in the long run, take away the oxygen from the far-right. They have been nourished by our failure to handle migration. Now we show that it can be done, especially if you work together, says Johansson at a press conference with TT and other European news agencies in Brussels.
"Chat control"
When she summarizes her EU years, she also boasts about how borders have been opened for refugees from Ukraine and how the Schengen area has been expanded with Croatia and soon fully with Bulgaria and Romania.
On the other hand, she has not succeeded in getting her controversial proposal to combat child abuse material online through. The so-called CSAM directive has been nicknamed "chat control" and is accused of implying too much surveillance.
She hopes, however, that her successor Magnus Brunner from Austria can take the matter further.
It's quite urgent, as there is a pandemic on the internet when it comes to serious sexual violence against children, says Johansson.
Visas and Football
To Brunner, she is also leaving a growing focus on combating drug trafficking and organized crime. She also believes that the EU needs to be tougher when it comes to approving visas from Russia. Although the war in Ukraine has reduced the number of Russian visas by 90 percent, over 400,000 visas are still issued annually – mainly to EU's major tourist countries.
That's quite a few. It's time to review whether we should have an even stricter approach, says Johansson.
What she will do next, she says she has not yet decided. Maybe her interest in football will prevail, says Johansson, who previously was chairman of the Stockholm Football Association.
I left football ten years ago and would like to return – not as a job, but to contribute in some way.
Ylva Johansson (born 1964) has been Sweden's EU Commissioner from 2019 to November 2024.
She was previously a Social Democratic Minister of Education 1994–1998, Minister of Health and Social Affairs 2004–2006, and Minister of Employment 2014–2019. She began her political career as a member of parliament for the Left Party 1988–1991.
Johansson was also chairman of the Stockholm Football Association 2011–2014 and is an honorary member of Hammarby football.
In the EU Commission, her tasks will be taken over by Austrian Magnus Brunner from Sunday. Sweden's place will be taken by Jessika Roswall (The Moderate Party) who will be responsible for environment and water resilience.
