It took a couple of weeks for the new Swedish Government to decide who shall take care of forestry matters. Mr Eskil Erlandsson, Minister for Agriculture, was appointed to this post. He is 49 years old and has been a member of the Swedish Parliament since 1994, representing the Centre Party as expert of defence matters. From the beginning he was a forestry worker and forest owner. Together with his brother he owns and manages a forest area in Southern Sweden. His comments on green industries are the following:
"Green industries in Sweden must compete on the same terms as in the rest of the EU. This is necessary to safeguard the modern countryside, which is so important to us all. It gives us safe and healthy food, renewable energy and open landscapes. The green industries are a vital resource in the drive for sustainable development and I want to make it easier to create new and exciting businesses everywhere in this country. A combination of energy production, tourism, agriculture and forestry can generate many new jobs."