Sweden at midnight Thursday (2300 GMT) handed over the rotating presidency of the European Union to Spain, ending its six-month period at the helm of the 27-nation bloc, dpa reported.
The Spanish EU presidency will be the first under the Lisbon Treaty that entered into force December 1. The treaty created a full-time chairman of the EU council, and the first holder of the position is Belgium's former premier, Herman Van Rompuy.
Climate change issues and securing the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty - aimed at streamlining decision-making in the EU - proved to be the most difficult issues during the six-month presidency, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said.
On the Lisbon Treaty, Reinfeldt recalled how he had to take on "a last-minute demand" from Czech President Vaclav Klaus, he said in remarks published a few days before the handover on the Swedish EU presidency website.
Another new position is held by Catherine Ashton of Britain, director of the bloc's foreign policy and diplomatic service.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote on his blog that he at midnight had telephoned Ashton to hand over foreign policy matters to her.