Although the current Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso received unanimous approval from the European Council at the Brussels summit of 18-19 June, his reappointment is still not certain. Barroso and all his nominations to the Commission must be approved by the European Parliament. Although the EP is dominated by centre-right MEPs supportive of Barroso, he must make sure that he obtains sufficient support from the currently hostile Socialists and Greens.

On 24-26 June, the United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development was held in New York City. The aim of the conference was to discuss long-term and wide-ranging reform of the international financial architecture, taking into account the views of all UN member states. UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon stressed the need for a new multilateralism in his address, but no developed country leaders were present to hear it. The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso did not attend, sending the message that the EU considers the G20 to be the only forum for negotiating the international response to the global economic crisis. The heads of the World Bank and IMF were also invited but did not attend.

Amnesty International (AI) officials have stated that they are "very hopeful" that Sweden will prioritise human rights during its presidency of the EU, which begins in July. At a press conference in Brussels, AI launched their report: "Recommendations for the Swedish Presidency of the EU". In particular, the organisation hopes that Sweden will push for a stronger EU anti-discrimination directive, reverse the harsh anti-immigration policy trends seen in recent years, and condemn European states' collaboration with the US practice of "extraordinary rendition".

On 23 June, the Sudanese government formally withdrew from the 2005 amendments to the EU's Cotonou Partnership Agreement with the African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) states, which governs development cooperation between the two blocs. The decision was motivated by the stipulation that "The parties shall seek to take steps towards ratifying and implementing the Rome Statute [on the International Criminal Court (ICC)] and related instruments." The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir last year on charges of war crimes in the Darfur conflict.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has announced a one-day conference on 22 September in order to promote the "political momentum needed to seal the deal" at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, which will agree the international framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2012.