Stockholm - The prime ministers of Sweden and Ukraine Friday discussed Ukraine's efforts to form closer ties with the European Union.

Sweden hoped to see an association agreement in place between the 27-nation bloc and Ukraine during Sweden's six-month presidency of the EU next year, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said.

Stockholm - Independent firms have been commissioned to assess the value of Carnegie Investment Bank AB recently taken over by the Swedish state, officials said Friday.

Bo Lundgren, head of the Swedish National Debt Office that took over the bank last week, said the two entities that make up Carnegie were to be sold separately but said it was unlikely a deal would be clinched before the end of the year.

The entities comprise Carnegie Investment Bank AB, and pension insurance advisor Max Matthiessen Holding AB that Carnegie took over in early 2007.

Stockholm - The Swedish parliament ratified the European Union reform treaty late Thursday after a nine-hour debate.

The Lisbon Treaty was approved by 243 legislators while 39 voted against. Thirteen members of the 349-seat legislature abstained while 54 members did not attend the vote.

EU Affairs Minister Cecilia Malmstrom, who had urged legislators to ratify the treaty, said it contained "new rules" and offered a "more efficient and open EU."

Rejecting the treaty would mean that Sweden would have "poorer means of influencing decisions" and would lose its say, Malmstrom said.

Birgitta Ohlsson, member of Malmstrom's Liberal Party, earlier said the treaty would make the EU more up-to-date.

Stockholm- The Swedish parliament Thursday began to debate ratification of the European Union reform treaty, with opponents scrambling to postpone the ratification.

Five of the seven parties in the foreign affairs committee a week ago supported approval of the Lisbon Treaty in accordance with the government's recommendation.

Stockholm - Swedish engineering group Sandvik said Thursday it planned to cut 1,040 jobs and reduce production over weakened demand mainly in the automotive and engineering industries.

The group has some 47,000 employees worldwide and operations in 130 countries.

Its core operations include tools for metal-working, machinery and equipment for rock excavation, as well as stainless and high-alloy steels and other metals.

Stockholm - Swedish heavy-vehicle maker Scania Wednesday said it has inked a deal to assemble trucks and buses with the government of Iraq.

The deal was announced in connection with a visit to Iraq by Swedish Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling and a delegation of Swedish businesses, including Scania and telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson.

According to Scania, production was due to begin during the third-quarter 2009.

Some 500 trucks were to be assembled at the plant in Iskandariyah, near Baghdad that was to employ 500 people.