Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson has invited her female EU colleagues, including Sigrid Kaag, to a dinner in Brussels. The male finance ministers are not welcome.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, is also joining us. But, according to a diplomat, “there is no greater thought against the male colleagues” behind the initiative.

Sweden holds the temporary EU presidency, and Svantesson leads all meetings of EU finance ministers until July 1. Nine of the 27 EU countries have a woman as finance minister. In addition to the Netherlands, these include Spain, Luxembourg and Finland. Three of them are not in a euro country, including Sweden.

According to insiders, it is very common for groups of countries to consult with each other in all kinds of contexts. For example, during Wopke Hoekstra’s term of office, the Netherlands was part of the so-called Hanze group, an alliance of seven smaller euro countries, although Germany also sometimes participated.

“It is good to run into colleagues,” said an EU source. “There is no need to look any further.”