On the occasion of one of the final cultural events of the Czech EU Presidency, the United Islands Festival, the Czech Republic was symbolically handing over the Presidency of the EU Council to Sweden by handing over a keg of beer from boat to boat on the Vltava river on 20 June 2009. Then, on 01 July 2009, Sweden will officially take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months.