Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation

A strategy that can address the needs of tomorrow’s modern freight transport systems.

The State is a significant company owner in Sweden. The state company portfolio contains 47 wholly and partially owned companies, of which two are listed. The State has a substantial responsibility to be an active and professional owner. The Government’s overall objective is for the companies to create value and, where applicable, to ensure that specifically adopted public policy assignments are performed well.

State Secretary Lisa Backteman raised the importance of continued close dialogue and cooperation around the Baltic when BALTFISH (a forum for discussion Baltic Sea Fisheries) met in Stockholm.

Rescue services, government agencies and local authorities are engaged in intensive efforts in response to the forest fires raging around the country, the widespread drought and the ongoing heat wave. More information about these efforts is available below. Crisis preparedness is part of the remit of every government agency and authority.

The extreme drought of recent months has had an impact on the Swedish agricultural sector. The Government is following developments closely and continues, alongside government agencies and other actors, to seek solutions to the challenges emerging so as to alleviate the situation for farmers now and in the future.

The prolonged heat and drought have impacted many sectors of society. There have been numerous forest fires, the agricultural sector has been severely affected by the drought and groundwater levels have dropped. The extreme temperatures can also cause health problems, especially among older people and the sick. The Government is following developments closely and taking the necessary decisions. The Government Offices is in continuous contact with the responsible government agencies.

The Esrange Space Centre should remain a strategic resource for national and international research, and the Government and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) are therefore investing SEK 80 million in a new test facility at the centre in Kiruna.

The Government has adopted a national plan for infrastructure for the period 2018–2029. It is a total investment of SEK 700 billion and the largest railway investment in modern times. The plan covers major investments in both new construction and restoration and modernisation of existing infrastructure. The decision also covers significant investments in maritime transport infrastructure and roads. This is made possible due to the Government investing SEK 100 billion more than in the previous plan period.

Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth chaired the meeting in Gothenburg on 18–19 June 2018, where EU transport ministers met to discuss connected and automated driving on the roads.