Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Support to Ukraine is the most important priority during the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. On 1–2 June, the Swedish Presidency held a high-level meeting on protecting children to highlight how Ukrainian children have been affected by Russia’s aggression, and to discuss what EU Member States can do to respond to their needs. A very large number of Member States signed a declaration at the meeting.

Over seven million people in Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes and seek temporary protection from Russia’s aggression, both within Ukraine and in other European countries. The overwhelming majority are women and children. Children are often among the most vulnerable in war and conflict. Sweden and Ukraine have now entered into a cooperation agreement to continue supporting and protecting children.

The theme of this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was the World Health Organization (WHO) at 75 and the work it does. Representing the EU and its Member States, Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson took part on the first two days (21–22 May).

Sweden and the majority of World Health Organization (WHO) Member States in the WHO European Region have decided to relocate the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases from Moscow to Copenhagen. The decision was taken in support of Ukraine and enables the WHO to continue its work fighting noncommunicable diseases in Europe.

This year’s theme for the task force for Jewish life in Sweden is safety and security. The task force was presented on 26 January and its work will continue throughout the electoral period. The three civil society organisations invited to participate in the task force have now agreed to take part, and the first meeting will be held June.

On Thursday 20 April, Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall visited the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, where she met President Zelenskyy’s wife, Olena Zelenska, and representatives of the Ukrainian Government. At the meeting, they discussed how children have been affected by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On 3–4 May, the EU social affairs and labour market ministers will gather in Stockholm for an informal meeting hosted by Minister for Employment and Integration Johan Pehrson and Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje. Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life Paulina Brandberg will also take part.

The Swedish Government has decided to appoint a collaborative working group on the conditions for the Jewish minority. The aim is to vigorously combat antisemitism and to strengthen the conditions for Jewish life in Sweden.

Speech delivered by Jakob Forssmed at the 66th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, on 13 March 2023. Check against delivery.

In response to requests – mainly from Türkiye and Syria – for support to foreign disaster-affected or war-torn areas, the Government has tasked the National Board of Health and Welfare with assessing the possibilities of providing assistance. The agency should examine what medical equipment or materials, or other supplies, may be needed to provide care, and can be donated from available stock or Sweden’s regions after all domestic needs have been met. The Government is allocating SEK 45 million for this purpose.

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs has four ministers with responsibility for issues concerning social welfare, including public health, health care, social insurance, care of older people, social services, civil society and sport. Responsibilities are divided among the ministers as follows.

At a press conference on 16 February, Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed announced that the temporary entry restrictions on travel from China will be lifted. The restrictions meant that travellers from China were required to present a negative COVID-19 test result. The temporary entry restrictions will cease to apply on 18 February 2023.

Demographic changes in Europe are having an immense impact on our societies and entail challenges, not least for the labour market, pension systems and an increased need for health and social care. The Swedish Presidency has invited EU Member States and other actors to a high-level meeting on active and autonomous ageing, 13 –14 February, where they will discuss how to tackle the issues related to Europe’s ageing population. Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje will host the conference. Among the participants will be the Estonian Minister of Social Protection, the Danish Minister for Senior Citizens, and the Minister for Active Ageing from Malta.

Speech delivered by Jakob Forssmed at the seminar Convergence on Global Health - Joint action with reference to the new EU Global Health Strategy at Karolinska Institutet, on 9 February 2023. Check against delivery.

Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed has been appointed member of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on Antimicrobial Resistance. The GLG comprises world leaders and experts working together to accelerate action on antimicrobial resistance.

Since December 2021, disinformation has been spread concerning Swedish social services taking Muslim children into care without a legal basis. According to the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, there are no indications that the campaign will cease in the near future. Social services employees are being threatened and, in the worst case scenario, this risks leading to children in Sweden not receiving the social support to which they are entitled. The Government is now taking several measures to counteract the disinformation that is being disseminated.

On 26 January, the Swedish Government decided to extend the previously-adopted entry restrictions requiring all travellers from China to be able to present a negative test result for ongoing COVID-19 infection upon arrival in Sweden, regardless of their vaccination status.

This compilation contains a selection of the acts and ordinances – both new and amended – that enter into force in the second half of 2022 or in early 2023.

The Government decided today to introduce temporary entry restrictions on travel from China. This means that travellers from China need to present a negative COVID-19 test result to enter Sweden. The test requirement applies as of 7 January.

The lifting of exit restrictions from China, combined with the increased and widespread spread of COVID-19 in the country, has raised the question of introducing entry restrictions, including in Europe. Sweden is now preparing to introduce certain such restrictions requiring a negative COVID-19 test. Travellers from China need to be prepared for decisions being taken at short notice.