Financial markets

The Government has adopted a framework that will enable an issue of sovereign green bonds. This will be the first time sovereign green bonds have been issued in Sweden. The Swedish framework has been awarded the highest possible environmental grade by the independent reviewer.

Swedish National Debt Office is instructed by the Government to issue green bonds in 2020 at the latest. The framework differentiates between green bonds and other bonds, and will demonstrate how the proceeds from the bonds are linked to the green expenditures in the central government budget. The framework was presented 5 June 2020.

The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority is to work to ensure that the financial system contributes to sustainable development. Climate change is central to this work as it has a major global impact and clear connections to financial stability.

Combatting money laundering and terrorist financing is a priority for the Swedish government. This work takes place globally, on the EU level and nationally. In Sweden, several law enforcement and administrative agencies, together with large parts of the private sector, have obligations in this area.

On Wednesday 25 March, a proposal was presented for loan guarantees to companies adversely affected by the COVID-19 virus outbreak. The aim is to make it easier for primarily small and medium-sized enterprises to access financing.

The remit of the inquiry has been to make a comprehensive analysis of the implications of the potential participation of Sweden in the European banking union.

Today the Government adopted guidelines for the Debt Office’s management of the central government debt. The foreign currency exposure of the central government debt is to be unchanged pending the Debt Office’s analysis of the strategic foreign currency exposure of the central government debt.