Migration and asylum

The Government has submitted a bill to the Riksdag proposing amendments to the Aliens Act that require the Swedish Migration Agency to assess a person’s age earlier in the asylum process than is the case today.

Opinion piece by Minister for Justice and Migration Morgan Johansson in Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2017.

When EU leaders gathered at a meeting of the European Council on 9 March, the economic situation in the EU was discussed. The agenda also included the situation in the western Balkans and migration issues with a focus on the situation in Libya. The European Council re-elected Donald Tusk to the position of President. Sweden was represented by Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.

On Monday 6 March, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis will be visiting for talks with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. During their talks, they will discuss current issues such as trade and increased growth, migration and security in our neighbourhood.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven welcomed Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of Malta, the current holder of the EU Presidency. The visit began with a joint wreath-laying ceremony at Olof Palme's grave.

The Swedish Government has decided to prolong internal border controls from 11 February to 10 May 2017.

Preventing the loss of lives in the Mediterranean was a top priority when EU leaders met at an informal summit in Valetta on 3 February.

Migration, particularly the central Mediterranean route and Libya, will be the focus as EU leaders gather in the Maltese capital, Valletta, on 3 February for an informal meeting of heads of state or government.

Sweden and Germany enjoy close cooperation both in the EU and bilaterally. Since becoming Prime Minister in 2014, Stefan Löfven has visited Germany several times for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Reforming EU migration policy has been high on the agenda since the Government took office and was also the focus of Mr Löfven's visit to Berlin in September 2015.

In the midst of an extremely important time for the EU, Germany's Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Stockholm on 31 January for a meeting with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Brexit negotiations are due to begin, and a new asylum system will be put into place. Germany has a key role in both of these processes. Hans Dahlgren is State Secretary to Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, and he tells us more about the visit.

The reception of large numbers of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in 2015 involved a considerable undertaking on the part of the municipalities to achieve a good long-term system of reception in which account is taken of children’s rights. Although the number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Sweden has decreased, Sweden will probably receive a large number of unaccompanied girls and boys in coming years too.

The war in Syria and the terrible humanitarian situation in the city of Aleppo was one the main issues when the EU’s 28 heads of state and government met in Brussels on 15 December. The European Council decided to increase pressure to try and ensure the evacuation of civilians and the protection of hospitals and ambulances. The EU leaders also reached an agreement that will enable the Netherlands to approve the Union’s trade agreement with Ukraine. Migration, defence, economic and social issues, and future negotiations with the United Kingdom were also discussed.

Today, Monday 21 November, Minister for Education Gustav Fridolin will deliver the opening address at the Education International Conference in Stockholm on the theme schooling for newly arrived pupils. During the week, Mr Fridolin will take part in a number of conference activities.

The Swedish Government has decided to prolong internal border controls from 12 November 2016 to 11 February 2017.

When the EU heads of state and government gathered for the European Council meeting in Brussels on 20 and 21 October, four issues were in focus: migration, the EU’s relations with Russia, the escalating humanitarian and security crisis in Syria, and trade. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven participated in the meeting, which incidentally was the first such meeting attended by the new UK prime minister Theresa May.

On 5 October 2016, Sweden and Afghanistan signed a memorandum of understanding on the readmission of people whose residence permit applications have been rejected.

The Government has presented a number of measures to ensure legally secure and more efficient returns of people whose asylum applications have been rejected.

OP-ED on behalf of the Governments of Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sweden and the United Kingdom

The Government is mobilising efforts to foster an open and democratic society. Initiatives within the framework of ‘a Sweden that stands together’ were presented in the 2016 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill. This work will continue with additional initiatives for a society with open meeting places, more local cultural activities and an enhanced civil society, as well as measures against discrimination, extremism, threats and hate. A total of SEK 132 million is being committed in the Budget Bill for 2017 and the autumn amending budget for 2016. The initiatives are included in the Budget Bill for 2017 and the autumn amending budget for 2016, which are based on an agreement between the government parties and the Left Party.