Transport and infrastructure

The Foreign Ministers and high-level representatives of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the European Union participated together with representatives of the Barents Regional Council, indigenous peoples, regional bodies, observer states and invited guests in the XVII Session of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) under the Chairmanship of Sweden in Umeå on 3 October 2019.

Sweden took over the two-year chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council at the ministerial meeting in Arkhangelsk on 19 October 2017. Since its inception, the Barents cooperation has aimed to promote peace, stability and the development of the Barents region, through cross-border collaboration and people-to-people contacts. The Swedish chairmanship programme, with the title ‘Regional sustainable development for the future’, was formed with a view to advancing cooperation and deepening collaboration in key areas of common interest.

When Prime Minister Stefan Löfven met French President Emmanuel Macron today in Paris, the countries’ strategic partnership for innovation, digital transformation and green solutions was updated and deepened. When Mr Löfven and Mr Macron entered into the partnership in November 2017, it was agreed that Sweden and France needed to work together in a number of strategic areas to better address digital transformation and climate adaptation.

Road safety is one element of a sustainable society, and Swedish road safety efforts are based on the Vision Zero concept. Vision Zero is the long-term goal that no one should be killed or seriously injured in the transport system, and that the transport system must be gradually adapted to this.

Sweden has taken the initiative to draft a joint statement from the roundtable on transport and climate at the International Transport Forum in Leipzig. Participating ministers and state secretaries from Chile, Poland, the Netherlands, Morocco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Sweden have agreed that the climate must be considered when developing national transport policies and programmes.

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

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.

Swedish and French Ministers Tomas Eneroth and Elisabeth Borne agree to take decisive steps in Gothenburg to implement the French-Swedish Strategic Partnership for innovation and green solutions in the transport sector.

Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth has invited the EU transport ministers to discuss connected and automated driving on the roads. The meeting will take place in Gothenburg on 18–19 June 2018.