International

The Government has decided on a ban on entry to Sweden to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 entering the country or being spread to other countries. A temporary entry ban for entry from EU/EEA States and certain other states has been in force since February. As of 30 June, the Swedish regulation has been adapted to the EU regulation on a COVID certificate. This entails an entry ban on travel to Sweden from EU/EEA States unless a vaccination certificate, a test certificate, a certificate confirming recovery from COVID-19 or a corresponding certificate can be presented. At present, this regulation applies until 31 August 2021. Entry from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway is not subject to any entry restrictions. A temporary ban on non-essential travel from countries outside the EU/EEA to Sweden, introduced following a call from the European Council and the European Commission, has been in effect since March 2020. Since February, the ban has included a requirement to present a certificate verifying a negative COVID-19 test result for entry into Sweden. To travel to Sweden from countries outside the EU/EEA, you must be covered by at least one of the exemptions from the entry ban and also be able to present a negative COVID-19 test or be exempt from the test requirement. These rules have been extended on multiple occasions and at present apply until 31 August 2021.

Today, 15 July 2021, the Act containing supplementary provisions on cooperation in criminal matters between the European Union and the United Kingdom enters into force.

Check against delivery.

On 30 June–1 July, Sweden’s Minister for Defence met his colleagues from the other member states of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence cooperation. During the ministerial meeting in Helsinki, Finland, they officially signed the JEF Policy Direction document, which sets key principles for further cooperation.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to most countries until 1 September. At the same time, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is lifting the advice against travel to countries and administrative regions that have recently been added to the EU exemption list. As of 24 June, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has lifted the advice against non-essential travel to Albania, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Serbia, the United States, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The year 2020 was a challenging year for global health. The COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century health crisis. The acute crisis must be managed while sustaining long-term investments in health systems, health security and healthy communities. The report on Sweden’s development assistance for health contains statistics from the Government Offices and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)on Swedish support to health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in 2020.

The Government has decided to extend the entry ban on travel to Sweden from EU/EEA countries. The Swedish regulations are also being adapted to the EU regulation on a COVID certificate. This mainly entails an entry ban on travel to Sweden unless a vaccination certificate, a negative COVID-19 test result, a certificate confirming recovery from COVID-19 or a corresponding certificate can be presented. The extension enters into force on 30 June and remains in effect until 31 August. Entry from Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway is still not subject to any entry restrictions.

On Tuesday 22 June 2021, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven will receive Latvian President Egils Levits. They will discuss matters including relations between the two countries, the security situation in the neighbourhood, management of the COVID-19 pandemic and EU matters such as the rule of law.