Sweden in the EU

Dear Executive Vice- President Dombrovskis,

On 10 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde will present a new Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag. A Statement of Foreign Policy was presented on 16 February this year. In light of the new security environment, the Riksdag and the Government decided that a new Statement of Foreign Policy and debate are needed.

Today, Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren has informed the Riksdag of the political direction of Sweden’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union

On 3 June, Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist took part in a panel discussion at the Bratislava Forum security conference. In connection with this, he also had a bilateral meeting with his Slovak counterpart, Jaroslav Naď.

The European Council is holding a special meeting in Brussels on 30–31 May. A number of issues related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are expected to be discussed. These include continued EU support to Ukraine, energy and food security. Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson is representing Sweden.

Swedish legislation provides the conditions for all children to have actual access to the basic community services referred to in the Child Guarantee. In addition, most of the services are free of charge.

On Wednesday 25 May, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will receive the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

On Wednesday 25 May, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will receive Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for talks.

On 17 May, EU defence ministers met in Brussels to discuss how to implement the EU’s Strategic Compass. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was also on the agenda. State Secretary Jan-Olof Lind represented Sweden at the meeting.

The Government has decided to temporarily reintro­duce internal border controls. The decision is based on the Government’s assess­ment that there is still a serious threat to public order and internal security in Sweden. Controls at internal borders will there­fore continue.

On Tuesday 3 May, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson was at Schloss Meseberg in Germany by invitation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to take part in talks with the German Government together with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

The Stability and Growth Pact is a set of rules for coordinating fiscal policy between EU Member States. The purpose of these rules is to ensure sound public finances. Every April, Member States are to submit stability and convergence programmes. Sweden and other Member States that have not adopted the euro submit convergence programmes, whereas Member States that have adopted the euro submit stability programmes. The programmes are used by the Commission and the Council in their assessment of Member States’ fiscal policies and situations.

Stockholm, 7 April 2022 Check against delivery.

At a press conference on Wednesday 13 April, Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren and Minister for Public Administration Ida Karkiainen reported on the Government’s overall efforts in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Government’s efforts cover three areas: sanctions against Russia, support to Ukraine and a stronger Sweden.

The Government has decided that the group of people who are entitled to a residence permit with temporary protection in Sweden will be expanded to include those who left Ukraine prior to the invasion. This applies to those who travelled to and stayed in Sweden between 30 October 2021 and 23 February 2022.

On Thursday 7 April, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson will receive President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Stockholm.

During the years 2020–2022 the Government imposed a ban on entry to Sweden to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 entering the country or being spread to other countries. Rules and exemptions differed over time and depending on which country you were travelling from. All entry restrictions linked to COVID-19 have now ceased to apply (as of 1 April 2022).

In July 2020, EU heads of state and government agreed on a recovery package to mitigate the effects of the crisis. The package, called NextGenerationEU, comprises EUR 750 billion in loans and grants to the Member States. The main part of this will be channelled through the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).