Sweden in the EU

On 25 November, Minister for EU Affairs Jessika Roswall addressed the European business organisation BusinessEurope’s Council of Presidents at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm. Ms Roswall highlighted a number of priority areas for the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2023. Check against delivery.

Correction: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presented the Statement of Government EU Policy in the debate between party leaders on EU policy on 16 November 2022. Check against delivery.

On Wednesday 30 November at 11.45, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola will hold a joint press conference in connection with the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents visiting Sweden for discussions with the Government, ahead of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Government has decided to prolong border controls at Sweden’s internal borders from 12 November 2022 to 11 May 2023. The decision is based on the Government’s assessment that there is a serious threat to public order and internal security in Sweden. The current decision on internal border controls expires at midnight tonight.

The Government has adopted a national action plan to implement the European Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee. The European Child Guarantee aims to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing the access of children in need to a set of key services.

Each year Member States submit a national reform programme to the Commission, which reports on implementation of the European Semester, which is a framework for the coordination of economic policies across the European Union, in national policies.

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 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 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.

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.

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).

Joint non-paper by the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden (2021-04-28).

Sweden’s participation in international crisis management and peace support contributes to upholding and strengthening the rules-based global order and is a priority of Sweden’s national security strategy (SB2017/00106–1). The basic premise of Sweden’s engagement is that security is best built through collaboration and partnership with others.

Each year Member States submit a national reform programme to the Commission, which reports on implementation of the European Semester, which is a framework for the coordination of economic policies across the European Union, in national policies.

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.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided today to extend the advice against non-essential travel to Estonia, Ireland and Latvia until 2 December.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided yesterday to extend the advice against non-essential travel to Estonia, Ireland, Latvia and Lithuania until 4 November.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided to lift the advice against non-essential travel to Finland and Slovakia. The decision comes into force today.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs decided today to lift the advice against non-essential travel to the United Kingdom. The decision comes into force with immediate effect.