Sweden in the EU

The Government today decided on continued border control at the internal border for six months. The decision is based on the Government’s assessment that there is still a serious threat to public policy and internal security in Sweden.

The Conference on the Future of Europe will be launched on 9 May, Europe Day, and will run for a year. It will conclude in spring 2022 during the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Due to the very serious pandemic situation, vaccine deliveries to the COVAX global vaccine cooperation have been delayed. Sweden is therefore panning to donate one million doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine to COVAX to help meet the acute need for vaccines around the world. The donation will not affect Sweden’s national vaccination efforts.

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.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic with large socioeconomic consequences for all Member States and the upcoming twin digital and green transitions, the Social Summit comes at a timely moment. The Action Plan on the Pillar of Social Rights by the Commission is a welcome contribution to the discussions at the Social Summit. This non-paper by Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden contains input for the declaration of the Summit.

The Government decided today [15 April] to refer a proposal to the Council on Legislation containing certain supplementary provisions on law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters to the agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom.

On 29 March 2021 the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter published an opinion piece by Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren. In the article Hans Dahlgren writes about the ongoing discussion within the EU regarding strategic autonomy – which in simple terms is about attempting to reduce Europe’s dependence on the rest of the world.

At midnight last night, the extension of the general entry ban entered into force. The requirement to present a negative COVID-19 test result remains in place for entry from all countries. At the same time, the separate entry restrictions on travel from Denmark and Norway were also lifted. The requirement to present a negative COVID-19 test result also applies for entry from these countries. The entry ban has been extended until 31 May.

Vaccines and COVID-19 coordination were the main items on the agenda when Prime Minister Stefan Löfven met with other EU leaders at a video conference on 25 March. The single market and digital transformation were also on the agenda. The conference ended with a meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Coordination of the COVID-19 response is the main topic when Prime Minister Stefan Löfven meets his head of state and government colleagues during a two-day video conference on 25–26 March. On Thursday evening, the EU leaders will also have a meeting with US President Joe Biden. On Friday, they will discuss issues related to the single market and digital transformation, and hold a Euro Summit.