Sweden

## **General information about the policy process**

When an EU directive is decided, the responsible ministry within the Swedish government has the task of finding out how it will be implemented. Usually, Sweden has the provisions to meet the directive and needs only to report it to the European Commission. However, sometimes it occurs that certain older laws in Sweden must be changed or new ones created.

Usually the government opens an investigation on which legislative changes need to be done and whether new ones need to be created. When the investigators have done their review, the results are presented in the form of a so called State public reports ("Statens offentliga utredningar", SOU ) or Ministry reports ("Departementsserien"). Within these writings the investigators are describing how the directive will be implemented in the Swedish legislation. After that, the inquiry's results are then sent out for consultation, for example to authorities and organizations concerned by the proposal.

The next step is that the government will present a proposal on a new or amended legislation. The proposal is presented in a bill sent to parliament. The treatment then appear as of any bill whatsoever. Only when the parliament voted for legislative changes can take effect.

Sometimes the government can itself implement the EU directive by issuing a regulation or by giving a mandate to an agency to issue new regulations. On labor law the government often leaves the changes to the partners in the labor market. They ensure that the rules of the Directive is implemented through collective agreements.

When the adaptation of the Swedish legislation is finished the government sends it to the EU Commission.

If Sweden has not implemented a directive in time or in the right way, the Commission may refer Sweden to the European Court of Justice.

## Main national actors

Sweden is a unitary state composed of municipalities, county councils, and regions [1].

* The Government of Sweden: The Government draws up proposals for new laws and law amendments and implements the decisions taken by the Riksdag . The Government is assisted in its work by the Government Offices, comprising a number of ministries, and some 400 central government agencies and public administrations. The Government represents Sweden in the EU, but the Riksdag also has the opportunity to influence the work of the EU. The Government consults the Riksdag on what position Sweden should take in the EU.

* The Swedish Parliament: The parliament, also known as Riksdag, is the supreme decision-making body in Sweden and represents the Swedish people. One of the Riksdag’s most important tasks is to make laws. Proposals for new laws, or amendments to current laws, usually come from the Government in the form of a government bill. The Riksdag is also responsible for determining the central government budget and examines the work of the Government. The Riksdag's work with EU matters is carried out in various ways in the parliamentary committees, the Committee on EU Affairs and the Chamber.

### Regional or local actors involved

Regional level:

* County Councils: Sweden is divided into 21 counties. Political tasks at this level are undertaken on the one hand by the regional councils, whose decision-makers are directly elected by the people of the county and, on the other, by the county administrative boards which are government bodies in the counties. Some public authorities also operate at regional and local levels, for example through county boards.

Local level:

* Municipalities: There are 290 municipalities in Sweden. Each municipality has an elected assembly, the municipal council, which makes decisions on municipal matters.

## Relationship between actors

See the policy process regarding the EU directives.

## References

http://www.eu-upplysningen.se/Sverige-i-EU/EU-lagar-galler-framfor-svenska-lagar/Sa-blir-EU-lag-svensk-lag/