Ministry of Finance

The Government presented its Spring Budget on 15 April. The budget has been presented against the background of significantly falling inflation while the Swedish economy is in recession, with low GDP growth and rising unemployment.

Today the Government is presenting its 2024 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill and Spring Amending Budget for 2024. Inflation has fallen considerably and is expected to continue to do so, while at the same time unemployment is expected continue to rise. In light of this, the Government is presenting its Spring Amending Budget with measures to navigate us through the recession, safeguard the welfare system and make Sweden a safer, more secure and wealthier country. The Budget is based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats.

Inflation has decreased considerably and is expected to continue to do so, while unemployment is expected to rise. Subdued growth, combined with the weak labour market outlook, means that the Swedish economy is expected to remain in recession until 2025. These are the conclusions of the Ministry of Finance in a new economic forecast.

On Wednesday, 13 March, Minister for Financial Markets Niklas Wykman and the President of Financial Task Force (FATF) T. Raja Kumar will hold a press briefing.

Sweden has signed a joint statement on principles for the development of the future 6G policies. The statement was presented on 27 February 2024 in connection with the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It includes an agreement on common principles that will guide research and development of future 6G policies both domestically and internationally.

The task force for Jewish life in Sweden held its third meeting on Friday 9 February, with its discussions mainly focused on the 2024 theme of education. New representatives of the National Agency for Education and the Swedish National Council of Adult Education joined this meeting. The task force will also continue to address last year’s theme of security in 2024.

This compilation contains a selection of the acts and ordinances – both new and amended – that enter into force in the second half of 2023 or in early 2024.

Inflation is starting to come down, but Swedish businesses and households are still burdened by high prices and interest rates. This means a weaker economic situation and that the Swedish economy is considered to be in a recession that will last until 2025. These are the Ministry of Finance’s conclusions presented in a new forecast of the economic outlook.

The telecommunications ministers of Finland, Estonia and Sweden stress that the resilience of critical underwater infrastructure is now more important than ever. The ministers underlined the importance of resilient infrastructure at the Telecommunications Council in Brussels 5 December 2023.

On Tuesday 14 November, the task force for Jewish life in Sweden held its second meeting. The task force works to improve the conditions for Jewish life, and prevent and combat antisemitism in Sweden.

Combatting antisemitism is a high priority for the Government. The budget presented on 20 September includes several initiatives to enhance and shore up these continued efforts. This includes funding to the Jewish Museum, the Living History Forum and the Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, and state aid for security-heightening measures.

The Government has signed up to a collective engagement to implement the multilateral framework for automatic exchange of information in tax matters regarding crypto-assets. Automatic exchange of information is intended to prevent tax evasion and avoidance.

Today, the Government adopted guidelines for the Swedish National Debt Office’s central government debt management. The guideline decision for 2024 does not entail any steering changes compared with the previous year.

The State is a significant company owner in Sweden. The portfolio of state-owned enterprises contains 43 fully and partially owned enterprises, of which two are listed. The State has a substantial responsibility to be an active and professional owner. The Government’s overall objective is for the enterprises to create value and, where applicable, to ensure that the specifically adopted public policy assignments are performed well.

Today, the Government is presenting the Budget Bill for 2024 to the Riksdag. The proposals in the budget aim to address Sweden’s most acute problems. This includes combating inflation and managing its effects through assistance to households and the welfare system. Defence and the judicial system will also receive substantial investments to make Sweden safer and more secure. The reforms in the budget total SEK 39 billion next year. The budget is based on an agreement between the Government and the Sweden Democrats.

Sweden is in an economic winter. Inflation and high interest rates are putting pressure on both households and businesses. At the same time, the security environment has deteriorated. In a difficult economic situation, the Government is prioritising combating inflation, assisting households and the welfare system, and strengthening the judicial system and defence. Against this background, the Government presents its Budget Bill for 2024 with reforms totalling SEK 39 billion next year.