Central government budget

Today, the Government is presenting the 2022 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill and the Spring Amending Budget for 2022. In light of the deteriorating security situation, the Government is presenting a budget to strengthen Sweden that includes both immediate investment and long-term measures to address societal challenges, at a total of SEK 35.4 billion.

Today, the Government is presenting the 2022 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill and the Spring Amending Budget for 2022. In light of the deteriorating security situation, the Government is presenting a budget to strengthen Sweden that includes both immediate investment and long-term measures to address societal challenges.

Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine has led to a deterioration in the security situation in Sweden’s neighbourhood and contributed to exceptionally high electricity prices. The Government’s response is based on three important principles: support to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and strengthening Sweden. Therefore, the Government today adopted a fifth additional amending budget to strengthen Sweden by providing more funding to Sweden’s military defence and temporary financial compensatory payments to households for high electricity prices. These measures have been presented previously.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to rising fuel and electricity prices. To strengthen Sweden in this extraordinary situation, the Government is presenting a package of measures with both short- and long-term investments. The package includes reduced fuel taxes, a new compensatory payment for fuel costs for private individuals who own cars, increased housing allowance for families with children and a new travel deduction system. Minister for Finance Mikael Damberg presented this package at a press conference today

On Sunday 27 February, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist held a press conference on direct support to Ukraine. Sweden’s support consists of both financial support and equipment in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following speedy consideration by the Riksdag on 28 February, the Government will now implement these measures.

Following the Riksdag’s adoption of the adjustments to the Government’s Budget Bill for 2022 proposed by the Moderate Party, the Sweden Democrats and the Christian Democrats, the Riksdag has decided on appropriations in the 27 expenditure areas. The Riksdag has thus concluded its processing of the central government budget for 2022.

In the Budget Bill for 2022, the Government proposes a reinforced jobs policy with new measures so that everyone can participate and take Sweden forward after the pandemic. These measures include providing more people with employment training, counteracting long-term unemployment, giving older jobseekers more time in new start jobs and introducing more unemployed people with disabilities to the working world.

Everyone has a right to a safe and secure work environment. A poor work environment should never provide a competitive advantage. Companies that deliberately contravene laws and regulations to gain competitive advantages create unhealthy competition in the labour market. In the Budget Bill for 2022, the Government proposes three measures to create security in the labour market and curb work-related crime.

Since the infection started to spread, the Government and the Riksdag have taken a large number of measures to safeguard people’s lives, health and livelihoods. At the same time a powerful green restart of the Swedish economy is being implemented. In all, the economic measures taken are worth almost SEK 400 billion for 2020 and 2021. This corresponds to around SEK 40 000 per inhabitant. In addition, around SEK 1 000 billion has been made available in various forms of loans and guarantees.

On 20 September 2021 the Government presented its budget proposal for 2022 to the Riksdag.

The Government is presenting the Budget Bill for 2022 to the Riksdag today. In it, the Government proposes measures to accelerate the climate transition, get more people into work, strengthen the welfare system and make Sweden a safe country for all. In total, reforms worth approximately SEK 74 billion are involved.

Men’s violence against women must stop. This is a priority issue for the Government. In the Budget Bill for 2022, the Government proposes a range of measures to prevent and combat men’s violence against women and honour-based violence and oppression. This involves permanent funds and government grants, and a sheltered housing reform for adults and children who are subjected to violence.

The Government on instructed the Swedish Tax Agency and Tillväxtverket (the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth) to make preparations so that as of 1 April 2022, the Tax Agency can be the managing authority for Tillväxtverket’s currently responsibilities under the Act on aid in the event of short-time work.

Today, Minister for Finance Magdalena Andersson presents the Ministry of Finance’s latest economic forecast and the direction of the central government budget for next year. The Ministry of Finance forecasts growth of 4.4 per cent this year and 3.5 per cent next year.

The Swedish economy is recovering rapidly after the deep downturn last year. The Ministry of Finance’s latest forecast calls for GDP to grow by 4.7 per cent this year, which is 1.5 percentage points higher than in the forecast presented in connection with the Spring Budget in April. Public finances are also expected to be stronger than in the previous forecast.

The Government has decided to extend the government credit guarantee scheme, ‘Företagsakuten’, to support small- and medium-sized companies in financial difficulty due to the pandemic from 30 June to 30 September 2021.