Labour law and work environment

Genève, 8 June 2023. Check against delivery.

The European Commission and the Swedish Presidency will jointly review the progress of the Commission’s Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027 at the Occupational safety and health summit in Stockholm on 15–16 May. The themes include mental health at work, the ‘vision zero’ approach to work-related deaths, and the impact of climate change on occupational safety and health (OSH).

On 3–4 May, the EU social affairs and labour market ministers will gather in Stockholm for an informal meeting hosted by Minister for Employment and Integration Johan Pehrson and Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje. Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life Paulina Brandberg will also take part.

The transition package to improve long-term flexibility, adaptability and security in the labour market is based on a proposal from the trade unions and employers within the private sector. All workers gain better opportunities for transition and skills development throughout their working life, and Sweden’s competitiveness is strengthened. This involves a reformed labour law, a new student finance scheme and new basic transition and skills support.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2022:836.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2021:1114.

The Ministry of Employment provides non-official translations of some labour legislation. (Texts on this page are currently being updated and some links may not work).

In this Communication, the Government presents its work environment strategy for 2021–2025. The work environment strategy sets out the Government’s long-term policy focus in this area over the next five years.

The Government has adopted a bill to enable Sweden to implement the EU’s revised Posting of Workers Directive. The Government proposes a range of legislative amendments that will create more equal conditions for posted workers and domestic workers.

Everyone who can work should work. More people need to learn Swedish faster and more people who need an education to find work should take the initiative to study. In its 2018 spring amending budget, the Government is therefore investing in strengthening paths to work for more people. The Government is also providing more resources for preventive efforts against sexual harassment in working life, regional safety representatives and summer jobs for more young people.

As head of the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union, Lars Danielsson represents the Government on a range of important EU issues in Brussels. This work offers him an insight into the EU’s political dynamics shared by few others.

The regulations for posting in Sweden are based on the employee organisations having main responsibility for monitoring working and employment conditions for employees posted to Sweden. At the same time, the Swedish Work Environment Authority supervises the working environment of those posted. In order for this control and supervision to function, an amended regulatory framework for notification obligation for posting is proposed in a ministry memorandum from the Ministry of Employment.

Conditions in the transport sector are important in relation to the Government’s work for fair working conditions in the labour market. In a ministry memorandum from the Ministry of Employment, amendments to the Posting of Workers Act are proposed with the aim of clarifying the applicability of the regulatory framework to the carriage of goods by road and improving supervision and regulatory compliance.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2015:760.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2014:424.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2010:2053.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2015:384.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2010:1253.

Non-official translation. Amendments: up to and including SFS 2010:230.

Directive 2014/67/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the enforcement of Directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (‘the IMI Regulation’), abbreviated as the Enforcement Directive, was adopted on 15 May 2014.