International cooperation

The EU’s cyber and digital diplomacy

By virtue of its role as a leading global player, and with a wide range of instruments available to it, the EU is Sweden’s most important platform for its broad foreign policy in relation to cyber and digital issues. In the tough geopolitical competition that surrounds technology and digital issues, a strong, cohesive and open EU is central to promoting Swedish interests, both inside and outside the EU. Overall, the EU’s external relations in this area are managed in two tracks: cyber diplomacy and digital diplomacy. Since these are fundamentally different aspects of the same technological development, Sweden is acting to ensure that there is close coordination in the handling of external cyber and digital issues. 

Joint EU action is one of Sweden’s most effective foreign and security policy tools in the cyber area. It is in Sweden’s interests that the EU strengthens its role as an actor in the area of foreign and security policy when it comes to cyber issues. The development of joint measures at EU level to respond to cyber threats and cyber attacks has given the EU a greater role as a global actor in this area. In response to the deteriorating security situation, in 2017 the EU began to develop a diplomatic toolbox with which to respond to cyber threats and cyber attacks on the EU and its Member States. The toolbox includes démarches and joint statements, support for capacity development, and an instrument for thematic sanctions. Since the sanctions regime was created in 2019, a number of cyber actors based in Russia, China and North Korea have been listed. The EU has also made a number of joint statements on malicious cyber activity, including cyber activity targeting the EU and targeting partners to the EU. 

For Sweden, the toolbox provides an opportunity to act in solidarity with EU Member States and to receive support from the EU when cyber threats target Swedish interests. Sweden should continue to develop its capacity to make concrete contributions in the form of sanction proposals, for example. Furthermore, Sweden should actively support the further development of the cyber diplomacy toolbox and support the continued integration of cyber issues into the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, while respecting that national security falls within the competence of the Member States under the Treaty on European Union. Sweden wants to see a more strategic, long-term approach to key threat actors, to strengthen the cyber sanctions regime and to develop EU cooperation in this area, including with the private sector and with NATO. 

Sweden also wants to continue to develop the EU’s digital diplomacy with the aim of a more strategic and coherent action on the part of the union. One way of doing this is to promote the Team Europe approach, which brings together the various EU institutions as well as the Member States. Digital diplomacy needs to be fully integrated into the EU’s wider external relations. Partnerships with other democracies, especially the United States, is key in digital diplomacy.

The EU has the potential to take an even more leading role in global processes concerning norms and regulations on cyber and digital issues, not least within the UN. By virtue of the EU’s internal market and regulatory power, taking into consideration how internal market policies affect other countries, the EU can take a strong position in relation to states such as China and Russia. Joint action by the EU is also essential to developing dialogue and cooperation with the United States on equal terms – in security policy matters and in matters related to data flows, storage and the regulation of digital platforms. The EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) has the potential to deepen and broaden the transatlantic trade and investment relationship, avoiding new barriers to trade and cooperating on new standards and technologies. It is important to have as much agreement as possible between the EU, the United States and other democratic countries on issues related to standards and regulatory frameworks in order to prevent fragmentation of the global market from occurring, and to strengthen joint efforts on global standards and rules. The EU’s regular cyber dialogue with the United States provides an opportunity to establish norms for international cyber security.

The EU today also has a growing number of structured cooperation initiatives with important countries and regional organisations that can be further developed and reinforced. This includes the trade and technology council with India, digital partnerships with countries such as Japan, Canada and South Korea, and regional cooperation, including with Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC Digital Alliance). 

The EU also has instruments at its disposal to assist countries with limited resources in their capacity development within the frameworks of the European neighbourhood policy and the European development policy. 

Cooperation within NATO

NATO has a growing focus on strategic cyber and technology issues, linked in particular to the allies’ interest in responding to challenges from Russia, but also China. NATO has extensive cooperation within the cyber defence area as well as strategic technologies. 

Sweden’s NATO membership brings new opportunities for strengthening Sweden’s cyber defence capabilities, cyber security, cyber resilience and security at large. This also entails demands on Sweden’s capacity to cooperate within the Alliance and with individual allies. NATO places great emphasis on cooperation with the innovation-driven private sector. As NATO member, Sweden wants to provide clear added value to the Alliance in these areas. Sweden’s integration into NATO will also provide it with new interfaces for developing our work on innovation and new technology, as well as a platform to promote Swedish industry. 

The EU and NATO should be complementary and mutually reinforcing. Sweden should work towards further enhanced cooperation between NATO and the EU, particularly in the areas of cyber defence, cyber security and cyber resilience. Unnecessary duplication between these organisations could risk impeding capacity development and should be avoided. 

Nordic and Nordic-Baltic cooperation

As a complement to European and Euro-Atlantic cooperation, Sweden wants to develop foreign and security policy dialogue and cooperation between the Nordic countries. This applies to policy processes within the EU and NATO, but also to concrete security policy issues linked to the management of and response to malicious cyber threats from, for example, Russian actors. Cooperation with the Nordic and Nordic–Baltic countries should be deepened further, not least with a focus on the neighbourhood and to deepen transatlantic cooperation. Sweden will also act to support the continuing development of Nordic-Baltic cooperation in the cyber area (NB8). 

Cooperation with the United States of America

There is a significant focus on cyber and technology issues in US foreign and security policy, not least as part of competition with China, and in the US management of cyber-related threats from Russia, Iran and North Korea, for example. The United States is working actively to create a global alliance of like-minded democracies on cyber and technology issues, including via the establishment of global norms, standards and regulatory frameworks. Sweden should seek to participate in US technology-related cooperation, or otherwise ensure that Swedish interests are taken into consideration. Sweden will also advocate for interoperability between EU and US positions in international processes, with a view to ensuring transatlantic and democratic leadership in the development of global digital standards and regulatory frameworks.

Cyber and technology issues are also becoming increasingly important in Sweden’s bilateral relationship with the United States, in which there is a particular focus on strategic technology issues such as telecommunications, cyber security and space issues, as well as instruments for protecting new technology. Sweden has a number of bilateral agreements with the United States in the area of technology that should be used as a basis and starting point for deepened cooperation. Sweden is also engaged in a dialogue with the United States on the development of diplomatic and political instruments for managing malicious cyber threats and cyber attacks. A formal bilateral dialogu on cyber and digital issues was established in 2024. 

Strategic partners

Strategic partnerships are very important to strengthening Sweden’s influence in and cooperation with technologically advanced and innovation-driven democracies. Sweden will deepen its bilateral foreign policy dialogues with the United States as well as leading countries within the EU and NATO and globally, not least countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Sweden currently cooperates with a number of strategic partners in smaller groups of countries, where the main focus is on foreign and security policy factors and responses to malicious cyber threats. Such informal circles give Sweden the opportunity to gain insight and influence in dialogues with countries within Sweden’s circle of like-minded states. 

Sweden participates in a number of coalitions and cooperation forums on digital issues. One example is the Freedom Online Coalition, which consists of around 40 member states, including the United States, a number of EU countries, but also countries such as South Korea and Chile. The Coalition is an important platform for Sweden in its work with issues of rights and freedoms on the internet.

The UN and multilateral organisations

The UN has an important role to play in establishing global norms and managing cross-border challenges and risks. For Sweden, it is therefore important to safeguard and promote rules-based international cooperation and strong multilateral institutions including the UN. 

Cyber security and digitalisation are addressed in multiple processes within the UN. They include the fundamental issue of how international law is to be applied, the implementation of voluntary norms of responsible state behaviour, the implementation of measures to build confidence and trust, the inclusion of civil society in decision-making, and countering systemic cyber crime. In the Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies work that is central to maintaining the free world order in the cyber area is being done. Sweden aims to ensure that a permanent, voluntary and open multi-party model is established as part of the international conference on cyber security to be held in 2026. Follow-up efforts on the recently adopted international convention to combat cyber crime are necessary.  

In 2024, the General Assembly adopted the Global Digital Compact, a global digital framework for an open, free and secure digital future, premised on the application of international law and enabling the realisation of Agenda 2030. 

The UN is also developing its work with entrepreneurship and human rights regarding new digital technologies. This includes promoting technology companies’ respect for human rights both online and offline, as well as ensuring that companies exercise due diligence in their value chains.

It is welcome that the UN in general is strengthening its role in the digitalisation area in terms of harnessing the opportunities of digitalisation, ensuring that they benefit the entire population of the world, and managing the risks and challenges. 

Sweden’s place on the ITU’s Council means that we have a solid platform for working for better standards and to ensure that the key task for developing countries – being able to become a part of the digital economy – is undertaken in a way that is transparent, effective and based on human rights and international rules and principles.

The UN has an important role to play in how international relations should be managed and developed in a digital age. But this must also be done in a way that is based on and utilises the established norms, principles and processes that exist for discussing various digitalisation issues. Generally, multi-party cooperation should characterise the UN’s work on cyber and digital issues in order to harness different competences and perspectives. For Sweden, it is crucial that the governance and management of the internet at a technical level is based on the principle of multi-stakeholder cooperation that also includes the private sector. 

In addition to the UN, there are other organisations that can be Sweden’s partners. Sweden is a member of IDEA, which works on the link between democracy and digitalisation. The organisation has special expertise in the protection of electoral processes and institutions. Two other partner organisations, the European Endowment for Democracy and the Prague Civil Society Centre, contribute to strengthening civil society, human rights defenders and free media in the digital sphere, and promote increased participation in politics and resilience against, for example, malign information influence.

OSCE

The OSCE has adopted 16 confidence building measures in the cyber area. Among other things, a contact point system has been established in which the 57 participating States provide political and technical contact details to enable the sharing of information (for example in the event of cyber incidents). Cyber issues are discussed regularly in an informal working group. Sweden supports the OSCE’s ongoing work with cyber issues. Together with other countries, Sweden has undertaken to pursue and develop the confidence building measure concerning public-private partnerships. 

World Bank

The World Bank Group and the regional development banks are now strengthening their support to digital development and the digital transformation of partner countries through capacity development, policy dialogue and investment in technological and digital infrastructure. For Sweden, it is important to ensure that digital economic development within the framework of the World Bank Group includes a cyber security perspective, and to promote digitalisation’s potential to contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda. Sweden wants to strengthen the World Bank Group’s work on integrating cyber and digital issues within the Bank, and also into its partnerships and strategies. This is all the more urgent in light of the necessary reforms facing the World Bank Group. 

Focus areas – international cooperation forum

• Promote the EU’s capacity to act as a coherent foreign policy actor on cyber and digital issues. Contribute to coordination between the EU’s cyber diplomacy and digital diplomacy. Continue to develop the EU’s capabilities to prevent, manage and respond to cyber threats and cyber attacks using foreign policy and diplomatic means, with a focus on the development of the EU Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox.
  
  
• Establish Sweden as a foreign and security policy actor in NATO’s ongoing projects and processes in the technology, innovation and cyber areas, with the objective of explicitly adding value to the Alliance and to Sweden.
  
  
• Develop Nordic and Nordic-Baltic cyber cooperation in the digital area, and with other strategic partners.
  
  
• Develop the formal bilateral dialogue with the United States on cyber and digital issues, and enhance the broader cooperation on strategic technologies.
  
  
• Develop Sweden’s partnerships with selected like-minded states on deterrence in the cyber area.
  
  
• Work for closer EU-US cooperation within the framework of the TTC and other relevant forums to ensure transatlantic leadership in the development of international norms and standards.
  
  
• Develop Sweden’s, the EU’s and NATO’s partnerships concerning support to Ukraine in the cyber and digitalisation area.
  
  
• Actively participate in the UN’s policy development and negotiations in the cyber and digitalisation area with a focus on the application of international law, the development and implementation of norms and measures to build confidence and trust. Work within the UN to ensure that multi-stakeholder participation in general will characterise this work. Defend the internet governance model based on multi-stakeholder participation.
  
  
• Safeguard Sweden’s and the EU’s interests and values within the framework of the implementation of the UN’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, as well as the UN’s Global Digital Compact.
   
• Safeguard Sweden's and the EU's interests and values within the framework of the implementation of the UN roadmap for digitisation issues, as well as the UN Global Digital Compact.