Stefan Löfven

Late on Friday evening, 2 December, the first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution concluded in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

National Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Mr Tobias Billström, held at the OSCE 29th Ministerial Council 1 December 2022.

The talks that began at the COP27 Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh just over two weeks ago have now ended. One of the most crucial issues for the EU, through which Sweden is negotiating, was establishing a work programme for emissions reduction.

On 30 November, the Government met with the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents, which was visiting Stockholm ahead of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On 25 November, Minister for EU Affairs Jessika Roswall addressed the European business organisation BusinessEurope’s Council of Presidents at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm. Ms Roswall highlighted a number of priority areas for the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2023. Check against delivery.

On 1 December, Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is taking part in the Berlin Security Conference.

The Government is stepping up its efforts to combat honour-related violence and oppression, and has therefore commissioned an ongoing inquiry to draft proposals for legislation to criminalise virginity testing, virginity certification and hymen reconstruction surgery.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström is in Bucharest on 29–30 November to take part in the meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, marking Sweden’s first time participating as an applicant country (invitee).

As of 1 January 2023, two new ministries will be created. One will be responsible for climate and enterprise, and the other for rural affairs and infrastructure. The ministries concerned will remain in their current form until then.

Correction: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson presented the Statement of Government EU Policy in the debate between party leaders on EU policy on 16 November 2022. Check against delivery.

On Wednesday 30 November at 11.45, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola will hold a joint press conference in connection with the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents visiting Sweden for discussions with the Government, ahead of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The second meeting of the Permanent Joint Mechanism established within the framework of the Trilateral Memorandum which Türkiye, Finland and Sweden signed during the NATO Summit, was held in Stockholm on November 25, 2022.

The Government will soon begin work on a new action plan to counter and combat men’s violence against women. The action plan will contain concrete measures to ensure that effective steps to combat men's violence against women are taken.

The Global Methane Pledge (GMP) was launched at the UN Climate Summit in Glasgow in 2021. As a step towards implementing the GMP, Sweden has now submitted a methane action plan outlining current emissions, instruments and measures.

Sweden is joining the Industrial Deep Decarbonisation Initiative (IDDI), whose aim is to accelerate the green industry transition.

This material provides an overview of the transition package to improve long-term flexibility, adaptability and security in the labour market. This involves a reformed labour law, a new student finance scheme and new basic transition and skills support.

On 17 November, the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports was extended by four months. The agreement, negotiated by the UN and Türkiye, has facilitated the export of over 11 million metric tonnes of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine.

Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell is visiting Kenya on 23–24 November 2022. The Minister’s visit will take place in conjunction with the official visit to Kenya of Crown Princess Victoria and Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon.

Today, representatives of the Northern Group – comprising Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom - met in Oslo on board the UK aircraft carrier, HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, and gave the following statement.