Ministry of Finance

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.

The weakening economic situation has pushed the Swedish economy into recession in 2023. High inflation and higher interest rates combined with waning international demand are the primary reasons for the flagging economy. These are the conclusions of a new forecast of the economic outlook from the Ministry of Finance. At the same time, Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson reports that the reforms in the forthcoming autumn budget will amount to an estimated SEK 40 billion.

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

How many people work at the Government Offices? What was the central government budget like last year? How many acts and ordinances were issued last year? The answer to these and other questions can be found in the Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2022.

The effects of rising prices and interest rates on the Swedish economy are becoming increasingly clear, according to the Ministry of Finance’s latest macroeconomic and public finances forecast presented today.

The Government has decided to nominate Thomas Östros as a candidate for the post of President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

On Tuesday 13 June, the task force for Jewish Life in Sweden held its first meeting. Discussions focused on what the situation looks like today and how living a Jewish life in Sweden can be made easier. More than 30 participants gathered to collaborate and engage in dialogue.

On 14 June, Minister for Finance Elisabeth Svantesson will hold a press conference together with OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann to present the OECD’s latest economic survey of Sweden. The press conference will be conducted in English.

This year’s theme for the task force for Jewish life in Sweden is safety and security. The task force was presented on 26 January and its work will continue throughout the electoral period. The three civil society organisations invited to participate in the task force have now agreed to take part, and the first meeting will be held June.

The Stability and Growth Pact is a set of rules for coordinating fiscal policy between EU Member States. The purpose of these rules is to ensure sound public finances. Every April, Member States are to submit stability and convergence programmes. Sweden and other Member States that have not adopted the euro submit convergence programmes, whereas Member States that have adopted the euro submit stability programmes. The programmes are used by the Commission and the Council in their assessment of Member States’ fiscal policies and situations.