Improved rules for Swedish tonnage taxation
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The Sweden Democrats welcome the bill as it strengthens competitiveness, creates jobs, and increases national preparedness through more Swedish-flagged vessels 1. The party believes that the proposal modernizes the tonnage tax system by including more operations, increasing flexibility in leasing, and lowering thresholds for smaller vessels 1. The Social Democrats also view the modernization and expansion to special shipping positively 2. The party argues that the change from requirements for international travel to international competition better reflects the market 2. The Social Democrats suggest, however, that the possibility for intra-group leasing should be unlimited so that Swedish shipping companies can compete fully with other countries 2.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Jimmy Ståhl (SD)
Madam Speaker! Today we are debating the government's bill 2025/26:243 Improved rules for Swedish tonnage taxation.
I want to start clearly: the Sweden Democrats welcome this bill.
Sweden has long had the ambition to be a strong maritime nation. But for many years, we have lost competitiveness. Ships have been flagged out, jobs have disappeared, and investments have gone to other countries with better conditions.
This is not just a business policy problem. It is also about preparedness, infrastructure, and national control. Shipping is a fundamental pillar in our trade-dependent country. Without functioning sea transport, Sweden stands still.
Madam Speaker! That is why this bill is important. But it is also part of a longer development. When Sweden introduced the tonnage tax system, the purpose was to create competition neutrality towards other European countries. It has since become clear that the system has needed to be developed.
In recent years, we have taken several important steps. Regulations have been clarified and adapted to the EU, tax conditions for shipping companies have been improved, and the work to make Sweden more attractive as a flag state has been intensified.
We have also abolished the stamp duty, strengthened the maritime support, increased the environmental compensations, raised the appropriations to Sjöfartsverket, invested in fossil-free fuels and in research, strengthened the links to the total defense and invested in education and competence. Today's bill is the next step in this direction.
Madam Speaker! Let me highlight some key improvements:
More activities are included. By broadening the tonnage tax to larger parts of the special shipping, we make the system more relevant and accessible.
Increased flexibility. The possibility of chartering ships without crew is improved. This provides Swedish shipping companies with better conditions in a global market.
More modern regulations. The requirement for international speed is replaced with a requirement for international competition. It reflects the activities better.
Lower thresholds. By lowering certain requirements, the system is opened up for more actors, including smaller vessels.
Overall, this means better conditions for investments and long-term planning.
Madam Speaker! The Sweden Democrats' line is clear. We want to see more Swedish-flagged vessels, more jobs in Sweden and a strong shipping industry in both peace and crisis. This requires stable, competitive and predictable conditions. But this is not the end point. There is more to be done.
We need to continue to review regulations, permit processes, and costs that burden the industry. We need to secure the supply of competence and education. And we must view shipping as a strategic asset – not just as an industry among others.
Madam Speaker! Shipping is ultimately about Sweden's independence. In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, we cannot be dependent on other countries for our transports. To strengthen shipping is also to strengthen Sweden's resilience.
I also want to briefly comment on the motion raised by the Social Democrats with the support of V, C and MP. I can say that I was surprised when I read it.
The Social Democrats introduced the tonnage tax but financed it by reducing the maritime support. When I requested an evaluation after a couple of years, I was told that it was too early because far too few had joined. In other words: the tonnage tax was initially really bad.
Now S proposes changes that risk opening up for, among other things, tax planning. The consequences could in practice become fewer ships in Sweden, fewer jobs, reduced investments, weakened competitiveness and increased vulnerability. It is a direction that risks taking us backward when we need to move forward.
Madam Speaker! Changes in group definitions and similar rules require careful analysis. Poor design can have significant negative effects.
In conclusion: The government's proposal strengthens competitiveness, builds upon necessary reforms, and modernizes the tonnage tax system. The Sweden Democrats are actively working to increase the Swedish flag. We are on the right track, and this bill is an important step towards more Swedish-flagged vessels.
In this speech, Rashid Farivar, Martin Westmont and Eric Westroth (all SD) concurred.
Kalle Olsson (S)
Madam Speaker! It is enough to look out over the world to quickly realize what significance shipping has for the global economy and for international trade. Disruptions in shipping, such as those we are now experiencing in the Strait of Hormuz, risk quickly propagating further into the economy, with the risk of shortages of components and the risk of increased inflation and rising costs for ordinary households.
If we zoom in on Sweden, we see exactly this picture. Shipping carries our exports. It secures our imports. More than 90 percent of our foreign trade is transported by sea. To this, one should add its importance for our preparedness.
That is why it is important that Sweden has competitive conditions for the shipping industry. We shall, therefore, not only retain what we have, but we shall also develop the Swedish merchant fleet. Simply put, it is about increasing the flagging: more Swedish-flagged ships.
Here we have made a journey as a country. A number of years ago, we saw an alarming development. Despite an increase in the merchant fleet internationally, it decreased in Sweden to such levels that the industry was actually at risk. Increased flagging is important for several reasons, including that more Swedish ships benefit the entire maritime ecosystem with shipping companies, ports, education, etc. Increased flagging can also become a battering ram for higher requirements for environmental considerations and better working conditions.
But given the security situation, it is most important of all that Swedish-flagged vessels sail under Swedish law and can, if necessary, be taken into state service in the event of crises or, at most, war. Increased flagging strengthens our preparedness.
The system for tonnage taxation that the Social Democrats in government introduced was an important step towards improving the conditions for the Swedish shipping industry.
Tonnage taxation – it is perfectly okay not to be familiar with the concept – is therefore a voluntary flat-rate tax system for shipping companies. Instead of taxing the shipping company's actual profit, the tax is based on the size of the ships. For shipping companies, this can become a way to smooth out the tax over time.
The idea of the system was to strengthen the shipping industry's competitiveness, increase the proportion of Swedish-flagged vessels, and secure competence and jobs in Sweden. In the bill we are now considering, we build upon those very ambitions. This is because quite a lot has happened since before, and adjustments in the tonnage tax were needed. The regulations need to be adapted to better align with the development we have seen, not least within the European Union.
We Social Democrats view the fact that the system is now being modernized and updated positively. It is important that Sweden does not deviate from the practice that applies in other member countries. We need, on the contrary, to be at the forefront.
Firstly, this proposal expands the tonnage tax to include more parts of the special shipping sector. This includes, among other things, bunkering of fuel, cable and pipe laying, offshore activities, environmental rescue, as well as construction, repair, service, and dismantling of wind turbines. Regarding the previously mentioned perspective of preparedness, there is a national interest in having competence and availability of the type of capabilities I just mentioned.
Secondly, the requirements for what is considered a qualified vessel are changed. Moving from requirements for international speed to requirements for international competition is a modernization that better reflects how the shipping market actually functions today.
Thirdly, the possibility to charter out qualified vessels without crew, so-called bareboat, within the framework of tonnage-taxed activities is increased from 20 to 50 percent of the total number of vessels included in the qualified shipping activities. This increases flexibility, but we Social Democrats believe that one should go further. We believe that one should go all the way. The possibility for intra-group chartering should become unlimited. This makes it possible to better manage cyclical fluctuations, utilize the fleet more efficiently, and further strengthen the incentives for increased flagging.
In other EU countries, unlimited leasing is possible. The European Commission's case law shows that there is room within the framework for state aid. That Sweden does not fully utilize this space means that, in practice, Swedish shipping companies risk having worse conditions than competitors in other countries.
The Government itself notes in the bill that the issue is relevant and that it has been looked into. One still chooses not to proceed with it in view of the fact that further analyses are required. We mean, Madam Speaker, that that work needs to begin immediately. There is a broad consensus here in the chamber that Sweden needs a strong shipping industry. It is about jobs and growth but also about our supply readiness and security.
This bill takes important steps forward, but to fully seize the potential and to ensure that Swedish shipping companies do not fall behind, further measures are required. Therefore, we support the direction of the bill but propose that the government returns to the issue of intra-group leasing. With that, I move for the reservation to be approved.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.