Business

Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! Today we shall debate the Committee on Industry's report 1 on expenditure area 24. I would like to begin by moving for approval of the committee's proposal for a decision.

The margins are already set, but there are proposals for budget changes in the other budget proposals. Half of the parliamentary term has now passed, and for those who belong to the other side of Swedish politics, it is more than time to show unity and the ability to cooperate. The Social Democrats often speak about the importance of broad political agreements. This might be something for the opposition parties to try out among themselves. It is, however, not a cooperation that can be seen when one reads the parties' different budget proposals in this report.

It is noteworthy that the opposition's four different budget proposals differ by half a billion. No one knows how the Social Democrats would manage to put together a budget if they, alone or with others, were to come to power. It sends no good signals to the business community regarding their political prerequisites in the event of a change of power. We do not even know who the Social Democrats would rule together with or under what forms this would occur in such a scenario. Much less do we know which budget they would agree upon and how this would affect expenditure area 24.

Now, this may not be the business community's greatest concern in the event of a change of power. I believe there is much else that one has reason to be worried about if one is an entrepreneur in Sweden linked to such a development.

Business

On one side in Swedish politics, we have the four Tidö parties. These parties believe in the power of the market, safeguard the conditions for the business sector, see the importance of tax cuts, and ensure regulatory simplifications. On balance, Mr. Speaker, they do what they can to facilitate and ensure that the policy creates good basic conditions for the business sector in Sweden to grow.

On the other side in Swedish politics, we have the four opposition parties. What that would mean in practice, I do not know, Mr. Speaker. Will it be the Center Party's tax cuts and regulatory simplifications, or will it be the Left Party's tax increases and the Green Party's never-ending stream of environmental regulations with Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister? Will it be the Left Party's view on entrepreneurship and private ownership, or will it be the Social Democrats' at least somewhat more reasonable view on the issue? Will it be protectionism or free trade? Will it be more or less nuclear power? No one knows the answer to any of these questions.

When we stand here now and talk about the conditions for the business sector linked to expenditure area 24 Business, I think it is worth emphasizing that the business sector deserves more. It is important that we in politics are clear and open about that we understand our role. It is we who shall lay the foundation and create good conditions, good infrastructure and energy supply, as well as sound, correctly adapted and correctly targeted rules. We shall facilitate for people to start companies, make it simple in the contact with authorities, and so on. Thereafter - when we have laid that foundation - it is up to the free business sector to drive forward entrepreneurship, create growth and prosperity, and generate welfare for all who live in Sweden. It is in the end the business sector that builds Sweden strong by building Sweden rich.

What are the Tidö parties doing in this area? To some extent, it is about resources, which I will return to, but it is also about clearer governance and better tools for the agencies that are tasked with having a connection to the business sector's conditions. In this budget, for example, Bolagsverket and Konkurrensverket receive increased appropriations. They have simultaneously received clearer governance, for example, to combat crime and unhealthy competition from their respective mandates.

The whole issue is therefore not just about what budget frames they receive in the context we are discussing today. The question is also: What do you get increased budget appropriations for doing, and how do the Tidö parties ensure that there are letters of instruction for our agencies that ensure efficient operations, as well as that this is not just a matter of the funds one receives?

I would like to mention a few things we have invested in to facilitate for the business sector during this mandate period. I would like to assert that it is primarily about regulatory simplifications. We now have both a simplification council and an implementation council in place. From now on, we will, at an early stage, provide comments on how upcoming EU legislation affects the conditions for the Swedish business sector. We will also ensure that we avoid over-implementation. Sweden has become a world champion at not only settling for a minimum level when it comes to new legislation but settling at the upper end and thereby making it more expensive and more difficult for Swedish companies to comply with this legislation.

We also see that the Simplification Council will look at the existing legislation to ensure that it is correctly targeted and achieves what it aims to do. We have given a wealth of simplification assignments to agencies. There is also a systematized work on rule simplification at the ministries. I look forward to seeing more concrete examples of repealed or adjusted laws, just as we have seen so far with the abolition of the requirement for physical receipts and the abolition of the danstillstånd.

A lot is happening regarding foreign trade. Just in these days, we could read that the commission is moving forward with the agreement with Mercosur, which may be the most extensive free trade agreement in the EU's history. Sweden has played its role in this. We now have a strategy in place for foreign trade, with a connection to foreign direct investments in Sweden.

We see synergy effects between aid and trade, not least in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Additional budget funds - 55 million - are provided for the export promotion work to support this during the next fiscal year. At the same time, Business Sweden receives increased budget allocations for its operations. With this budget, Kommerskollegium will also be supported and foreign investments in Sweden will be facilitated.

We see the largest research and innovation budget in Swedish history, with an investment of 6.5 billion to ensure excellent research. In this budget, we guarantee a review of the state's corporate portfolio to check that our companies are doing what they should do, as well as to divest more if necessary to ensure that they do not compete incorrectly with private actors.

Throughout the entire parliamentary term, we have directed additional funds to the Geological Survey of Sweden to ensure good conditions for mining in Sweden. At the same time, work is actively continuing on the existing investigations to further facilitate the permit processes so that we can see increased mining. This, in combination with the fact that we are to remove the ban on uranium mining in Sweden, will mean a renaissance for mines in our country.

When it comes to the tourism industry, initiatives for tourism promotion are made in this budget to give Visit Sweden clearer mandates and muscles to market Sweden as a tourist destination.

On the whole, Mr. Speaker, in other words, there are major investments in authorities and in the work that politics has to do towards the business community. The most important thing is, again, to guarantee that the business community is given free rein to conduct its activities in controlled forms and generate growth and prosperity which we as politicians can then convert into welfare and into building Sweden stronger.

(Applause)

In this speech, Eric Palmqvist (SD) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Tobias Andersson, for the speech!

I noted that over half of the speech was devoted to discussing political games. Today, figures were released showing that Sweden has the highest unemployment in over ten years. We have declining growth and declining GDP. People are losing their jobs every day. And what the Sverigedemokraterna choose to highlight on one of the most important expenditure areas for creating jobs and growth in our country is political games.

The Prime Minister has said that it is brightening on the horizon. Two weeks later, he said that these are tough times. Yes, these are undeniably tough times for very many in our country, just in time for Christmas.

The Sweden Democrats have made it their specialty to cast doubt on the green transition. Now that they have officials in the Government Offices, they are not creating the conditions for Swedish industry to grow. In cases where it has gone poorly for certain companies, as it has this autumn, they have quickly stepped forward and criticized these investments and almost seemed content that the development is going in the wrong direction.

I think a lot about those who are being laid off all over Sweden right now, Mr. Speaker. I devote a large part of my political work to creating jobs in this country.

The industry of the future must be green if we are to be able to create growth even in the future. I would therefore like to know what Tobias Andersson and the Sverigedemokraterna intend to do to ensure that the right conditions are created for Swedish industry to create jobs and growth in our country.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to begin by commenting on the extent to which I engaged in political games.

I pointed out to the voters that if it had been the opposition that set these budget limits for our spending area, no one would have had any idea how those limits had been established. I think it is relevant to highlight that.

Then I spoke about the Simplification Council, the Implementation Council, the Swedish Trade Council, Business Sweden, Visit Sweden and many other of the agencies, bodies and relevant actors included within this expenditure area.

Now to the question regarding the green transition. I have been clear: I see a need for it, because I see a need for us to become energy self-sufficient. That, I believe, is the strong argument.

I have also been clear in all interviews that I do not think one should feel any kind of schadenfreude over the fact that one or more projects within the green transition are going poorly. I think it is sad when we lose job opportunities in Sweden. As a politician, I want to ensure good conditions for action and hope that all companies operating in Sweden achieve the success that they themselves believe in and invest for.

With that said, it is obvious that if the Social Democrats, together with other parties, had not inflated an enormous green bubble, these people would not have been promoted in the current situation. If prime minister after prime minister and commissioner after commissioner had not traveled to Skellefteå and cut ribbons and taken pictures, capital on the free market would not have been allocated in the way that has occurred in Skellefteå.

If this investment had occurred within reasonable timeframes with reasonable investment calculations, one would not have lost 120 billion in pure loss during a fiscal year only to then stand and ask: What shall we do to solve this?

Yes, we must start by making wise investments and ensuring that we do not neglect either our own money that we manage or that of other countries or investors.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I note that it is a non-answer. It is somewhat symptomatic, I think, of the Sweden Democrats' business policy.

It is said that one does not want to choose who should win, but something that is clear to everyone involved in industrial policy - not just within politics but also in the business world - is that the future is green. We must move away from our fossil dependency. But we have a government that makes it cheaper with fossil fuels than with electricity, sanctioned by the Sverigedemokraterna.

People talk about more cooperation, Mr. Speaker, but the Sweden Democrats have once again succeeded in cementing Sweden into a numbing block politics. This is not how Sweden works. We cooperate and collaborate for the best of our country and to create jobs and growth - not just between politicians, Tobias Andersson, but also with the business sector.

I am quite proud of the foundation that the Social Democratic government, together with other parties, laid for Swedish industry. But it is becoming apparent that it is not a foundation that this government intends to build upon.

Tobias Andersson blames us for not taking responsibility in industrial policy, but during our time we had high growth and confidence in the future. Jobs were created in our country. Industries emerged. The reason we have battery production in Sweden, Mr. Speaker, is that the EU saw that the conditions exist in Sweden. There is long-term perspective and predictability - conditions for industrial establishments that would make all of Europe resilient.

I note that this government, with the Sweden Democrats at the helm, will not guarantee increased growth for our country. It is a pity, Mr. Speaker, in a situation where more and more Swedes are becoming unemployed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I want to begin by informing Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro that, in addition to parliamentary terms, there is something called business cycles, which affect many of the points he raises in his speech.

With that said, the member has, since he entered the Riksdag, said in every debate we have had on this theme that the Sverigedemokraterna oppose the green transition, prevent it from taking place, and so on.

I have always said that I believe there is a value in the transition. I believe that it is good to be energy self-sufficient. I have also said that in this debate. But since the first time the member asked me this question and came with this attack, quite a lot has gone downhill for what he has constantly said is the future for Sweden.

I think it is interesting that here in the Riksdag's rostrum and in interviews, during study visits and so on, one stands and says: The future for Swedish industry is green, and we are proud of what we have achieved.

I would not have been proud if I had contributed to a development where there is a risk that 10 billion in pension funds is completely gone. I would not have been a bit proud if I had pushed for a development where irrational decisions have been made on risky grounds that have now led to unemployment for many people, to the loss of public funds, to pension funds investing in a way that I do not believe they would have done without this political push and so on. I would not have been a bit proud if I had contributed to that development.

I am, however, proud that I and the Sweden Democrats have dared to ask critical questions about risky projects with an overriding part of public subsidies, support, and driving factors.

Regarding block politics, I want to recall a quote from Magdalena Andersson this weekend: The Social Democrats "do not close any doors, except against the Sweden Democrats".

(DANIEL VENCU VELASQUEZ CASTRO (S): That is correct.)

It was about the importance of broad political agreements, which the Social Democratic member highlighted for me.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I want to begin by saying that I naturally support all the Social Democrats' reservations, but for the sake of time, I move for approval of only reservation 1.

It should be obvious to everyone involved in economic policy that investments in society need to become more numerous and stronger. Our duty as politicians is to deliver faith in the future to Swedish citizens - a future where people get jobs and entrepreneurs can start companies, a future where our trade with the rest of the world increases and where Swedish green and sustainable products are found all over the world. Our task is to deliver so that the welfare state can stand strong even in the coming decades.

But that is not the direction Sweden is heading, Mr. Speaker. Sweden finds itself in what can best be described as a crisis. We have high unemployment - higher than what has been projected, even. We have low growth and falling GDP. It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage everyday life as a Swede. In this situation, we also see how the green industry is encountering problems and how Sweden is losing in innovation capacity in many measurements.

This government has now sat for more than half of the mandate period, and the results so far are not good.

Not only do we have rising unemployment; the number of bankruptcies for small businesses is also rising. We are in a situation where prosperity is declining, and we have a government that, instead of investing and committing to getting Sweden out of the crisis, hopes that things will resolve themselves.

Mr. Speaker! Crises rarely stop at Sweden's borders. All over the world, we see that inequality is spreading. Poverty is increasing for the first time in a very long time. War and conflict prevail in far too many of the world's countries.

We have to contend with a world that is becoming increasingly authoritarian, less and less democratic, and increasingly protectionist. In the USA, where a new government is taking shape and gaining power shortly after the turn of the year, the trade war with China seems to be encouraged instead of avoided. Two world giants now seem to stand against each other and risk dragging us all into an unnecessary trade war.

Our answer must be to take the initiative for more trade agreements through the EU and WTO. We shall not trade less, but we shall trade more with each other. In addition, we will develop and deepen the EU's internal market, to which nearly 70 percent of Swedish exports go.

We need to increase the political focus on growth markets and have an export strategy that ensures that Swedish companies are present where the largest growth markets are. Sweden shall be a nation that promotes free trade. For Social Democrats, it is clear that global trade should benefit everyone. Therefore, the goal for trade policy should be fair trade. Sweden must stand up for a trade policy that safeguards, among other things, the environment, climate, social security, and workers' rights. We need a foreign trade strategy that ensures that Sweden continues to be a strong export nation that stands up for fair trade.

Mr. Speaker! I am proud to be able to stand in a chamber where we stand in unison behind Ukraine's struggle for freedom. This should also be practiced in trade policy. As one of the nations that supports Ukraine the most, we need to strengthen trade with the country and ensure that there are good conditions for companies to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The most important thing for Ukraine, however, is that we get a stop to the war. For nearly three years, Russia's full-scale invasion has been ongoing. The sanctions we have introduced to ensure that we do not benefit the Russian war chest must be complied with, but they are not. Therefore, we Social Democrats have presented proposals to move forward more forcefully against the sanctions violations that occur. We also give the Committee on Commerce increased funds to work with precisely this. Not a single Swedish krona shall go to Putin's war chest.

Mr. Speaker! The green transition is Sweden's chance to continue to stand strong in a global market. Sweden has the technology, the innovations, a good energy mix, and an entrepreneurial spirit that can provide heavy industries with what is needed to produce climate-smart products. But what we have above all is a strong welfare state that has created a society where even the children of industrial workers can become academics, test their ideas, see their innovation commercialized, and in that way also contribute to a technological, green, and sustainable Sweden.

Now we see that many industries are encountering problems. It is not strange, because new technology will entail new challenges. What is strange is that parts of Sweden's current government base choose to cast suspicion on the Swedish industry. Some even seem to rejoice at the problems that have now been encountered.

We must remember that it is people who become unemployed just in time for Christmas. There are families who need to consider whether they will be able to afford Christmas food or Christmas presents for their children. This is happening right now. This is the reality. To have politicians in that situation who seem to enjoy others' misery is, for me, deeply distressing.

As if that were not enough, I would like to say that it is directly hostile to Sweden to cast doubt on and to make things difficult for the green Swedish industry by not increasing electricity production in southern Sweden. They make it cheaper with fossil fuels than with green electricity, and they do not seem to have any plan for the Swedish industry. We recently heard that the market will handle it on its own.

We Social Democrats laid the foundation for a successful and sustainable export nation, which is now being dismantled by the Swedish right.

Mr. Speaker! We therefore propose that the appropriations for innovation-promoting measures be increased. More small businesses should be able to see their innovations realized and contribute to the transition. In the government's recently presented research and innovation bill – which is the fourth largest in history, Mr. Speaker, not the largest – there are some good passages about how we as a country can invest in research results that can later be commercialized. We Social Democrats will return with our proposals for a research and innovation bill, but we can already state that the government does not want to specify what Sweden should focus on. It refuses to produce an innovation strategy that would have promoted a long-term investment climate in Sweden. It is disappointing, but we will have reason to discuss these issues further in the future.

We want the state cooperation programs to be reintroduced so that politics and the business sector can once again solve major challenges together. We want to see active industrial policy that has a clear direction towards a green industry with growing high-innovation companies that export Swedish products of world-class quality to the entire world. Industrial policy that focuses on what Sweden is good at provides the conditions for companies to create jobs, and that builds a strong welfare society.

Mr. Speaker! In order to be able to do all this, the Swedish business community needs to have high credibility. We see how criminal gangs are making their way into the Swedish business community. We cannot let criminals run either welfare activities or other businesses.

Within welfare, there is a simple solution to this problem: to remove the profit motive. However, it appears somewhat more difficult within other industries. Regarding this, we Social Democrats believe that the policy broadly needs to tackle this challenge and provide responsible authorities with more resources so that they can manage what can most closely be described as an acute situation.

We also believe that the trade unions need to become stronger in the workplace. When people have the opportunity to freely organize themselves at their workplace, a counterforce is created against criminals who seek to use weak workers who can be exploited in their criminal activities. The unions create security for both the companies and the workers. The Social Democrats hope that we can work broadly in this chamber to stop criminals in the business sector.

I can state that things are not going well for Sweden. We are falling behind when it comes to innovation capacity, we are regressing in climate policy, and we are not creating the conditions for cheap electricity here and now. We are also not creating the conditions for more people to dare to invest in Sweden. All of this is happening at the same time as fewer people go to work and growth is declining.

It is becoming clear: With four years of the right's industrial policy, Sweden will become a poorer country. Fewer will go to work in the morning, fewer will want to invest in Sweden, electricity prices will continue to be high, and the business community and Swedish workers will have to manage on their own.

Instead, we want to see a clear direction pointed out through good cooperation between the state and the business sector, in the way we have always done in Sweden. It is, however, becoming apparent, Mr. Speaker, that if this is to happen, a Social Democratic government is needed again.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I begin by moving to approve the committee's proposal in the report.

What is industrial policy? Well, it is that politics should provide the best conditions for our companies to operate in Sweden and internationally. On the other hand, it is purely harmful when politics provides targeted funds to various business projects. The result is often the opposite of what the purpose is. Market economy is replaced by command economy as is used in communist and totalitarian states. I want to advise against that form of measures.

Small businesses and export companies are the root of Sweden's economy. The export companies we have in Sweden are of world-class quality. I can mention Volvo, Scania, ABB, Atlas Copco not least, SCA, Ericsson and Astra Zeneca. Our export industry accounts for 52 percent of GDP. Some good examples of what the government has done to stimulate the export industry are opening a new consulate in California, which is the world's fifth largest economy. Now there are plans to also open a consulate in Texas, which is a very large economy.

We must travel more in the world to bring home more orders for our export companies. We must fly more, travel more by train, drive more by car and not stop with aviation, for that would limit the possibilities for our export industry to do business with the rest of the world.

What is it that builds companies? Yes, it is people with creative thoughts and entrepreneurship who are prepared to risk capital and take a bit more responsibility than the average person does. We must give small businesses better conditions to grow.

I shall mention some major corporate leaders who are worth noting. Curt Nicolin built up Asea-Atom and Swedish nuclear power, which is the world's safest. Hans Werthén built up Electrolux into a global company. Leif Östling was the first to introduce lean in Europe, and that truck manufacturing became the world's best. Gustaf Douglas built up Securitas and Assa Abloy. What were their qualities? Yes, they had the ability to lift, see, and have trust in their employees - and not least to educate the employees during economic downturns and setbacks. They were great men.

Mr. Speaker! What should we in the Riksdag do to facilitate things for the companies? Well, the great challenge for both the EU and Sweden is low growth; it will only be 1 percent in the coming years. We are lagging behind the USA, which is at 3 percent. When Trump takes office on January 20, he will surely step on the gas so that the USA reaches even higher growth figures. That is what I believe. Whether it is right or wrong remains to be seen.

USA develops and leads in the entire tech industry. China copies. EU regulates. Unfortunately, the EU Commission devotes far too much energy to introducing regulations. They want, for example, to regulate our forestry into oblivion, and Sweden cannot withstand it. We must put a stop to this nonsense that causes Europe to lose competitiveness. We need to develop more reforms for growth. Here in Sweden, we should, for example, reform the Environmental Code, which is a major obstacle for much of the industry's development today.

We must facilitate innovation and the development of new companies, for example by opening more mines and becoming self-sufficient in metals, which to a greater extent can reduce our dependence on China and in particular Russia.

LKAB is a powerhouse up in Norrland. They deliver 70 percent of Europe's steel. The quality is of the highest class. Now they are going to open a new mine, which is called Per Geijer.

Mr. Speaker! We are waiting and seeing what happens in the USA regarding potential tariffs. It is primarily about tariffs on goods and not on services. That means our automotive and pharmaceutical industries will be primarily affected.

Less hassle, more opportunities, and more room for entrepreneurship is needed. Our committee chair just said that a simplification council and an implementation council have been appointed. They are to try to limit the regulatory frameworks. We want less regulatory hassle. But several are pushing for new rules, not least in the EU. Even in Sweden, here in the committee, there are some who are pushing for it politically. It is about an insane number of rules.

Companies with ten employees must have a work environment plan and an equality plan. The Work Environment Authority conducts unannounced inspections and wants to see what the work environment plans look like. If they are not good enough, they threaten with fines of hundreds of thousands of kronor. I don't think that makes more people want to start small businesses, if I'm being honest.

Municipalities and state authorities should introduce service guarantees to limit long processing times. Lantmäteriet currently has processing times of one to two years if one is to receive help with the subdivision of a property.

Mr. Speaker! Property rights are a large part of the Moderates' DNA. This applies to all issues from forest policy to representation on corporate boards.

Another issue that is also being highlighted is how landowners in northern Sweden see their land being claimed by other commercial operators with the blessing of the County Administrative Board and other authorities. Reindeer husbandry is a part of Swedish culture, but it should not grant free access to private land.

Mr. Speaker! Unfair competition is a problem. It is good that Bolagsverket is conducting a review and trying to limit economic crime and that Konkurrensverket is looking at unfair competition. We actually have a state-owned company that engages in unfair competition and which I want to bring up as an example. It is Svevia which has a subsidiary called Arento that rents out construction machinery and pushes out local small business owners. It is not good.

What does a company do when profitability goes down? Well, it reviews its organization and its costs. It is not like in political activity, where one throws in more money and more resources. Then one raises the tax. It is precisely wrong. We see that today's Agency Sweden is growing and becoming increasingly inefficient.

Mr. Speaker! It is of the utmost importance that we in the Riksdag take our responsibility for the infrastructure so that it functions well for the companies. The road network is under heavy criticism in parts of the country. The government has now assisted with increased appropriations for maintenance, and that is very good. The eastern connection needs to be built here in the Stockholm region, which accounts for 40 percent of Sweden's growth and GDP. We must have a ring road. We are the only one of all capitals that is without one – even Tirana has received one, but not Stockholm. In short: More flights, more trains, and more cars are needed.

Mr. Speaker! Energy policy collapsed under the red-green government, which closed six reactors. It was mentioned earlier that there was a shortage of electricity in southern Sweden the other day. It is clear as day when all those six reactors you closed were located in southern Sweden! There were two in Barsebäck, two in Ringhals, and two in Oskarshamn.

We have a job to do now with restoring and building up new nuclear power. It is underway. I hope that we make decisions during the spring regarding concrete proposals from the Riksdag. Sweden has today weather-dependent energy production, and that is not sufficient for industry and neither for households. That is why the electricity price goes up and down. Last week it was up to 10 kronor per kilowatt-hour.

All over Sweden, there are many hydropower plants that are under new environmental review. It is important that hydropower remains. It also needs to be developed with new turbines. This can be done in the short term, before nuclear power is in place, to solve the electricity shortage. I really hope that can be achieved. Vattenfall owns a large part of the hydropower.

Four new reactors need to be built.

Mr. Speaker! Finally, it is of great importance that Sweden maintains its competitiveness in the global arena. This can only be achieved through education, technological development, and lower taxes. Hard work must pay off. Companies are the guarantee for prosperity and for new jobs in the future. It is of great importance that one adheres to the economic frameworks. It guarantees jobs and growth.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Kjell Jansson, for the speech! Many times when Kjell Jansson speaks, it sounds as if he has not read the state budget that he is supposed to sit in the chamber and vote for. It often sounds as if he is still sitting in the opposition. He is not.

I intended to dwell on another matter, namely the question of women's entrepreneurship. We heard in the presentation that, according to Kjell Jansson, it is a problem that companies develop equality plans. We Social Democrats do not think that, Mr. Speaker; I want to be clear about that.

Last year, the government tasked Tillväxtverket with working to promote women's entrepreneurship. In the budget bill that has been submitted, it states that Tillväxtverket's final report has been taken into account and integrated into the business policy.

I would like to ask Kjell Jansson in what way the final report from Tillväxtverket has been guiding for the government basis and what measures have been proposed to increase women's participation in the business sector. Ebba Busch and a number of Moderates have indeed prioritized that question. I know that it is also a prioritized question for Lili André, the member from the Christian Democrats who is here. The Christian Democrats also handle those issues at the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise. It is a question that has engaged a great number of Moderates previously. In what way has the final report been guiding as it stands in the budget bill?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Reports are always good, but it is still action that is needed.

It is noteworthy with increased female entrepreneurship. It was needed. In Sweden, we have systems that push out much female entrepreneurship in that large parts of the public sector provide jobs where women work to a greater extent than men. This applies primarily to elderly care to some extent and school to a large extent. It makes it harder for women to start their own businesses. But some dare to take on it.

More women need to start companies. That is something we completely agree on.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! In the budget bill, it states that the final report has been guiding. Kjell Jansson cannot answer how it has been guiding for the government's industrial policy. Is that correct? I perceive that it is so. If so, it is regrettable. It was a rather large undertaking, which was presented by the Minister for Enterprise Ebba Busch. My assessment is that it is a major problem in Sweden that we have few female entrepreneurs.

It is still somewhat distressing that Kjell Jansson, in his speech, takes up just equality plans as a problem for entrepreneurship in Sweden. It is quite strange to take on just that when it comes to how we create incentives for entrepreneurs to operate in our country, furthermore in a situation where we have countless obstacles that prevent entrepreneurs from starting their operations.

In my speech, I also said that there are record numbers of bankruptcies, which the government has not acted upon. That is a fact. That in that situation, they set themselves to equality plans, I find strange, Mr. Speaker. Therefore, I would like to get an explanation from Kjell Jansson of what he means by exactly that.

I would like to know one more thing. If one acknowledges that it is a problem that we have too few women in the business sector, I wonder if it should be interpreted as meaning that powerful measures will be taken. Will there be changes that will result in us seeing an increased number of women starting companies? We have submitted a lot of proposals, including giving authorities a mandate to create conditions and that state risk capital should be directed more towards favoring women's entrepreneurship. Is that something Kjell Jansson envisions?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! I will begin with the equality plans. I also mentioned work environment plans. All such plans become hurdles for small businesses. They do not make things easier for them. There are too many regulations. It was in that context that I mentioned the two. There are many more regulations that are hurdles for small businesses.

It should be facilitated. We do not need to have so many regulations and micro-manage small businesses. Larger companies have HR departments that handle such issues. The same applies to municipalities and the public sector. That was what I wanted to assert.

The chairman points out that there are also many bankruptcies. That is absolutely true. Many of the bankruptcies occurring now are due to the fact that they are not managing to repay the pandemic support. It is tough for many. They have not succeeded in putting together money after the pandemic. Turnover has not risen enough for them to have been able to set aside money to repay the pandemic support.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Nils Seye Larsen (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to ask a few questions in connection with Kjell Jansson's speech.

Kjell spoke quite a bit about the American growth, which is very strong. It is completely true that Europe has fallen behind when it comes to competitiveness. The EU Commission produced a very good report on this. One of the explanations is that we do not have the same investments and capital going into startup companies and providing the opportunity to expand companies.

I am curious whether Kjell Jansson considers the American model for managing a state's economy to be the correct one. One of the explanations for the strong growth is, namely, that the state's budget has been deficit-financed by approximately 30 percent over the last 10-20 years. Does Kjell Jansson consider it the right path even for Sweden?

Another thing we should keep in mind is that the large investments in this deficit-financed budget have been in the Inflation Reduction Act, which focuses heavily on infrastructure and energy. I am curious if Kjell Jansson considers that to be a way forward.

In conclusion, I cannot help but note a rather colonialist perspective on northern Sweden and our resources when one talks about forestry and the extraction of minerals, metals, and everything. It is a pity that it remains. There are enormous values for us people who live there, for our indigenous people, and for other environmental goals that are important to protect.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! We must realize that the US economy and society are not like those in Europe. The culture is completely different over there. I do not defend the unbalanced economy that the USA has. They are not alone in having it. It is harmful. Many countries in Europe have it too.

We in Sweden have managed our economy over the last 20 years, regardless of whether it has been a conservative or a social democratic government. That is what I want to assert. We have a stable economy, and we must take care of it.

However, we must now build nuclear power. The state will then lend money to build nuclear power. It is a lot of money. Decommissioning six reactors has cost approximately 1,000 billion. And now we are going to lend about 400-500 billion to finance this; I believe they have a press conference about it at this moment.

Sweden actually must contribute money to make it happen. In my world, the state should be the main owner of nuclear power and energy – but one does not need to own everything – just as is the case with roads and railways. It is appropriate that the state is the principal in the matter of that infrastructure.

When it comes to energy, we must build now - yes. We must have a robust energy system. We cannot have an energy system with propeller technology that is weather-dependent.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Nils Seye Larsen (MP)

Mr. Speaker! It may not be the time for a long energy debate. But I am originally from Skåne, and if there is one thing people know in Malmö, it is that there is always a headwind regardless of which way you cycle. There are the conditions there to build offshore wind power in the near future that is stable and reliable. But among others, the Moderaterna have said no in municipality after municipality. Instead, they want the state to step in and finance expensive and unprofitable nuclear power.

Sweden is already one of Europe's largest exporters of electricity, and there is much else that would need to be in place for us to have a stable energy supply. Even if we were to build the reactors, the conditions are lacking in the power grid we have. Many other smart solutions would be needed to balance the system.

If the state intervenes and so clearly subsidizes a type of energy, one pushes aside the market mechanisms that could build together all the possibilities for regulation, which we might need more than just base energy. I can think that it is a bit remarkable.

I still have not received an answer regarding the colonialist perspective. Much is said about how it is the EU that slows down and regulates when it comes to forests and other things. The fact is that the very largest forest owners are not small, private forest owners. They are large companies that would gladly engage in exploitative exploitation of the forest. It is the same thing with the mining companies.

But there are people who live, exist, and act there. And it is nature that we should protect. It is a colonialist perspective to only see the natural resources without seeing the values that exist in other respects.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Kjell Jansson (M)

Mr. Speaker! Let me begin with Norrland. It is enormously large in terms of surface area. I believe there is room for everything. One does not need to push out the local population and destroy their lives just because one opens some mines. We have to choose between taking advantage of our own natural resources or being dependent on China and Russia. That is what it is about now. It is a question of what we want. If we are to have a green transition, we must have these metals and components. I and my party prefer that we look at opening mines - in good order. Sweden will have the best mines in terms of technology and safety. I am fully convinced of that.

Regarding energy, we expect increased energy supply until 2040. By then, we want robust energy that provides electricity regardless of the weather. We also need to ensure that it works for industry. If we now want new companies and jobs, we must have secure and safe energy delivery and a price that we know what it will be.

There is no wind power that works with low prices at zero or minus. Several wind farms have gone bankrupt. I believe the member is aware of that. Furthermore, at low energy prices, there is no room for wind power. If we build wind power, we must also have replacement energy, and that is largely about fossil fuels. Hydroelectric power can carry a good deal in northern Sweden, but otherwise, it is about opening the Karlshamn plant or running it more often to balance the whole.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! Expenditure area 24 Business is the heading for the debate. The report is divided into three decision points:

goals for tourism policy within the area Business Policy

Objectives for Foreign Trade, Export and Investment Promotion

the state budget within expenditure area 24.

Mr. Speaker! I want to first declare that we have a reservation of motive regarding decision point 2, which I move for approval. I then want to say something about the appropriations in the budget. Since the parliamentary majority in the first step of the budget process has given the budget policy a different direction than the one I desire, I abstain from taking a position regarding the distribution of appropriations within expenditure area 24.

The Left Party's budget alternative, which is presented in our party motion, should obviously be seen as a coherent package where no part can be broken out and treated separately. Instead, we present our view regarding the consideration of expenditure area 24 in our special statement. What I express here naturally coincides with the Left Party's policy within the expenditure area.

I would like to begin by emphasizing the importance of Swedish industry. Much of what the industries produce is of a socially critical nature, for example, materials for welfare, construction, and the green transition. Sweden also needs to transition to innovation-driven growth. That which other countries do cheaper and sometimes even better, Sweden must meet with greater knowledge content, more resource-efficient production, as well as a production of goods and services that stems from societal challenges rather than being consumption-driven.

The transition of the economy must take place in a new economic landscape, where the climate issue and the growing population constitute both challenges and opportunities. Research and development must take place in close relation to industry. Furthermore, tourism and the visitor industry have great importance for the entire country. The industry has grown over several years and gained ever greater importance as one of several growth engines in the countryside.

I also want to highlight small businesses as an important engine for Sweden's business life, not only because these companies can grow and become large, but also because, at best, they can drive new ideas and innovations forward. Sweden has good conditions to develop entrepreneurship within sustainability and energy efficiency, which in turn can drive the transition of society.

Trade with the rest of the world is crucial for Sweden, which is a small and export-dependent country, and for our prosperity and our development. When it comes to the policy pursued in this area, I would have liked to see a new direction with justice as a starting point. People, social justice, animals, climate, and environment should be prioritized with a focus on societal benefits for everyone, not just on profits for large corporations. The direction of trade policy should also not involve deteriorations for the citizens in the countries we trade with.

In line with the Left Party's budget alternative within expenditure area 24, I believe that the following changes should have been implemented in relation to the government's proposal.

Let me begin with appropriation 1:2 The innovation system: Research and development. It should have been increased by 35 million kronor compared to the government's proposal. These funds were needed for, for example, research on sustainable building materials that can replace fossil building materials.

I and Vänsterpartiet believe that the appropriation 1:3 Institutens strategiska kompetensmedel should have been increased by 30 million kronor compared to the government's proposal. It would have enabled support via Rise to innovative small companies so that they can apply their research in the state laboratories.

Furthermore, I believe that appropriation 1:5 Business Development should have been increased by a total of 122 million kronor compared to the government's proposal. The increase includes several important initiatives. Just over half of this appropriation increase should go to targeted support for women's entrepreneurship, which shall consist of two parts. One part would aim to facilitate professional networking among women, and the other would go towards supporting women's innovation. The remainder would go to cooperative business activities which are important for the development of the business sector, and it would be in the form of both direct support and support via Tillväxtverket's promotional activities.

I would also have liked to see an increase of the appropriation 1:8 Geological Survey of Sweden by 20 million kronor compared to the government's proposal. It is an appropriation item that is also highlighted in other speeches.

In the report Innovation-critical metals and minerals, which is a research overview prepared on behalf of the committee, it is stated that there is an insufficient bedrock geological and ore genetic research infrastructure in Sweden regarding innovation-critical metals and minerals and that a knowledge base needs to be built. The Geological Survey of Sweden has been tasked with mapping the occurrence of innovation-critical metals, but I believe that the agency needs more resources to be able to carry out the assignment.

I also believe that 50 million kronor could have been removed from appropriation 1:16 Restructuring and review of state-owned companies compared to the government's proposal.

It is a fact that small companies can have difficulty obtaining bank loans because the banks do not want to take the high risk. Regarding appropriation 1:20 Grants for business development and innovation, I believe that this should have been increased by 120 million kronor compared to the government's proposal so that Almi can begin work on improving small companies' opportunities to obtain financing.

In conclusion, I argue that a new appropriation should have been introduced within the expenditure area for a three-year program for the green transition of the pulp and paper industry, where 250 million kronor would have been allocated to the program for 2025. Through the program, the pulp and paper industry could receive support for investments involving energy efficiency and increased production of renewable fuels. There are great opportunities for the aforementioned industry to contribute further in the transition.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Birger Lahti for the presentation. There is one thing I would like to ask Birger by reason of both his presentation and what can be read in the Left Party's special statement. The Left Party wants to direct 35 million to Vinnova so that they can research and develop alternative building materials in order to "replace fossil building materials such as cement, steel and concrete".

My short question is whether Birger Lahti himself believes that a day will come when we do not need fossil building materials but instead use, for example, wood to build roads, buildings, and other things. In the next step, we will well enter into all conceivable types of areas. The word choice used both in the speech and in the specific statement is "replace fossil building materials," not complement or similar. I fully understand that for both environmental and architectural reasons, one may want more wood than cement when building a house facade. But does Birger Lahti believe that it could replace fossil building materials?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Tobias Andersson for the question.

If I, for example, build something with a steel structure and am going to build further with steel railings but instead replace them with wooden railings, I have, of course, replaced fossil building materials with something else.

The question was whether I believe that one can disregard fossil building materials entirely. No, I do not believe that either. It will never happen. When building the foundation, regardless of whether it is roads, bridges or other constructions, something is needed that is resistant to moisture and so on. I realize that. But even in concrete production, one can change the input materials. One can have fewer fossil input materials, which means that one so to speak gets the same material with fewer fossil fuels.

No, one cannot replace all fossil building materials. Perhaps we could have formulated it differently. But I definitely assert that one can replace much fossil with renewable and still achieve the same durability and the same function.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Tobias Andersson (SD)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Birger Lahti for the answer and the clarification. I have no reason to prolong this exchange of remarks and can only state that it is positive that both the Sweden Democrats and the Left Party see a future for fossil building materials such as steel, cement, and concrete.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Birger Lahti (V)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Tobias Andersson for the exchange of remarks. Then perhaps we will land somewhere where we both realize that the truth exists. But I hope that the Sweden Democrats also want to phase out as much as possible of that which does not benefit Sweden. We have much of what we can use instead of the fossil. I believe that coming generations will think that it was the right path.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by moving to approve the committee's proposal regarding expenditure area 24 Business for the 2025 budget year and move to reject all motions.

The budget for the expenditure area amounts to approximately 8.3 billion kronor. The goal for industrial policy is to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness and create conditions for more jobs and more growing companies. A favorable business climate is a fundamental prerequisite for economic growth. Sweden's companies and entrepreneurs are the engine of our prosperity. When people are given the opportunity to manage their abilities and realize their ideas, the entire society is strengthened, and I want to emphasize the importance of this.

These funds are strategically distributed to facilitate companies' innovative power, reduce red tape, and provide conditions for the business sector's both national and international competitiveness as well as for research and innovation. Research and innovation, Mr. Speaker, are completely central issues for Sweden's competitiveness, for our welfare, and for the green transition. Innovative startup companies and incubation are an important ingredient in exactly this.

The central goal of this government is to promote a favorable business climate. We know that we build our prosperity through entrepreneurship and that it is always the entrepreneurs from whom the money comes. It is by entrepreneurs taking risks, starting companies that grow and employ more people that we generate tax revenues for many.

Mr. Speaker! According to Tillväxtverket's annual measurements, red tape costs companies a total of 370 billion kronor every year. These are staggering sums. It is money and working hours that instead could have been used to develop the companies, expand, and perhaps hire. A central part for this government is to reduce the administrative burden on companies, something that the companies themselves have highlighted the need for over several years. This government listens to the companies, and it is pleasing that the Förenklingsrådet and the Implementeringsrådet are now established to simplify regulations and improve the companies' contact with authorities.

Another thing that companies in Sweden have highlighted, and which has created an overwhelming administrative burden and time-consuming work, is the contacts with authorities. Sweden's authorities are important for our companies. That authorities cooperate with each other makes the path in for our companies simplified. This government has now implemented that. Sweden's companies now get more time to develop their products, services, and ideas instead of getting stuck in administrative burdens, outdated regulations, and complicated reporting. It is, in any case, a strong objective for this government.

Mr. Speaker! Organized crime has negative repercussions on companies and their conditions to compete on equal terms. Crime costs entrepreneurs nearly 100 billion kronor per year. Here, cooperation between several authorities is required again. The Government is increasing, among other things, Bolagsverket's capacity to analyze and combat economic crime. When I have conversations with Bolagsverket, they tell me that the measures improve cooperation between the authorities and that the new initiatives increase the possibilities to identify and stop illegal activities. That is pleasing.

Mr. Speaker! International trade is a prerequisite for Sweden's global competitiveness. We want to ensure that Swedish companies have the best possible conditions to grow and compete internationally. Business Sweden addresses companies, especially small and medium-sized ones. The activity aims to increase the knowledge of Swedish companies regarding conditions and opportunities in international markets in order to stimulate them to exploit their own and the various markets' potential.

Mr. Speaker! I have personally had the privilege of visiting Ukraine and Kyiv. Ukraine is a country at war. At the same time, investments and development are taking place on many levels, not least within the high-tech sector. The reconstruction of Ukraine takes place every day in the midst of the war. In the places where Russian robots destroy infrastructure, the area is restored immediately. We were told that streets are rebuilt in just a couple of days.

Mr. Speaker! The business sector plays an important role in the reconstruction of Ukraine, but we know that the high risk exposure is a hurdle for many companies. Therefore, it is pleasing that the budget contains a framework of 888 million kronor for special export credit guarantees for Ukraine, which gives companies intending to export to Ukraine safer opportunities to export society-critical goods and services to the country. They can thus contribute to reconstruction, sustainable social development, and economic development in Ukraine.

For Business Sweden's state assignment, it is proposed that the appropriation be increased by 24 million kronor in 2025. For expenditures for the fulfillment of export credit guarantees to Ukraine to the extent that the expenditures cannot be classified as aid, it is proposed that the appropriation be increased by 55 million kronor.

Mr. Speaker! It is important to maintain Sweden's capacity for innovation and investment climate. The Government's strategy for foreign trade, investments and global competitiveness, which was decided in the autumn of 2023, is a step in the right direction. Companies' capacity for innovation and competitiveness are also strongly linked to the recently presented research and innovation bill. We look forward to this being fulfilled. The Government's efforts to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and trade are well-considered proposals that strengthen Swedish business and innovation.

Mr. Speaker! I move again for approval of the committee's proposal regarding expenditure area 24.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Lili André, for the speech!

I noted that Lili André spent a large part of her speaking time talking about how difficult it is for small business owners in our country. In particular, she spoke about the regulatory burden which, according to Lili André, is very burdensome for our small businesses, which I can agree with to some extent.

Mr. Speaker! We find ourselves in a situation where it is Lili Andrés's party that holds the leadership position in what was previously the Ministry of Enterprise and which today is the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise.

As I have mentioned in previous exchanges, there are record numbers of bankruptcies of small businesses. They continue to go bankrupt one after another in the Christian Democrats' Sweden.

I would like to hear a bit about what the Christian Democrats' proposals are to create conditions for companies to both be formed and started here in Sweden. What are the Christian Democrats' proposals so that companies can be able to create jobs?

Something that I have mentioned before, but which is worth mentioning again, is that we have the highest unemployment in over ten years, Mr. Speaker. It is almost Christmas. For very many Swedes, it will not be a good Christmas.

I would like to hear: What is the Kristdemokraternas proposal so that more companies can be involved in creating jobs in Sweden?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, the member, for such important questions!

Companies really need relief from red tape and administrative burdens. I am very proud that we are putting a lot of work into this. We have now established a simplification council and an implementation council, as the regulatory frameworks that the EU provides also need to be reviewed.

It is a number of bankruptcies, says the member. It is unfortunately a wave after the pandemic. But we shall, of course, curb it.

It is important that the unemployed enter education in order to be able to take the jobs that exist today. One reason why the jobs that exist are not being filled is that the educations have not been targeted towards the needs that have existed on the labor market. In that regard, the government is making large investments with reform after reform in the budget. We are increasing the appropriations in the budget for several vocational educations so that adults can receive the education they need.

We also provide increased appropriations and increase the quality of higher education so that we get an increased throughput so that companies can hire.

When it generally concerns companies, the member spoke just recently about women's entrepreneurship. I am also incredibly proud of that. We need to stimulate and find new methods so that women can start companies and also get their companies to grow. It is actually a shame that we have not done it earlier. When women's companies are given the right conditions, there will also be more companies in our country.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! It is completely correct that there is a wave after the pandemic. When one knows that it is a wave after the pandemic, one needs powerful measures to create jobs.

But we have a government that seems to be completely blind to the high unemployment prevailing in our country. We have a government that does not invest in the educations that Lili André refers to. It is not true that one is investing.

The first thing you did when you entered the Government Offices was to cut back on adult education. Then you brought those funds back and called it an initiative. It is classic bourgeois politics.

I would like to hear a bit about women's entrepreneurship. Lili André said that she is proud of methods to increase women's participation in the business world.

I am more interested in which measures Lili André is proud of from the government to increase women's participation in the business sector so that we get an equal business sector.

Half the population cannot be left out in a situation where the entire population needs to be given the conditions to contribute so that our growth can increase and unemployment shall fall.

Mr. Speaker! I would like to know if there is a plan. We allocate 180 million kronor more in expenditure area 24 than the Christian Democrats do. It is because we believe in Sweden as an entrepreneurial country.

But we also believe that it is the state that must take political responsibility when things are not right in our country. Therefore, we appoint more than the Kristdemokraterna.

We take responsibility for the industrial policy. We take responsibility for the unemployment in our country. The Christian Democrats do not.

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Lili André (KD)

Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Member, for the contribution!

I would like to say that companies also go bankrupt because of the incredibly large regulatory burden they have. I am surprised that the Social Democrats are not putting money into it. You believe that the companies can succeed anyway with these regulatory burdens.

You are not investing 10 million in the Simplification Council. You are investing that in something else. You are not investing 13 million in the Implementation Council. You are investing that in something else. You do not believe what the companies have said year after year.

It is the regulatory burdens that are a brake on our development, for our growth and for us to have the freedom to do what we want to do for our companies, instead of sitting with administration and administration.

When it comes to vocational training, it is an enormous investment that the government is making in vocational training. The Member of Parliament is now saying that we withdrew funds and then came back.

We had to step back to see which vocational educations we need today for the labor market. What do we need? That way, a government can act to invest in a vocational education that is for the labor market's needs. Right now, there are several vocational educations being started because there are many who need to take that education to get jobs.

I want to say something about women's businesses. What I said was that we are now finding methods for women's prerequisites for entrepreneurship, for business ownership, for increased venture capital, and also to be able to receive support to run businesses. Tillväxtverket is now conducting an investigation, and we will see the answer to that in about a year.

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Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C)

Mr. Speaker! 700 million kronor a day, every day of the year - that is how much the companies pay in tax in the form of the general wage fee, the tax that is embedded in the employer contribution. In total, it amounts to 260 billion kronor a year in revenue to the state treasury.

The budget issues we are discussing here today amount to approximately 8 billion. That is as much as eleven days of tax from the companies. These areas primarily concern innovation and structures so that companies can develop and test new products, but also appropriations to understand rocks and manage the increased interest in the Swedish mining industry.

Grants concerning business development around Sweden are often attacked. This concerns, for example, grants to Ung Företagsamhet, knowledge building on why so few women start growth companies, or how to make the fantastically well-functioning platform verksamt.se work even better. These are many issues, but it is only 3 percent of the budget we are talking about today.

The conditions for entrepreneurship across the country, for both large and small companies, are absolutely crucial to being able to quickly reverse the increasing unemployment. The forecast from Svenskt Näringsliv is that unemployment next year will be at 8.6 percent. These are no pretty record levels. One in four people under 25 years of age has no job today. A third of all unemployed people lack a high school education. One of the solutions is, of course, more education and ensuring that young people get through primary school and high school. It must be possible to supplement with education throughout life, regardless of where someone is born.

But it is also about the companies' possibilities to hire. Sweden has the EU's lowest proportion of simple jobs, and most likely also the world's lowest proportion of simple jobs. These are, therefore, jobs that do not require much prior knowledge but which, for that matter, are not unimportant. For companies, however, it is too expensive today to hire those who do not have experience.

Now we have dealt with inflation, many say. Interest rates are going down. The economy will start rolling again! But it just isn't doing that. The companies were a bit happy at the beginning of spring, but now they are waiting. And that is not so strange. The future development in the global economy is uncertain. Europe is struggling with structural problems, and competitiveness is completely lagging in some parts. The growth engines in France and Germany are running at half speed.

Growth in the euro area, where 40 percent of Sweden's exports go, will be at 1.2 or 1.3 percent. Add to that the large export we have to the USA, where import tariffs will be introduced.

Every week, war and hotspots flare up. Georgia is suddenly moving away from the EU. Syria's future and the impact on an already heavily strained region is very unclear. During the last months, the number of container ships passing through the Suez Canal has decreased by 70 percent compared to last year. It is not strange that all of this affects the economy and that the order intake is weak. The dampened global demand weighs on development in the near future.

The Center Party's goal is that at least 130,000 more unemployed people should get a job so that unemployment at least falls to an average level in the EU. This can happen in many ways, including by ensuring that companies do not have to pay any employer contribution for the first ten employees. It is good that the government is expanding the growth support. But it is only for two employees, and it is actually nonsense to call it the growth grant. It is a deduction. These are the companies' own money; they are not grants!

The employer contribution shall be lowered permanently by a total of 5 billion kronor for those who have low starting salaries to address what we spoke about earlier. The obligation for entrepreneurs to pay for sick employees must be removed. The labor market policy measures must be redirected towards more effective matching services for companies.

A good business climate that is to withstand the global crises and challenges also requires that more companies are created in everything from high-tech industries to the tourism industry. The tourism industry would need a proper strategy that also includes an update of Matlandet. It is good that the government wants to make the tax fairer for microbreweries, but we propose that it should be made more comprehensive to achieve a better effect.

The high-tech industries need much of what the government proposes. But there is one piece of the puzzle that I know requires extra care. It is growth companies working with technology that takes a bit longer to develop. In everything from medical technology to technology for green transition, perseverance is required from both entrepreneurs, the public sector, and investors.

It is a bit comical today when I meet guys who have worked with venture capital in Stockholm for many years. They cannot understand how it can be difficult to find venture capital. And that is how it is; when you have made a few entrepreneurial journeys, you are in the right circles, and it is not so difficult to invest in each other's companies. But the barriers to entry are incredibly high, and they are geographical.

Every entrepreneur knows that it is invaluable to be recommended to an investor by a mutual acquaintance. If one is far from the incubators at Handelshögskolan, Chalmers, and Karolinska, one needs innovation environments all around Sweden. These must, of course, be reviewed and evaluated over time. But they are important, because they create meeting places and contexts where capital, industry, and startups can meet. Therefore, Vinnova needs more funds for exactly this.

Mr. Speaker! As I have described, we live in a time of geopolitical challenges that we could not have previously imagined. We have also committed ourselves to becoming a society that does not emit more than we can take care of within 20 years. I look at my 20-year-old at home and think that those years go by quite fast!

The best thing is that all these challenges are to Sweden's advantage. But we must work quickly and smartly to succeed in such a short time. We have the raw materials, we have the talents, and we have the entrepreneurship. If we can just ensure that innovations continue to flourish here, that capital both stays in and is attracted to Sweden, and that we tax new companies that grow a bit more reasonably – yes, then the economy will grow and unemployment will fall.

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Louise Eklund (L)

Mr. Speaker! Sweden needs more liberal reforms that strengthen our competitiveness and create conditions for Swedish business, Swedish industry and Sweden's companies. Much has been done, but significantly more remains to be done.

Increasing energy prices, an infrastructure in great need of investment, and world events such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which have been mentioned here earlier, constitute major challenges for parts of the business sector. We also have a rather rigid bureaucracy and an agency culture that causes, for example, permit processes to take an unreasonably long time.

The overarching goal for industrial policy must therefore be to strengthen Swedish competitiveness and create conditions for more jobs in more and growing companies. International cooperation for continued free trade, a strong export industry, a reconstruction of the Swedish energy system, investments in infrastructure development, and relief from bureaucracy and administration are important pieces of this puzzle. These are also areas that the current government places great emphasis on tackling.

Mr. Speaker! There is much that can be improved regarding the opportunities to run businesses in Sweden. Sometimes we unfortunately see how the public sector stands in the way of private entrepreneurship. The authorities' task should not solely be to control and stop errors, but also to help people and companies do the right thing.

It is a shift in perspective that is important. For a number of years, we have seen how companies' costs as a result of regulations have increased by several billion. It is not reasonable. It also underscores the need for the regulatory simplifications that the government is now proposing. It is about establishing a simplification council and an implementation council. That is excellent! The regulatory burden and the administrative costs need to decrease so that companies and entrepreneurs can focus on their core activities.

Mr. Speaker! Last week we debated Sweden's energy situation and concluded unanimously that energy production still needs to be expanded in Sweden, especially in the southern parts, and that we need to work in every way to achieve more reasonable electricity prices across the entire country. I would believe that this is the single most important thing we in this chamber can do for Swedish business. But we also naturally need to monitor that Sweden does not fall behind in the infrastructure investments that are now being made in various parts of Europe and which can have great significance even for Swedish exports.

It concerns in particular the Fehmarn Belt link between Denmark and Germany which is now being built and which will further shorten travel times between Sweden and the continent. Bottlenecks remain across the Öresund on the Swedish side, and these need to be addressed and built away.

For a small, export-dependent country like Sweden, it is absolutely necessary that we do not fall behind when other countries build their markets closer together.

Mr. Speaker! It is becoming increasingly clear that Sweden's position as a leading knowledge nation is no longer entirely self-evident. We are falling behind, partly due to previous governments' failure with long-term structural reforms and liberalizations of the business sector and the labor market, and partly because we are underperforming in the education sector.

We need to meet this. We must also, to a much greater extent than before, plan the educational offerings within upper secondary school and adult education based on the needs of the business sector. We must also ensure that the labor market's needs are reflected in the vocational training. This government has begun to do this, and that work will continue for a long time to come. It is not just good; it is absolutely necessary for Sweden to succeed in a razor-sharp international competition.

I return to the point I usually stand here and speak about: We need to invest in technology and mathematics education in primary school. These are two completely central areas for broadening the recruitment base for the technical educations we need and for being able to get more, not least young women, to seek out engineering educations. In this context, I would again like to highlight the need for Sweden to now vigorously begin working from the STEM strategy that is now finally in place.

Mr. Speaker! We in Sweden have come a long way regarding equality. That does not mean that there are no differences between men's and women's opportunities, and this naturally also applies within the business sector. In the enumeration of corporate leaders that colleague Kjell Jansson made here earlier, the common denominator is not only these individuals' competence but also that they are men. Men still have significantly more capital than women, invest more, and run more companies. It is something unhealthy when we have such large imbalances between men and women, and it is potentially destabilizing when it comes to issues concerning capital and ownership.

Work is currently underway within the government aimed at leveling the differences we see between men's and women's opportunities. How do we get more men to work for equal boards and management teams? How do we get more women to want to take a place in boardrooms and management teams and to own and run companies? I look forward to seeing what the government will continue to present on this subject.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker: Free markets, free companies, and free individuals are values that the Liberals have fought for since we began organizing as a party. They are also the prerequisites for an open and democratic society.

The major dividing line between us and parties such as the Social Democrats, I believe, is the view on how large the state should be and how much the public sector in its various forms should also be the executor of tax-funded activities. The Liberals' worldview is built on the idea that entrepreneurship is best performed by the private sector. It is best for the citizens, for the companies themselves naturally, but also for Sweden as a free, strong, and prosperous country. Having subsidy-dependent entrepreneurs is rarely a winning strategy.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I move for approval of the government's proposal under expenditure area 24 Business.

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Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! I thank Louise Eklund for the speech.

Louise Eklund said at the end that the difference between the Social Democrats' and the Liberals' view is how large the state should be. It is obvious that the state in the Liberals' Sweden is not to take responsibility for high unemployment, low growth, and falling GDP.

Louise Eklund devoted a fairly large part of her speech to talking about regulatory simplifications, which I admit is an important area. Given the figures we received today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear which regulatory simplification from this government has resulted in the most jobs in Sweden. That is what I would like to have an answer to.

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Louise Eklund (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank you for the question.

I believe that a major and decisive difference between our parties is the view on how present and large the state should be and what role the state should have. Naturally, the state should take responsibility for societal development and for what we sometimes call Sweden Inc. The Liberals, however, do not therefore land on the conclusion that we should take people's money and give it to the private business sector. We land on the conclusion that the state should provide everything that creates the conditions for a free and strong business sector. It is about building roads, achieving better energy production throughout the country, and having a strong education system that is both cutting-edge and broad, and which can enable young people but also people in the middle of their lives to either receive an education or further their education, both for the individual's own sake and for the sake of society when needs change.

Naturally, the state should take responsibility. But one does not need to land in a money bag; instead, one can land in a structure that builds the prerequisites for a strong and free business sector.

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Daniel Vencu Velasquez Castro (S)

Mr. Speaker! It is so: It does not need to be shown in money. It is obvious with this government.

Also, another thing is obvious: No matter how much this government shifts the blame, and they are very good at that, you have had power for two years. The result is the highest unemployment in over ten years, Louise Eklund. It is ordinary Swedes who no longer go to work. It is ordinary Swedes who want to contribute but cannot, because the Liberals do not want powerful measures to curb unemployment in our country. I think that is serious.

Above all, it is serious when we discuss industrial policy. In that area, we, as I have said before, allocate 180 million kronor more than the government does. We do this because we know that it is our expenditure area, Mr. Speaker, that creates growth in our country. If the state dares to participate and does not just back away, as Louise Eklund obviously wants, the state and the business sector can create jobs in our country. We have done that before, and we will do it again.

I did not receive an answer to my question, so once again I would like to know, Mr. Speaker: Which regulatory simplification has created the most jobs in Sweden since this government took office? It is still a relevant question when one devotes a large part of their speech to precisely this.

I would also like to point out that in the innovation policy issues, we Social Democrats allocate 150 million kronor more than the government does. It is because we believe in Swedish innovations. We believe that it is Swedish, sustainable, green products that are to be exported all over the world that will strengthen Swedish growth. It is obvious that Louise Eklund and the others in the government parties have been radicalized by the Sverigedemokraterna in their view on the green industry.

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Louise Eklund (L)

Mr. Speaker! I thank the member for the views.

I repeat what I consider to be a bourgeois and liberal starting point in business policy, namely that the state should provide for everything that creates the conditions for a free, strong and independent business sector. We need to invest more money in infrastructure. We need to ensure that we have lower energy prices across the entire country. We need to ensure that we have both a primary education and a research education of world-class quality that can help to strengthen the Swedish business sector.

We do, however, have a difference in view on how large the state should be when it comes to things such as throwing money at the private business sector. Regardless of what the problem is, I perceive that this is always the Social Democratic proposal for a solution: more money and more subsidies. I cannot see how that would strengthen the Swedish business sector better than creating conditions in the form of an expanded infrastructure and in the form of both a basic education and a research education that is for everyone and which strengthens both the individual and Sweden as a society.

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Nils Seye Larsen (MP)

Mr. Speaker! I thought I would start by addressing some things that have been said in this debate, including about political division. Now, I have been thrown into the Riksdag somewhat hastily, but I can say that in the municipality where I have been group leader for six years, it is rather the bourgeois opposition that is very divided in its proposals. There, we and the Social Democrats govern very well together. We can, therefore, govern together when we are involved and governing. It is part of democracy.

Before I forget, I also want to move for approval of the reservation we have together with the Socialdemokrater under point 2, Objectives for Foreign Trade, Export and Investment Promotion. Otherwise, we waive the motions as the financial framework has already been set.

Well! I was also thinking about another thing that has been mentioned. There was some talk about Northvolt and the challenge that exists there, and what I think is somewhat missing in that debate is a pre-Northvolt perspective or a pre-Industriklivet perspective, that is, a perspective that originates from the time before the green transition. I can take Northvolt and Skellefteå as an example.

For over four decades, Skellefteå has had a rather stagnant development without any population growth, and the future prospects have been quite bleak. The Northvolt establishment has, however, led to Skellefteå being the municipality in Sweden that has grown the most proportionally in terms of population. And it is not only Northvolt that has happened in Skellefteå, but this has created ripples and led to the local and regional business sector developing enormously. Other companies have established themselves, and things are being built and developed.

The same applies in several of the municipalities in Norrbotten where we see the green industrial investments: They actually came as a gift from above and an opportunity in an otherwise very gloomy development. I want people to remember that, because we in Miljöpartiet – who have indeed raised the perspective that Sweden must take the impending climate crisis seriously and transition – have always believed that the business sector and industry can, want to, and should play an important role in the transition. That industrial step that we introduced together with Socialdemokraterna has yielded a very positive result.

There is something else that I feel is somewhat missing in this debate. When one looks at the report on European competitiveness that the EU Commission has submitted, one sees that there are great challenges and that Europe has fallen behind. Here, I see that Sweden actually has a very great opportunity and good conditions to be a strongly contributing factor in the EU's work to increase its competitiveness, both through the energy supply we contribute and through the green industrial revolution and the large-scale investments that are taking place.

What I miss in the debate, however, is that a functioning and viable society is needed behind all industrial investments and establishments. It is something I think is missing in the debate, that is to say, that business policy actually is connected with everything else around it. Strong and viable municipalities and regions are needed that have good conditions to ensure that there is access to housing, community services, and a well-functioning welfare system. That is the prerequisite for being able to attract competence.

I know that unemployment is high and gloomy in Sweden in general, but in the north, we have a different situation. I will come back to that when we talk about regional policy. In the strategy for the new industrialization in Norrbotten and Västerbotten that has been launched by the government – and which I must say is a very good strategy, even though I wish the government had actually delivered a policy to follow the strategy – it is highlighted, among other things, that the relative unemployment in Västerbotten is 2.8 percent. In Norrbotten, it is 3.2 percent. We thus have a declining population development and a very low unemployment. We have difficulty attracting the competencies that exist.

Thanks to Northvolt, we have seen a huge influx of competence. It is also stated in the strategy that, for the most part, all immigration to Norrbotten and a large part of the immigration to Västerbotten consists of immigration from other countries and that Sweden shall be a welcoming country for international talent and competence - that we shall ensure that we retain highly qualified international competence and foreign labor.

We can take Skellefteå as an example. There are 1,400 people there who have been served with deportation orders and who had work permits. Over 90 percent of them have a three-year post-secondary education, and it is competence that will be needed in Sweden's business sector. Skellefteå has asked the government for an extension of the application period by three months before these persons are deported.

If one had only worked purposefully for this and simultaneously assisted with initiatives on, for example, Swedish language instruction, which many of these people wanted, one could have ensured that they – who are highly educated, who are needed in our business sector, and who have come here to start a new life in northern Sweden – stayed. Not a single one of them we lose will come back.

These are important things that would need to be worked on to live up to the strategy. I am just trying to make you aware that we need to look at all components if we are to have a functioning business sector in all of Sweden.

In conclusion: We in Miljöpartiet are, as mentioned, investing in this industrial step in our budget proposal. We want to develop and strengthen it, because we believe in it. But we also want to invest more in research and innovation and link it to business development, which I believe is important.

We also need to work more with investments in the next part that we see as important in the work of transitioning our economy, namely a circular step. It is about seeing how we can make better use of the circular flows. This is important. I can take Umeå as an example: One of the largest industrial investments is Umeå Eco-Industrial Park, where they are starting to look at all these flows. If we start to be at the forefront in that technology - in the green and circular technology - we will, in fact, have knowledge, cutting-edge expertise, and innovation that will be in demand from our global environment.

Then, when it comes to investments, I would just like to mention that the infrastructure is also needed. For the green industry, a proper railway infrastructure is needed, such as the Norrbotniabanan and Malmbanan. We need to connect ourselves with Europe.

I have one final comment. It does not say a word about nuclear power. On the other hand, it states in the strategy that we need to invest in obtaining permits for wind power as soon as possible.

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Josef Fransson (SD)

Madam Speaker! In today's debate on industrial policy - and also later, in the debate on regional development - I would like to take the opportunity to point out that this year's budget contains a very good investment for the constituency I am elected for, namely Jämtlands län.

The initiative concerns maintenance, visitor management, and security measures for hiking trails on state land and entails that 25 million kronor per year are earmarked for the purpose during the years 2025-2027. That the state takes responsibility for the maintenance of the hiking trails in Jämtlandstriangeln is something that I have pushed for in the budget negotiations and have now, therefore, received support for.

This is linked, not least, to the fact that Svenska Turistföreningen, in consultation with the sameby and the County Administrative Board, decided during the summer of 2023 to reduce activities at the mountain stations in the Jämtland Triangle. This was linked, not least, to wear and tear on the ground. The measures taken led, unsurprisingly, to 30 percent fewer visitors in the Jämtland Triangle. It is a risky game, to say the least, with Jämtland's business sector. With the budget allocation, I hope that the maintenance debt will soon be rectified so that activities can return to previous levels, for the benefit of both outdoor-loving tourists and the Jämtland tourism industry.

Madam Speaker! In this context, I also want to point out an absurdity, namely that one so easily prioritizes the so-called reindeer husbandry over regionally important business activities. When I say "the so-called reindeer husbandry," I mean that it is not to be designated as a business activity because it is heavily subsidy-financed.

The so-called wilderness industry lies like a wet blanket over half of Sweden's area regarding regional development. Sooner or later, we must address this issue seriously. Hunting, fishing and hiking - such things that might make people seek out northern Sweden and can fill the companies that are in need of labor - we cannot manage in the way we do today.

Business

However, I am pleased that the Jämtland triangle will now receive its long-awaited maintenance so that we can quickly restore accessibility for Swedes who want to hike in the mountains in Jämtland and other areas. Now, it really only remains for the County Administrative Board and STF to act based on the new situation. The tourism industry is central for Jämtland County and must not be neglected.

(Applause)

In this speech, Eric Palmqvist (SD) agreed.

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 9.)

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