Response to interpellation 2023/24:459 on the inventory of foreign ownership within the infrastructure sector
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerned the need to inventory foreign ownership within Swedish infrastructure to manage security risks. KD argued that a screening system has already been introduced and that an investigation is underway to strengthen the control of protected activities 1 2. KD emphasized that the transport infrastructure's needs for the total defense must clearly be taken into account in the planning 2 and that work is being done to secure transport and spare parts 3. S argued that it is important that the transport committee is involved and requested a guarantee that a list of existing foreign ownership exists 4 5 6. S emphasized the transport sector's importance for the functioning of society 4 6.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Gunilla Svantorp has asked me if I intend to take any initiative to inventory foreign ownership within the infrastructure sector in Sweden with the intention of subsequently analyzing and managing any risks.
It is important that transport infrastructure that is significant for ensuring Sweden's security and preparedness does not have unsuitable owners, especially in light of the serious security policy situation in Sweden's immediate vicinity and in Europe.
A review system was introduced in December 2023 through the Act (2023:560) on the review of foreign direct investments and the Ordinance (2023:624) on the review of foreign direct investments. The Act covers, among other things, activities of societal importance, i.e., activities, services, or infrastructure that maintain or ensure societal functions that are necessary for society's basic needs, values, or security. This means that certain foreign investments in activities of societal importance must be reported and reviewed before they can be implemented. The investments may subsequently be conditioned or prohibited if it is necessary to prevent harmful impact on, among other things, Sweden's security.
Furthermore, the government has appointed an inquiry which shall, among other things, take a position on whether state control should be introduced in transfers of certain immovable property of essential importance for the total defense (dir. 2022:121).
These are important issues, and I am following the developments closely.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer, Minister!
I wrote the interpellation after I had tried to get the Committee on Transport to submit a committee initiative with the same content but had not succeeded. I think that foreign ownership is a very important issue, not least considering the security policy situation we have today. We also know that infrastructure is what allows us to move both ourselves and, above all, goods in our country. It would therefore have been good if the entire committee had been involved in the issue. Now it had to be an interpellation instead.
The Minister states in his response that a screening system has been introduced, and that is good. It actually came about due to an EU decision where requirements were set that the countries should have such a system. The previous S-government commissioned the investigation called the Direct Investment Investigation, and in December last year, the decision on a screening system for foreign direct investments was reached, just as stated in the response.
The previous government also gave FOI a mandate to look at areas and industries worthy of protection. In that investigation, they have taken assistance from primarily three agencies: the Armed Forces, Säpo and MSB. Much of what these agencies highlight in the report concerns how other agencies are dependent on transports for food supply, to be able to deliver medicines and so on.
FOI has since initiated two reports based on the first assignment. One concerns health and medical care and the other concerns primary and upper secondary schools. I think it is a bit strange that the issue of transport, which is so important for so many other activities, has not also been addressed.
It was one of the reasons why I asked the Minister what he, based on what has emerged in FOI's report, intends to take initiative on. It is clear that the Minister, as he says at the end, is following the issue closely, but one can also take initiative and consider this to be a very important issue.
It could also be that initiatives are already underway, but not within our committee's area, but within the Defense Committee's area, given the security policy situation. That would not be unreasonable. But it is also important that we in the Transport Committee get to discuss these issues, which we are responsible for anyway.
In light of FOI's report, I therefore wonder how the Minister intends to proceed regarding this matter of taking initiative.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking the member for their commitment to the issue. I naturally have no views on the decisions a single committee makes in the Swedish Riksdag, so I do not wish to comment further on that.
What I can comment on and also informed about in my answer is that a review system has been introduced through the Act on the Review of Foreign Direct Investments. The Government has also commissioned a special investigator to propose measures to strengthen the control of activities of security importance. The purpose of the assignment is to increase the ability to meet changed conditions that pose a threat to Sweden's security. The investigator shall, among other things, propose an order for how a state authority should be able to intervene in contractual conditions and other ongoing procedures that need to be terminated or otherwise changed for security reasons. The assignment shall be reported by the end of November this year at the latest.
These are important issues, and as I said, we are following them very closely. The Government has also taken measures and taken initiatives.
When it comes to other initiatives, which I understand is what the member is asking about, I want to remind that it clearly appears in the assignment to Trafikverket to prepare a direction basis for the long-term planning of the transport infrastructure that the needs of the total defense shall be taken into account. It states this more clearly than it has done previously. It is also an important aspect given our NATO membership and the security policy situation.
There are, of course, many important parts in this that affect both the infrastructure and the ability to maintain transport in different situations. It concerns civil preparedness, also in situations with high alert and ultimately in war. These are therefore urgent matters, and as I have answered, the government has taken measures and appointed an inquiry.
The assignments to FOI had been decided before the new law on the screening of foreign direct investments. Supplementary regulations entered into force on 1 December 2023. I do not really rule out that additional measures may be required, but to remind once again of the investigation that has been appointed and which is working on exactly this, I want to say that it is important to await those results in order to have a basis for which measures may need to be taken.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you very much for the answer, Minister!
The investigation that is mentioned is appointed to look at different sectors, not only in the area of infrastructure but also in others. In that case, it is important to ensure that the correct information is provided and that there is work underway within the own department. Then we in the Transport Committee can also follow that work and what is happening. We can, for example, ask Trafikverket to come and tell us what is happening, and we in the opposition can then have the opportunity to ask questions.
I realize that the list we would actually want to have, that is, of such objects within the infrastructure already today, might fall under some kind of security classification, given the security policy situation. But it is important that the list exists. It is enough to look around to see that, for example, ports are operated and owned by foreign interests.
We have a market system within the infrastructure that makes it so that we procure almost everything that is to be carried out. Given that, we are very vulnerable. If something were to happen, perhaps those who are to carry out the work within the infrastructure area actually will not enter Sweden for one reason or another. They might also not want to enter Sweden, because they have other interests.
There are, therefore, many different aspects of the issue that I think it is important that we in the Committee on Transport also get to discuss. It should not all the time be an issue only for other committees. Our authorities and we still hold most of the knowledge on the issue. We then need to discuss it more than we have done so far.
I do not quite think it is enough to say that an investigation is underway. That is the case for everything. I want to know how the Minister intends to ensure that this is an issue that is addressed within our specific area of responsibility. That is the important question I have.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I would like to once again thank Gunilla Svantorp for her commitment.
It is, of course, central and completely crucial issues. How we are to secure transports to enable the supply of goods and food is an important part of our preparedness. The member is himself aware that it is such things that one perhaps needs to talk about in contexts other than this. But I can assure Gunilla Svantorp that work is underway.
Of course, there is also an adaptation taking place towards Nato and Nato membership. It has already affected a lot and will affect a lot in the coming years. We have already taken measures as far as we could before Nato membership. Sweden's Defence Preparedness has pointed out that reinforcement was needed in a west-east direction.
The work is also intensified regarding the preparedness sectors. Trafikverket is responsible and coordinating for the preparedness sector Transport. A piece of work is underway, the preparedness sector Transport private-public cooperation. Trafikverket leads the work, but many others are also affected. An investigation is also looking at specifically supply preparedness. There, the transports are of course completely decisive.
Now a spare parts strategy is being developed by Trafikverket, as a result of the government's mandate to strengthen railway maintenance, which is sometimes called the punctuality investigation. Some consequences of the ongoing work so far are that the work with spare parts around the large cities in Sweden will be reinforced, so that there is a higher state of readiness. It is also important with repair readiness. Work is also ongoing there.
I welcome the commitment. I believe that we will have reason to conduct the conversation on many fronts in the coming years, as a result of the security policy situation and as a result of our Nato membership.
Gunilla Svantorp (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you very much, Minister!
I want to remind that the Minister's colleague from the Christian Democrats, Torsten Elofsson, in the debate on the screening system, took up strategic investments from other countries and acquisitions of important infrastructure in his statement. He then mentioned ports, airports and railways as future investments in critical infrastructure that could be affected by the new regulatory framework. It is very good and very important.
But as has been said, it is also important that we have a grip on those that already exist. Even if the list does not become official, it is important that it exists. Can the Minister guarantee that one has a grip on those that already exist? If the infrastructure does not work, then nothing else works either. We can discuss for a very long time how hospitals and other things should function, but without transport and possibilities to move both medicines and sick people, nothing works in our society. I would therefore like to receive a guarantee that that list exists, also regarding how it looks further back and not just forward.
We are a trade-dependent country and must, of course, be positive about other stakeholders entering our country. But given the geopolitical situation, we cannot be naive.
I want to include that it is also important that we in the Transport Committee are involved in this important issue, so that it does not end up solely in other committees.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I thank you for this interpellation debate.
At the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure, we work very closely with the Ministry of Defence and directly with the Armed Forces. It is of course important to have good dialogue also with the members of the Swedish Riksdag and the Committee on Transport.
Madam Speaker! Let me remind you of what I said regarding the investigation that has been commissioned. It is to propose an order for how a state authority should be able to intervene in contractual relationships and other ongoing proceedings that, for security reasons, need to be concluded or otherwise changed. What the member expresses and emphasizes the need for is, therefore, addressed in that part of the investigation.
Since then, as the member said, different sectors and other situations are affected. But a recurring point for many parts is precisely the transport sector, which is a prerequisite for much else to function in our society. Therefore, it is of course important that it is included in the investigation, which it is.
I look forward to the reporting. But we are not sitting and waiting until November, Madam Speaker. Much work is ongoing, which I accounted for in previous answers. It is very urgent given the security policy situation we find ourselves in. I perceive that there is great consensus on this in Sweden's Riksdag. I appreciate that.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.