Response to interpellation 2024/25:363 on state takeover of Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the state takeover of Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport and the role of aviation infrastructure. KD argues that aviation is important for Sweden's economy and competitiveness 1. KD believes that the negative development for domestic traffic is due to the economic downturn, high costs, changed work patterns 2, as well as the aviation tax and "flight shame" rhetoric 3. KD wants to appoint a new inquiry into the state's basic supply of airports 2. KD argues that the government has taken measures for a better functioning aviation infrastructure 1 4. S argues that there is a national interest in good infrastructure so that the entire country can live 5 and that aviation is available as an option due to delays in the railway expansion 5.
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! Per-Arne Håkansson has asked me if I intend to heed the collective commitment that has been shown in the question and take the initiative to ensure, in the long term, a state takeover of Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport.
I would like to start by thanking Per-Arne Håkansson for his commitment to aviation and the regional airports. I share the view that aviation is an important part of the transport system. In a country like Sweden with long distances and many sparsely populated areas, aviation is particularly important for domestic travel. It also has great significance for Sweden's economy, competitiveness, and openness towards the rest of the world.
That is why the government has taken several important measures to strengthen aviation's competitiveness and improve the conditions for good accessibility by air. I can mention, as an example, the abolition of the aviation tax from July 1 this year and an increase in the state contribution for operating support for non-state airports.
The government is also taking steps to make aviation more sustainable - which in turn makes it a more attractive means of transport in our elongated country - both through a Nordic declaration to promote the development of commercial electric aviation and through the introduction of the common European rules on the blending of sustainable aviation fuels which were finalized in the EU under the leadership of the Swedish presidency.
As Per-Arne Håkansson very rightly points out, a so-called letter-by-letter investigator in the report State's responsibility for the Swedish airport system - For accessibility and readiness (Ds 2023:3) presented a proposal for an expanded national basic supply of airports through a state takeover of one to four municipal airports.
On January 12 this year, I and some of my colleagues within the Tidö cooperation wrote a debate article in Aftonbladet. The article was prompted by the fact that the airline Bra has ceased its scheduled traffic at Bromma Airport. In view of this, an internal analysis was conducted at the Government Offices.
The analysis work has shown that the coalition parties have concluded that several issues need to be investigated more in depth before further positions can be taken.
One of the issues that will be investigated further is what the state's basic supply of airports should look like and the airports' role in the infrastructure system in order to contribute to ensuring that all of Sweden can function and develop.
As I have previously informed in other contexts, the government intends to return to the forms for this investigation.
Per-Arne Håkansson (S)
Madam Speaker! I would like to begin by thanking Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson for the answer.
My interpellation was prompted by the fact that it is now almost three years since the previous Social Democratic-led government initiated the investigation into the regional airports. The investigation, led by the former Moderate government minister Peter Norman, was submitted to Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson in February 2023, I believe it was, and proposed that it should be examined whether Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport should be added to the national basic supply of airports. The investigation assessed that there are strong reasons to do this.
The investigation also went into the fact that the review could mean that the government could commission a state negotiating representative or state-owned Swedavia to offer the owners of the airport a state takeover.
This was a long-awaited announcement in many ways, which I have understood was received with anticipation and great interest by the seven owning municipalities Ängelholm, Helsingborg, Höganäs, Bjuv, Båstad, Klippan and Perstorp and also by Region Skåne.
Madam Speaker! A couple of weeks ago, I attended a conference in Helsingborg, organized by Helsingborgs Handelsförening, in the presence of relevant municipalities in the form of municipal board chairs, opposition councillors, and representatives from the business community and civil society. They presented a report on the airport's importance for both job creation and competitiveness in northwestern Skåne. The message was clear: The necessary decisions to move from words to action on the issue are delayed, and it is now expected that the government acts. The proposal presented by the investigation—that Swedavia should take over the ownership of Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport and that the government should make decisions that promote sustainable transition and green technological development for Swedish domestic aviation—needs to be realized.
Even though the Minister for Infrastructure in his answer here refers to upcoming tax cuts, that is not something that changes the situation for the seven owning municipalities that operate and stand behind Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport. What he addresses in the answer has been known previously but has not calmed the concern that constantly exists regarding the future conditions.
The operational support that the Minister for Infrastructure refers to is, as I understand it, unfortunately not designed to align with the conditions that apply to Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport.
EU's state aid rules also limit the possibilities of providing municipal and state grants. According to information I have obtained regarding the so-called general block exemption regulation, support can be given to airports with fewer than 200,000 passengers per year. Larger airports than that are excluded and can only receive support through special exemptions.
According to the information I have received, three regional airports in Sweden currently have approved SGEI regulations. Just Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport, however, appears to exceed the limit of 200,000 passengers by a certain margin, which may affect operating grants. The airport can therefore be said to constitute a borderline case that becomes a dilemma. It is perhaps too large for grants according to the regulations but still at the minimum level to meet the challenges that are tangible and is therefore in a rather precarious situation.
Waiting for a decision entails significant economic burdens for the affected municipalities and for the region which is also involved. I would therefore like to repeat the question to Andreas Carlson as to whether he does not, at the current moment, see a need to respond to the collective commitment that exists. What is it that needs to be further investigated in this specific context?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Per-Arne Håkansson is quite right that there is a need. There are very many needs, and it was against that background that I gave my answer.
I want to emphasize that the government has more than doubled the state operating support for regional airports. I must, however, remind and be clear, Madam Speaker, that it is the Transport Administration (Trafikverket) that has the mandate to manage and decide on the distribution of this grant.
The government makes decisions on the size, and the reinforcement we made was historic - the largest that has been made since the operating support was introduced. But as Member Per-Arne Håkansson may know, a party colleague of his, the then Infrastructure Minister Anna Johansson, was referred to the Committee on the Constitution as a result of statements regarding operating support to individual airports that could be interpreted as ministerial rule. I believe, therefore, that the Member and the Chamber respect that I cannot comment on just those parts of the Member's questions. There I refer again to the authority that is responsible for the payment and distribution of the support.
What did I say in the answer that is guiding in this? Well, it was that domestic traffic has had a negative development. A lot has happened in the three years that have passed since the proposal was submitted. It is important to establish, Madam Speaker, that a contributing cause is the aviation tax that was introduced in 2018 and the debate surrounding flight shame for which, among others, Per-Arne Håkansson's own party has a responsibility, given that they were in a governing position at the time.
We, meaning the then opposition and also the Christian Democrats, warned of the consequences already back then. In a long country with many sparsely populated areas, aviation is important, but here a rhetoric was used that did not take into account the transition being made in Swedish domestic aviation by Swedish airlines and new companies developing electric aviation and sustainable aviation fuel. Not taking this into account and pointing out that aviation will be important for Sweden even in the future naturally has consequences. That is what we see now when domestic traffic has a negative development. Here I still want to emphasize that there is also a responsibility lying with the member's party, Madam Speaker.
In the report Wings for Growth, which was presented at the occasion the member refers to, all North West Skåne municipalities and companies were recommended to update their travel policies so that they do not exclude flights. It was one of the points in the report, and it is a completely reasonable conclusion. Here, I hope there is a consensus and that one sees the opportunity to contribute to the aviation transition. There are other municipalities that do this by, for example, purchasing as much sustainable aviation fuel per ticket as possible. It is also an important development, as I see it.
The message today is, however, that the investigation to be appointed concerns looking at the basic supply and Swedish airport infrastructure in a broader context. The needs that the member points out are unfortunately not unique to Ängelholm-Helsingborg, but it is important to see this in a larger context. The government will take this further.
Per-Arne Håkansson (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank you for the topics of discussion that the Minister raises. There is, of course, much that needs to be handled in order to move forward here.
Through my interpellation, I have wanted to highlight the central role of Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport, both today and during its 65-year history, for the infrastructure in northwestern Skåne and also southern Halland and the southern parts of Småland.
The local commitment and interest have been great over the years, and efforts have been made in various ways. There has been mobilization from both Social Democrats as well as bourgeois representatives, Moderates and perhaps even one or two Christian Democrats, at the decision-making level in northwestern Skåne to jointly manage this. Then each municipality makes its own decision regarding its travel policy. That is where we have municipal self-government, and I have great respect for the municipal council decisions that are made and the responsibility that lies there.
The ownership of the airport has varied. In 2011, the private company Peab purchased the airport from Swedavia through a high-profile technical transaction in which ten northwest Skåne municipalities were involved. In the spring of 2020, however, the company announced that it could not operate the business due to the economic effects of the pandemic.
The airport was saved from closure through a buyout by seven municipalities: Ängelholm, Helsingborg, Höganäs, Bjuv, Båstad, Klippan and Perstorp. Some moderately-led or bourgeois-led municipalities did not want to be involved, some social democratically-led did not want to be involved. It was therefore not so polarized; that description can be left to Andreas Carlson. It has no basis in the discussions that were held locally.
In this context, the cooperation between Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport and Ljungbyhed Airport can also be mentioned, where university-level education and vocational training are conducted and development work with the defense is also ongoing. In Ljungbyhed, the cradle of Swedish aviation was once located. Now, advanced research and important training are taking place there.
It should be mentioned that northwestern Skåne is characterized by a good business climate in general and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. However, there are worrying trends. The current economic situation has affected the region in a negative way. Unemployment stands at 9.5 percent and has increased more than in the rest of Skåne. Employment has also decreased.
To this should be added that several companies in recent years have moved from this part of the region to Malmö. Among others, Ikea, Findus, Oatly and Perstorp AB have moved their headquarters closer to Copenhagen, Kastrup and perhaps a somewhat more dynamic business climate. The uncertainty surrounding the airport's situation has probably not improved the situation in this context.
If Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson wants all of Sweden to live and develop, an increased state commitment is needed to ensure that good and sustainable infrastructure is provided. This applies to both aviation as well as trains and other modes of transport. Naturally, green technology and environmentally smart solutions shall be in focus. Here, all industries and modes of transport have a great responsibility to adapt to both the national and the international climate goals.
The municipalities have primary responsibility for school, health care, and elderly care, and here increased efforts are required, not least given the economic situation and the recession that we are currently experiencing. Therefore, decisions and initiatives in an issue such as this are required for the municipalities' part, no longer delays.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Thank you very much for the commitment, Per-Arne Håkansson! I have also met that commitment locally. I have made visits to the airport in question and have met representatives for those who work on-site. I have also been in contact with various municipal politicians who are involved in the ownership of the airport. I really want to emphasize that there is a commitment.
That there is a consensus locally is very positive, Madam Speaker. The polarization has perhaps rather been at the national level in the political debate. Naturally, it affects those who are to choose modes of transport if one advises against or even in some sense prohibits the use of aviation in various travel policies and other matters.
Of course, according to local self-government, each municipality is entitled to make its own decisions. Each company is also entitled to make its own decisions. But it is reasonable to also consider the consequences of that type of decision. I believe that even Per-Arne Håkansson can have a role as a local Member of Parliament. It is also possible to speak with party comrades in different parts of the country, not least party comrades here in the city of Stockholm.
It is a question of a local airport. It is not just about those who live in the region that Per-Arne Håkansson represents and speaks for being able to go somewhere, but also about people being able to travel from, for example, Stockholm to Ängelholm-Helsingborg, which is a growth region. Therefore, it is important to address the question of travel policy and how one can influence the aviation transition to more sustainable solutions by not excluding a type of traffic in advance.
We in the Government Offices have changed our travel policy so that it is mode-neutral, and there are other ways. It is important that each decision-making body makes its own decisions, but one also needs to discuss the consequences of such decisions.
The negative shift for domestic aviation has largely been a consequence of the recession, high costs, and changed work patterns after the pandemic, where people work more from home. One might have digital meetings instead of flying to a meeting. I do not question that, but what is important to put under the magnifying glass is what has caused us to end up in this situation. It is not only Ängelholm-Helsingborg airport that has major economic concerns. We can see that in almost all parts of Sweden.
I underlined in my response that we will appoint a new investigation that will investigate how the entire state basic supply of airports should look and the airports' role in the infrastructure system. Just as Per-Arne Håkansson says - even if it may not have been exactly how the member said - every type of traffic is important in itself. How they integrate with each other is a core part of the government's new focus when we develop the infrastructure policy.
Transition needs to take place in all modes of transport, but the links between them need to be strengthened. The role of airports and maritime transport is emphasized in the government's infrastructure bill. In that context, one should now see the assignment that we will give to an investigator, who will look at the airport infrastructure and the financing of that infrastructure.
I understand that many want an answer - Per-Arne Håkansson is not alone in this - and it is important to handle this in a broader context given that it is a national issue.
Per-Arne Håkansson (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank you for the answer and the reasoning.
As I see it, Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson, there is a national interest in providing good and accessible infrastructure across Sweden's long land. I am not primarily an advocate for aviation, but I am an advocate for us having a good infrastructure that allows the entire country to live.
Direct connections to and from the capital are in themselves important and generate opportunities for further travel to both other parts of the world as well as domestically. When it comes to Ängelholm-Helsingborg Airport, the catchment area covers approximately 575,000 people within a one-hour travel distance. This corresponds to the fifth largest catchment area among the airports in the national flight supply.
Trains would of course be an excellent alternative and complement in themselves, but a simple journey to and from Stockholm involves an average of six hours of travel time and makes it difficult to compete.
I participated some time ago in a meeting with Ikea in Älmhult. There, the situation was described with emphasis given the delay that has occurred in the expansion of the Södra stambanan, and other companies have also raised the issue of the Västkustbanan. It is serious that the expansion of the railway traffic is not following the needs that exist. In the current situation, air travel is perhaps what is available for that type of transport.
I repeat that I believe it would be of great value for the municipalities concerned, citizens and companies to receive a statement from Andreas Carlson on this issue. I do not perceive that he has given it so far in the debate.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I have given a decision, but it was perhaps not exactly what Per-Arne Håkansson wanted. I have great respect for the fact that many more want a decision that aligns with what the previous investigation concluded three years ago. But a lot has happened in three years, and it is important to see this in context. Many regional airports have large deficits. In that case, one needs to look at the financing of airport infrastructure in a broader context than one to four airports, as the investigation at the time proposed.
I agree that significant upgrades of the Swedish railway are needed. This is not in opposition to the support that must occur to achieve a better functioning aviation infrastructure in Sweden, and in that regard, the government has taken measures.
The Chairman mentions the Södra stambanan. What we have done is that instead of planning for high-speed trains with a speed of up to 320 kilometers per hour on the Lund-Hässleholm section, we have lowered the speed to up to 250 kilometers per hour. This has freed up funds for six land connections to the Öresund Bridge, which the previous government did not have room for in its infrastructure proposal and the national plan. We have already included this in the national plan. Together with decisions made on the Danish side on the same date that the government made this decision a couple of years ago, the capacity on the current connection on the Öresund Bridge increases by approximately 30 percent.
This is an example of what the government has already done. I have noted that the Director General at Trafikverket has spoken about challenging the timeline for the Södra stambanan, and I am positive about that if it were possible. It is not in contradiction to that that we see a need to strengthen Swedish airport infrastructure, because aviation is also an important mode of transport for all of Sweden to function.
I look forward to returning with more information on how we will succeed with this, and I hope that the member is satisfied with today's debate. I am, in any case, grateful for the commitment that the member shows.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.