2014

Press release 23 August 2014 Ministry of Finance Budget consolidation needed in 2017 and 2018 to safeguard buffers Sweden has weathered the crisis well. Its public finances are among the strongest in the EU. Weak international growth will now result in a slightly slower recovery in Sweden, according to the Ministry of Finance August forecast. Alongside increased expenditure at the end of the electoral period, this will necessitate budget consolidation. To safeguard the recovery, this should wait until the economy gradually returns to normal in 2017 and 2018. Budget consolidation will allow net lending to return to a one per cent surplus in 2018.

Despite unrest internationally, Sweden remains strong and has the capacity to meet future challenges. Growth is also expected to continue to be stronger than in the majority of comparable countries. Sweden has higher employment rates and lower long-term unemployment than the vast majority of comparable countries. Download Employment will also increase in the years to come and unemployment will gradually decline. Sweden's strong public finances have made it possible to pursue a proactive policy to counteract the potential impact of the Key figures forecast August international crisis on households and businesses. Fiscal policy has been well-balanced and provides support 2014 (pdf 320 kB) for the gradual recovery that is now taking place.

"It is important that the public finances remain strong. Sweden must be able to meet future crises from a position of strength, and we must make sure that we continue to have safety margins in the future," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg.

Safeguarding Sweden's strong position in the years to come will require responsible action. Reforms must be financed krona for krona. Budget consolidation towards the end of the electoral period is also deemed necessary if Sweden is to continue to stand strong in an uncertain world.

The international prospects for growth have deteriorated this summer in the EU, and also in the US and Japan. This development will affect Swedish exports and willingness to invest, both this year and next. Growth will therefore be more subdued than previously forecast. The Swedish economy is expected to gradually recover, but the recovery is still uncertain. The risk outlook remains negative, with a risk of weaker growth. This requires fiscal policy to be designed so as to consolidate the economic recovery while at the same time safeguarding the safety margins in the public finances by returning net lending to surplus.

The forecast for net lending is now being revised downwards compared with Ministry of Finance forecasts during the spring and summer. Net lending is being affected by the subdued economic outlook and unexpected changes in revenue and expenditure. The weak global economy is subduing export industries and also contributing to lower tax revenues. With more people seeking protection from war and persecution, the reception of refugees is increasing, bringing a need for additional resources.

In order to maintain good buffers and the ability to protect jobs and welfare when the next crisis comes along, the public finance surplus should reach 1 per cent of GDP in 2018. According to the current forecast, budget consolidation to the tune of around SEK 25 billion will be needed in the next electoral period. The design of fiscal policy should take account of the fact that resource utilisation will remain low in the next few years. To protect jobs and growth, fiscal policy should therefore not be taken in a direction that impedes the economic recovery during the period 2014-2016. Budget consolidation should be implemented in 2017 and 2018 when it is estimated that the economy will return to normal.

If any new serious disturbances affect the Swedish economy and it moves further out of balance, budget consolidation measures should be postponed. If the recovery takes place quicker than expected, on the other hand, the budget consolidation can be brought forward.

The Government's budget consolidation in 2017 and 2018 The Government is in agreement that budget consolidation will primarily take the form of revenue increases, but it will also be necessary to limit increases in expenditure. One important premise is that budget consolidation must not affect core welfare services. Rather, fully financed reforms should be undertaken in the medical care, education and social services sectors to improve quality. It is also vital that budget consolidation does not take place through increased taxation affecting employment and the business climate.

A number of measures should be taken on the income side. The level of taxation from the financial sector should increase. The financial sector is currently exempt from value added tax in the EU Member States, which means that the level of taxation is lower than for other parts of the business sector. One starting point should be to reduce taxation disparities by raising social security contributions in the financial sector, as has been done in Denmark.

It is important to maintain the legitimacy of the tax system. At present, the commercial property sector is taxed less heavily than other parts of the business sector. Tax planning through packaging of properties can be counteracted. An inquiry will be appointed. To further prevent fraud, the levels of tax and customs surcharges should be raised.

The adaptation of the transport sector is an important part of environment policy. Environmental governance should be strengthened by raising taxation on cars and vehicles with particularly high greenhouse gas emissions. Further environmental taxes, such as a chemicals tax and a tax on fluorinated greenhouse gases, should be introduced. The nitrogen oxide charge should also be converted into a tax. The Government also intends to raise taxes on alcohol and tobacco with a view to improving public health.

It is important to pursue responsible policies that limit future expenditure increases. Employment is currently increasing strongly and the Ministry of Finance forecasts indicate an improvement in the labour market situation. It will therefore be natural to adapt the scale of labour market programmes further down the line.

Measures should be taken to reduce ill health and sickness absence in the longer term. These may include measures to combat ill health among women and to reinforce work on mental health.

It is also vital to maintain good cost controls in various benefit systems by combating fraud and overuse. Central government administration should be made more efficient. The annual appropriation increases in the price and salary indexing system should also be limited from now on. An exception should be made for the defence area, to avoid undermining the strengthening of the Swedish Armed Forces currently under way. Costs can also be reduced by more thorough scrutiny of government agencies' costs for premises and their location.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Evin Khaffaf Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 40 23 +46 70 283 95 97 e-mail to Evin Khaffaf, via the Senior Registry Clerk Press release 04 July 2014 Ministry of Finance Sluggish recovery gradually strengthening The Swedish economy is expected to continue its gradual recovery after the longest and deepest recession Sweden has experienced since the crisis of the 1930s. This is the picture presented by the Ministry of Finance's new economic forecast. The recovery has been sluggish because of the continued subdued state of the global economy. Little by little, growth will pick up in the years ahead. The public finances will strengthen as the economy returns to normal.

The global economic recovery is expected to continue in 2014, though at a slightly weaker rate than is usual in economic upturns. As a result, Sweden will continue to receive relatively little external impetus. Growth is expected to reach 2.5 per cent this year and 3.1 per cent next year. The fact that the economy is growing Download despite the weak international environment is mainly attributable to household consumption. Key indicator table, forecast july 4th (pdf 66 kB) The risk of weaker growth still predominates, primarily because of the outlook for the euro area. While little risk is seen of a sharp downturn, the risk of protracted stagnation remains. Employment is continuing to rise and unemployment is falling. Sweden's public finances are still among the strongest in the EU and are expected to strengthen further as the economy returns to normal.

"The weak international environment affects us, but we are in a stronger position than many other countries because we have safeguarded our public finances. The infrastructure and housing investments announced this week by the Government will improve the prospects for jobs and growth and the chances of a secure and lasting recovery," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Evin Khaffaf Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 40 23 +46 70 283 95 97 e-mail to Evin Khaffaf, via the Senior Registry Clerk Ylva Hedén Westerdahl Head of Forecasts 08-405 31 22 Press release 09 April 2014 Ministry of Finance Spring Fiscal Policy Bill 2014: Knowledge for a stronger workforce In this Spring Fiscal Policy Bill, the Government is presenting initiatives to promote knowledge for a stronger workforce. A total of SEK 3.8 billion will be allocated to these measures in 2015. In addition, initiatives totalling SEK 1.3 billion are being presented aimed at increasing healthcare access and skills and further improving the business climate. As the recovery becomes more stable, fiscal policy will enter a new phase which will see public finances return to surplus. All initiatives will therefore be funded krona for krona.

"The people who have most difficulty getting a job are those who have not completed their education or who have inadequate knowledge," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. "We must therefore raise the quality of education to strengthen the workforce and prevent people from suffering unemployment in the future." Related Read more about the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill for 2014 Gradual recovery in Sweden and internationally Summary: Economic and Budget Policy Guidelines Growth is expected to increase further in 2014 and 2015 as the international economy strengthens and households and businesses become more optimistic. The higher growth rate is expected to result in a continued increase in employment and a gradual decrease in unemployment. However, there is still great uncertainty about the economic outlook. The risks of weaker growth still predominate. Download Key indicators in the Spring Budget Bill 2014 (pdf 19 kB) Responsible fiscal policy makes it possible to invest in education Tabel: Reforms and financing The Government will continue its reforms to steer Sweden towards full employment. Reforms are still needed (pdf 65 kB) to increase employment, growth and welfare. The Government therefore intends, in this autumn's Budget Bill, to propose an education and growth package worth about SEK 5 billion in 2015. This figure is intended to gradually increase to around SEK 8 billion in 2018.

There will be limited scope for fiscal policy reforms in the years ahead. This is because the public finances need to be restored to balance and surplus after many years of crisis that have called for strong stimulus measures. As a result, fiscal policy is entering a new phase in which every reform needs to be funded krona for krona.

In connection with the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill, a proposal on how to finance the reforms in the budget for 2015 will be circulated for consultation. According to this proposal, the Government plans to increase government revenues by limiting the tax deduction for private pension savings, raising taxes on beer, wine, spirits and tobacco, and on light vehicles, and abolishing the possibility open to financial enterprises, in particular, to buy and sell goods and services within a VAT category without paying VAT. To finance the reforms in the budget for 2015, the Government also plans to reduce expenditures by restricting additional allocations to the central government sector, abolishing age-based cancellation for new student loans and raising some of the Swedish Board for Study Support's fees.

The continued path towards full employment The Government's continued reforms for employment, growth and welfare in a cohesive society will focus on: increasing knowledge and improving results in school increasing the supply of and demand for labour promoting an increased supply of housing and sustainable transport provision improving the climate for business and innovation promoting health, security and self-determination in healthcare increasing the effectiveness of the judicial chain meeting global climate and environmental challenges safeguarding stability and reducing household vulnerability in the financial markets.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Evin Khaffaf Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 40 23 +46 70 283 95 97 e-mail to Evin Khaffaf, via the Senior Registry Clerk Press release 20 February 2014 Ministry of Finance Economy returning to normal and surplus over 1 per cent in 2018 according to Ministry of Finance forecast The Swedish economy will gradually return to normal after years of financial and debt crisis, according to the Ministry of Finance February forecast. The deficits will slowly return to balance and surplus. In 2018, net lending is estimated to reach over 1 per cent of GDP. However, this depends on reforms being fully financed. To create scope for initiatives, the Government intends to propose financing measures in the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill worth up to SEK 9 billion per year between 2015 and 2018.

"It is now important to strengthen the buffers and again build up a surplus in public finances. A small open economy with a large financial sector should safeguard strong public finances to protect jobs and welfare when there is turbulence in the world around us" says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Download Key indicators february 2014 Swedish exports will remain hampered by weak international demand and growth in 2014 will be driven by - forecast from Budget Bill for domestic demand, bolstered by an expansionary fiscal policy. In the years ahead, the global recovery is 2014 and December forecast expected to become more stable and Swedish growth to gradually gain strength. GDP is expected to grow by 2013 in italics (pdf 40 kB) 3.5 per cent in 2015 and 3.7 per cent in 2016. Employment is expected to continue to increase by between 0.9 and 1.2 per cent annually during the forecast period, and unemployment will gradually decline from 7.7 per cent in 2014 to 5.9 per cent in 2018.

As the economy returns to normal and the effects of the recession abate, fiscal policy will enter a new phase in which general government net lending will return to balance and surplus.

In 2014, net lending is expected to show a deficit of 1.9 per cent, and then in the following years, as resource utilisation increases, return to balance and reach a surplus of 1.1 per cent in 2018. The basis for this assessment is that reforms are fully financed - krona for krona.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Evin Khaffaf Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 40 23 +46 70 283 95 97 e-mail to Evin Khaffaf, via the Senior Registry Clerk Ylva Hedén Westerdahl Head of Forecasts +46 8 405 31 22 2013

Press release 19 December 2013 Ministry of Finance Growth subdued but labour market stronger than expected Sweden's growth is being held back by a weak international economy in the wake of the financial and debt crisis. Despite this, the labour market has developed somewhat more strongly than expected. As a result of the continued weakness of the world economy exports are only gradually recovering, while households are continuing to increase their consumption. The growth rate will strengthen and unemployment decline slightly in 2014. At the same time, there is still uncertainty about the economic outlook. The risk of weaker growth continues to dominate, according to the Ministry of Finance's new forecast.

"Sweden has responded to the protracted financial and debt crisis with measures that lay a stronger foundation for higher growth and more jobs, while countering the impact of the crisis on the labour market. The focus moving forward will be on creating conditions for a stable and lasting recovery," says Minister for Download Finance Anders Borg. Key indicators December 2013 (pdf 54 kB) The Ministry of Finance's new forecast shows that Sweden's GDP growth has been slow in 2013, mainly because of falling exports. However, a gradual improvement in growth is expected in 2014. This is mainly because of the continuing strength of domestic demand, as households continue to consume as their disposable incomes increase further. This healthy domestic demand is expected to lead to higher production in the business sector, especially in the production of services. The production of goods is expected to increase more gradually as export demand picks up in 2014. However, exports are forecast to increase at a rather more modest rate than assumed in connection with the Budget Bill in September, and as a result the Ministry of Finance is revising its growth forecast for 2014 slightly downwards.

The Swedish labour market has developed slightly more strongly than anticipated, despite weak GDP growth. During the first three quarters of the year, 44 000 jobs were added and unemployment declined slightly. During 2014 the employment rate is expected to continue to increase, alongside a further slight decline in unemployment.

Risks of a poorer development than in the main scenario remain, partly in view of the continued uncertainties surrounding the European banking system and the consequences of the expected reductions in US monetary policy easing. The high level of household debt in Sweden and high prices in the Swedish housing market remain risk factors that could lead to less favourable developments. This means the authorities and the Government will need to continue to monitor the situation in future and, if necessary, take corrective action.

Following a long series of fiscal policy measures to support the economy in what has become a historically protracted international downturn, the fiscal space is expected to be limited in the coming years. As GDP and employment growth gain momentum and unemployment declines, the focus of economic policy will shift from stimulus measures towards more structural improvements that strengthen the prospects of more people finding work. When the economy and resource utilisation eventually return to normal levels, net lending will return to 1 per cent of GDP.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Evin Khaffaf Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 40 23 +46 70 283 95 97 e-mail to Evin Khaffaf, via the Senior Registry Clerk Ylva Westerdahl Hedén Head of Macroeconomic Forecasting +46 8 405 31 22 Press release 18 September 2013 Ministry of Finance The budget for 2014: policies for growth and jobs In its Budget Bill for 2014 the Government presents proposals for growth and jobs. These include measures to increase employment, pupils' knowledge and skills and business competitiveness while enhancing welfare and cohesion and protecting the environment and climate. Sweden's strong public finances enable the Government to propose measures for 2014 worth a total of more than SEK 24 billion.

"Sweden is in a position of strength that allows fiscal policy to support measures for growth and jobs to prevent unemployment from becoming entrenched," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Related Summary: Budget Statement Fiscal space of more than SEK 24 billion for 2014 The Swedish economy has clearly been affected by the global recession over the past year. Growth has slowed again and is expected to remain low this year but then gradually pick up. Unemployment is not expected to Download show clear signs of falling until the end of 2015. But there is still a great deal of uncertainty about how the economy will perform and a risk that performance will be weaker than forecast. Key figures, forecast in the Budget Bill for 2014 (pdf 17 kB) As a result of the protracted economic downturn, the public finances are expected to show a deficit in both Table: Reforms in the Budget 2013 and 2014. The stronger economic outlook for the following years means that net lending is expected to Bill for 2014 (pdf 51 kB) strengthen gradually to show a surplus of 1.1 per cent in 2017. Based on how the economy and public finances are expected to perform, the Government estimates that there is fiscal space of more than SEK 24 billion in 2014.

Measures for growth and jobs In the Budget Bill for 2014, the Government proposes measures to support growth and permanently increase employment, strengthen pupils' knowledge and skills and business competitiveness, and enhance welfare and cohesion in Sweden while protecting the environment and climate.

Supporting growth and permanently increasing employment Strengthened household finances through an increase in the earned income tax credit, a raised threshold for state income tax and lower tax for pensioners New and broader paths to working life for young people through support to vocational introduction jobs, investments in apprenticeship and vocational programmes as well as reduced social security contributions for the youngest category and more effective labour market policy measures Better conditions for long-term unemployed people to find work through, for example, additional investments in the special recruitment incentive Better integration through more measures to facilitate the introduction of newly arrived immigrants, more hours of Swedish instruction for newly arrived pupils in years 1-5, better opportunities for supplementary courses for immigrants with tertiary qualifications and the introduction of new start zones A more flexible and secure labour market through state support for short-time employment and measures to improve labour market flexibility Better opportunities to follow up jobseeking activities and clearer requirements for those taking part in labour market policy programmes and for others.

Increasing knowledge and strengthening competitiveness Focus on knowledge in schools including through more hours of instruction in mathematics, homework support and measures to enhance teachers' skills and career opportunities Stimulus to research, innovation and entrepreneurship including tax incentives for R&D, equivalent tax conditions for business and entrepreneurship and reduced administrative burdens More efficient housing market through simpler planning processes and regulations for production of new rental housing.

Improving welfare and cohesion Increased support to the most financially vulnerable groups through an increase in the special allowance for children in the housing allowance, a higher income threshold for the housing supplement for pensioners and the introduction of a recreational activity allowance for children Increased quality, effectiveness and efficiency in health care and social services through a multi-year initiative for people suffering from chronic illnesses, more places in health care education programmes and better alcohol rehabilitation programmes Developed pricing model for pharmaceutical products to ensure that Sweden does not pay more for pharmaceuticals than other comparable countries Higher alcohol tax.

Protecting the environmental and climate Environment and climate measures including increased focus on chemicals issues, continued reduced taxable benefit rate for certain green cars and reduced energy tax on lead-free aviation fuel Quota obligation and biofuels tax

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Press release 23 August 2013 Ministry of Finance Fiscal policy to support recovery without jeopardising strong public finances Subdued international demand makes for labour market weakness in Sweden, according to the Ministry of Finance's August forecast. The fiscal scope will therefore be used to support gradual recovery and prevent the high unemployment caused by the crisis from becoming entrenched. This will be done while continuing to safeguard the sustainability of Sweden's public finances.

"We will use the strength of our public finances to energise and support a recovery. At the same time we will maintain safety margins. Laying a firm foundation for recovery is key to driving unemployment down," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Download Key indicators (pdf 22 kB) The sluggish international outlook continues to hold back growth in Sweden. Weak industrial production, declining exports and low investment rates are expected to result in weak economic growth in Sweden in 2013. From 2014 onwards, Swedish GDP growth is expected to return to normal levels. The slow growth is reflected in the weak labour market, particularly in 2013.

Net lending is expected to be in deficit in 2013 and 2014 before returning to balance and surplus in the following years. Expenditure ceilings and surplus targets will be maintained and secured. The return to a 1 per cent surplus will be gradually achieved as unemployment decreases and resource use approaches balance. In view of this, the Government considers that the general government finances allow some scope for reforms in the Budget Bill for 2014.

"In Sweden, the Government has been able to counteract the effects of the crisis thanks to strong public finances. We will continue to protect this position of strength," says Mr Borg.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Press release 14 May 2013 Prime Minister's Office Ministry of Employment Nordic prime ministers and employment ministers to meet in Stockholm On 15-16 May, Nordic prime ministers Fredrik Reinfeldt, Jyrki Katainen, Jens Stoltenberg and Helle Thorning- Schmidt, and Iceland's ambassador to Sweden Gunnar Gunnarsson, will meet in Stockholm for an informal meeting of Nordic prime ministers. In connection with this meeting, the employment ministers of the Nordic countries and the autonomous territories will also meet to discuss the challenges involved in getting more young people into work. The meetings will take place within the framework of Sweden's Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

At their traditional informal summer meeting, the prime ministers will discuss current issues of mutual interest. On 16 May, they will join the Nordic employment ministers for the job summit on young people and employment, which will take place at Fryshuset in Stockholm. The invited delegates also include Related representatives of the social partners, business representatives, young people from the Nordic countries, experts and others with experience of young people's situation in the labour market. www.government.se

The delegates will discuss how to prevent young people's exclusion, focusing in particular on those groups furthest from the labour market such as those with little education, people born abroad and the long-term unemployed. In connection with the job summit, various programmes from different Nordic countries that have made it easier for young people to establish themselves in the labour market will be highlighted and discussed at a job forum.

The Job summit on Thursday will be webcasted.

Programme points:

Wednesday 15 May 13.50 Prime ministers from the Nordic countries visit display flat in the Active House Place: Högviltsgatan 5, Hjorthagen, Norra Djurgårdsstaden, Stockholm Photo opportunity

14.15 Presentation by Mayor of Stockholm Sten Nordin Place: Gasklocka 1, Norra Djurgårdsstaden

14.30 Joint family photo Place: Quay 638, Frihamnen terminal

14.35 The prime ministers are available to the media Place: Quay 638, Frihamnen terminal (photo opportunity)

Please send confirmation to [email protected] by 16.00 on 14 May if you intend to take part in the visit to Norra Djurgårdsstaden

Thursday 16 May Job summit at Fryshuset in Stockholm

08.00 The media centre opens

09.00 Opening address by Minister for Employment Hillevi Engström 09.15 Address by Minister for Finance Anders Borg

09.45 Panel discussion with the Nordic prime ministers

10.50 Press briefing with the Nordic prime ministers

11.15 Panel discussion with the Nordic employment ministers

More information about the job seminar and the Job Forum for Young People is available at: www.regeringen.se/flerungaiarbete

Contact Markus Friberg Press Secretary to Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 48 72 +46 70 261 30 84 email to Markus Friberg Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary to Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 37 80 +46 72 225 45 47 email to Daniel Valiollahi Niklas Gillström Press secretary to Hillevi Engström +46 8 405 42 83 +46 725 20 66 33 email to Niklas Gillström Jan Janonius Press Service Ministry for Foreign Affairs email: [email protected] +46 8 405 91 42 Press release 15 April 2013 Ministry of Finance Spring Fiscal Policy Bill 2013: Taking responsibility for jobs and stability The global financial and debt crisis is now in its fifth year. The Government is continuing to counter the weak economic situation with a responsible fiscal policy for jobs and stability. In the 2013 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill, the Government is proposing additional measures in education, work experience, infrastructure and regional development. All in all, the Government is investing some SEK 3 billion in 2013 and 2014, the greater part of it this year.

"There is a strong headwind from the global economy which is holding back the recovery in Sweden. Our strong position and the confidence in Sweden's public finances are making it possible to proceed with more measures to mitigate the impact of the international crisis on the labour market and support a gradual Related recovery," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Read more about the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill for 2013 Growth in the Swedish economy slowed last year and is expected to be subdued in 2013. This has resulted in a Summary: Economic and weak labour market with rising unemployment. But the forecast is highly uncertain, not least because of the Budget Policy Guidelines uncertainty surrounding the ability of the euro area to overcome its problems.

To avoid high unemployment becoming persistent, the Government is now proposing and announcing further initiatives: Download the number of vocational adult education places will increase by 7 000 in 2013 and 7 000 in 2014; Measures and key indicators the number of work experience and employment training places will increase by 8 000 during 2013 and in the Spring Budget bill 2013 2014; (pdf 71 kB) the number of places on engineering and nursing programmes will increase by 1 400 in 2013 and 1 400 in 2014; measures for regional growth will be reinforced and redistributed so that SEK 40 million will be invested in 2013 and SEK 40 million in 2014; and funds will be redistributed in the area of infrastructure, which will provide an additional SEK 700 million for railway operations and maintenance in 2013.

Scope for additional measures in the budget for 2014 Although a final assessment cannot be made before the Budget Bill in the autumn, the Government considers that there will also be some room to propose additional measures in the Budget Bill for 2014.

"The Government's goal is to strengthen the public finances as the economy recovers so as to achieve the surplus target. We will not deviate from this objective," says Mr Borg.

The Government's efforts will focus on: getting more people into work by tackling long-term unemployment, increasing the incentives to work and facilitating entry into the labour market for groups that are currently far from it; strengthening competitiveness by improving the education system, entrepreneurship and the business climate, as well as the mechanisms of the housing market; ensuring a stable financial system and improving the position of consumers in the financial market; working towards sustainable energy and climate systems; and creating cohesion in society and high-quality welfare through efforts to ensure effective health and social care and an efficient justice system.

Effects of the Government's policies There are clear indications that the Government's policies have already contributed to increased employment. Since the Government took office in 2006, employment has increased by some 200 000 people. Demographics and the economic situation cannot wholly explain this rise in employment.

The Government believes that sustainable employment will increase by almost 225 000 people, and that the equilibrium unemployment rate will fall by 1.6 percentage points in the long term as a result of the Government's policies.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Press release 23 January 2013 Prime Minister's Office Ministry of Finance Ministry for Foreign Affairs Fredrik Reinfeldt, Anders Borg and Gunilla Carlsson to Davos On 23-25 January, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will be in Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the World Economic Forum. Minister for Finance Anders Borg and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson are also participating.

This year, the discussions in Davos will particularly focus on how Europe can renew its reform agenda and increase its competitiveness. It will be an opportunity to discuss other countries' experiences and share the lessons learned by Sweden. Mr Reinfeldt will participate in five different panel discussions. He will moderate a discussion on how the right conditions for a Europe characterised by strong growth and high employment can be created.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Reinfeldt will participate in an open panel concerning how new job opportunities can be created, for example, which innovations and education systems can lead to the creation of new jobs and how individuals can increase their own employability. He will also participate in panels on how IT influences gender equality in society, how a new vision for inclusive and sustainable growth can be created as well as a panel on the main barriers to implementing the necessary structural reforms.

Minister for Finance Borg will participate is several meetings, mainly focused on how we can rebuild and strengthen competitiveness, partly from a European perspective, but also in other parts of the world. He will participate in discussions on how structural reforms are best created and implemented, lead a workshop on how Europe can create long-term sustainable growth as well as lead a discussion on the measures required to rebuild confidence in the global economy. Mr Borg will also participate in a discussion of the specific economic challenges facing several African countries.

Minister for International Development Cooperation Carlsson will participate in meetings on innovations in humanitarian work, the situation in Syria, agricultural development in Africa as well as several meetings in which the world's post-2015 development objectives will be discussed. Ms Carlsson will also host an informal meeting on Somalia's future and have private meetings with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Bill Gates.

The programme includes:

Fredrik Reinfeldt

Onsdag 23 januari

15.30-17.00 Reforming Reforms - Pushing the Competitiveness Agenda forward How can we translate the desire to reform into reality? The followings dimensions will be addressed: Dealing with the challenges of public administration Overcoming internal and external obstacles Building and maintaining support for the reform agenda

17.30 Gemensam pressträff, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Anders Borg och Gunilla Carlsson Plats: Sunstar Park Hotel (Davos Platz), Parkstrasse 1

19.00-20.30 Open Forum: Unemployed or Unemployable? Globally, there is a need to create 600 million productive jobs over the next decade to ensure sustainable growth and preserve social cohesion. Youth are protesting en masse and the number of university graduates is higher than ever before, yet businesses are struggling to find skilled talent to hire. How can this gap be bridged? Who should be responsible for the creation of 600 million jobs? What innovations are needed? Is the unemployment problem a structural or systemic problem? Is the education system at fault, or are the unemployed? Is unemployment high because of economic policy? Torsdag 24 januari

9.00-10.15 Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - Laying the Foundations for Europe's Renaissance Europe will face significant challenges in 2013: balancing "smart austerity" with the need for "smart growth"; reversing the trend of diverging competitiveness; and on-going refinancing and liquidity issues. Bold steps are needed to revive growth and ensure resilience against future shocks. Key questions: What innovative ideas could inspire Europeans? How can adjustment fatigue in the South and support fatigue in the North be addressed? Is debt mutualization the only way to salvage the euro? What drivers can create jobs in a new economic context of budgetary discipline?

12.30-13.45 Decoding the Digital Gender Divide How can the full potential of information technologies be harnessed to close the gender divide? Dimensions to be addressed: Engaging girls in computer science Leveraging collaborative platforms Targeting ICT skills gaps

14.45-15.45 A New Vision for Growth What new vision for growth is needed to achieve inclusive, sustainable and resilient prosperity? Dimensions to be addressed: Focusing on productivity and employment Embedding innovation as growth engine Rethinking cooperation models amidst global constraints

Anders Borg

Onsdag 23 januari

1530-17.00 Reforming Reforms - Pushing the Competitiveness Agenda forward Participant, Derby Hotel Davos

How can we translate the desire to reform into reality? The followings dimensions will be addressed: Dealing with the challenges of public administration capacity Overcoming internal and external obstacles Building and maintaining support for the reform agenda

Torsdag 24 januari

09.00-10.15 IGWEL: Laying the Foundations for Europe's Renaissance Contributor, Congress Centre

Europe will face significant challenges in 2013: balancing "smart austerity" with the need for "smart growth"; reversing the trend of diverging competitiveness; and on-going refinancing and liquidity issues. Bold steps are needed to revive growth and ensure resilience against future shocks. Key questions: What innovative ideas could inspire Europeans? How can adjustment fatigue in the South and support fatigue in the North be addressed? Is debt mutualization the only way to salvage the euro? What drivers can create jobs in a new economic context of budgetary discipline?

14.45-16.15 Workshop: Rebuilding Europe's Competitiveness Moderator, Congress Centre

What critical steps are needed to achieve long-term prosperity in Europe? Session objectives: Design the roadmap to growth Catalyse action among European leaders

20.00-22.00 Africa's Promise: How can Africa's leaders deliver on the continent's promise? Dinner discussion

Fredag 25 januari

09.45-11.00 Governors Session: Future Competiveness of Europe: Key Drivers and Best Practice Sharing Special Guest, opening remarks, Hotel Waldhuus, Jakobshorn

The European automotive industry represents 4.1% of EU GDP and more than 12 million jobs. The current European economic situation raises many uncertainties that are impacting the automotive industry. 1. What is the macroeconomic outlook in Europe for the next one to three years? What are the possible scenarios for Europe's future? Are the fundamentals solved or are we buying time? 2. What should governments do to stimulate growth and send signals of trust to businesses and consumers? 3. How can nations maintain competitiveness while ensuring industrial growth? 4. How can the industry navigate through this crisis and prepare for a sustainable model?

12.00-13.45 IGWEL: Defining the Imperatives for 2013 Contributor Congress Centre Lunch discussion

The prevailing themes of 2012 were sluggish global growth, slowing economies in emerging markets, transformation and tension in the Middle East, and on-going turbulence in the Eurozone. These will continue to dominate the outlook for 2013, even as new risks emerge. The opening lunch of IGWEL will define and prioritize the imperatives in 2013 to steer global transformation towards resilient dynamism. Key questions: What are the global consequences of the US elections and China's 18th Party Congress? What are the geopolitical implications of uncertainties tied to Syria and Iran and how should they be addressed? How can the conditions for a sustained, jobs-rich growth path be created? How should the post-2015 Global Development Goals be shaped and designed?

Lördag 26 januari

08.30-10.15 IGWEL: Policy Actions for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Contributor Congress Centre

The global economic outlook remains uncertain, despite the recent positive developments and the relative calm in the markets. Economic conditions are likely to remain weak in major advanced economies, and sluggish growth has led to increased unemployment and spillovers to other countries, with emerging economies also witnessing a slowdown. Against this background, confidence needs to be restored through prompt and resolute actions on the part of both the public and private sectors. A major challenge is to work together to formulate and implement policies that will help mitigate the immediate risks and secure a sustainable and jobs-rich recovery. Key issues/questions to be discussed: What are the key near- and medium-term actions needed to promote investment and spur sustainable and inclusive growth? What are the implications of the major shifts in the labor market for boosting job creation, including the impact of technological changes, developments in non-wage labor costs, and other labor market reforms? What specific actions can the financial sector take to support jobs and growth? What incentives are necessary to promote financial innovation with the most potential value added to society?

Gunilla Carlsson

Onsdag 23 januari

15.30-17.00 Reforming Reforms - Pushing the Competitiveness Agenda forward How can we translate the desire to reform into reality? The followings dimensions will be addressed: Dealing with the challenges of public administration capacity Overcoming internal and external obstacles Building and maintaining support for the reform agenda

19.30-22.00 New Models for High-Impact Development Investment The status quo is unsustainable. Today's global development challenges call for a fresh approach to donor assistance - transitioning from donor aid to catalytic investment. These significant investments, combined strategically, could be better leveraged to respond to the needs of the world's most vulnerable populations but who is leading the transformation, what else needs to be done and who else needs to be involved?

Torsdag 24 januari

12.00-13.45 The MDGs' Last 1000 Days: Paving the Way for Success Beyond 2015 The final three years to 2015 cannot be only about preparing for the post-2015 era. Maintaining momentum and maximizing progress on the current targets is absolutely critical in transitioning to a new framework. Dimensions to be addressed: What are the top priorities to be achieved by 2015? What are some issues where breakthroughs over the coming 3 years will help springboard progress post-2015

14.00-15.30 A new vision for emergency response 2025 Humanitarian challenges are complex and costly - virtually doubling global investment in the past decade and our methods of response increasingly outdated. Annual spending on emergency humanitarian response is over US$17 billion annually and the capacity to deliver is being stretched beyond capacity. Providing a collaborative space and exposure to progressive thinking and designing transformative technological solutions would help influence global leaders to understand and shape how future investment would be better leveraged for the nature and magnitude of future challenges.

16.30-18.00 Informellt ministermöte om Somalia

20.00-22.00 Africa's Promise: How can Africa's leaders deliver on the continent's promise?

Fredag 25 januari

12.10-14.00 Innovative Development Partnerships How can global development partnerships be designed for greater scale and impact? Dimensions to be addressed: Building local capacity and innovation ecosystems Tapping private- and public-sector expertise Fostering scientific and technological innovation

16.00-17.30 The Future we Want from 2015 The Millennium Development Goals are due to end in 2015. The Rio+20 declaration on "The Future We Want" called for global sustainable development goals to be in place from 2015. A new accord on climate change, replacing the extended Kyoto Protocol, is also scheduled for 2015. In this context, the UN Secretary-General set up a high-level panel to advise him on global development and sustainability beyond 2015. The panel is due to report to the UN General Assembly in September 2013.

20.30 Women Leaders Dinner: Women Giving Back Intergenerational transfer of knowledge is critical to growth, development and succession in organizations. How are today's women leaders forging paths for future generations? The following dimensions will be addressed: Defining "giving back" Role models across generations Mentoring and sponsoring the next generation of women leaders

Lördag 26 januari 08.30-10.00 Shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda What common themes should pave the way towards the post-2015 Development Agenda? Session objectives: Applying complex systems thinking Focusing on win-win scenarios Forecasting achievements for 2030

Contact Roberta Alenius Presschef hos Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 49 04 Markus Friberg Press Secretary to Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 48 72 +46 70 261 30 84 email to Markus Friberg Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Sebastian Tham Press Secretary to Hillevi Engström +46 72 212 74 72 email to Sebastian Tham 2012

Press release 21 December 2012 Ministry of Finance Weaker global economy hits Sweden The global economy has slowed during the autumn, affecting Swedish companies and causing uncertainty for households. The Ministry of Finance has revised its forecast for the Swedish economy in 2013 and 2014. GDP growth will be weaker and unemployment higher than was forecast in the autumn budget. Public finances are weakened when automatic stabilisers take effect in the wake of a worsening trend. As its public finances remain among the strongest in Europe, Sweden is able to counter a clearly worsening trend with active measures should this become necessary.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that once again, the crisis in Europe and developments in the US are affecting jobs and growth in Sweden. We can expect a lean 2013," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Download The prospects for the global economy have weakened during the autumn. This is mainly due to weak growth Key indicators December in the euro area, which is now in recession (negative growth in at least two consecutive quarters), and 2012 (pdf 107 kB) uncertainty about the impact public finances in the US will have on the global economy. A worsening trend in the rest of the world is having a negative impact on Swedish export industries. This has led to an increase in the number of redundancies during the autumn. Greater job uncertainty has, in turn, made Swedish households more cautious, which has dampened consumption. The Ministry of Finance now estimates that growth in 2013 will be weaker compared with the forecast in the autumn budget in September, but that growth will gradually normalise in 2014.

The rapid decline in demand during the autumn surprised companies, and the number of redundancies rose markedly in October and November. In addition, indicators point to a much weaker labour market in late 2012 - early 2013. Consequently, unemployment in 2013 and 2014 will be higher than was previously forecast. The labour market is expected to improve gradually towards the end of 2014.

Less economic activity means a reduction in tax revenues and an increase in expenditures for unemployment benefits, etc., causing the deficit to increase. Sweden's public finances will remain among the strongest in Europe and safety margins to counter a worsening trend will be maintained. Public finances will again show a surplus, but the pace of the return to surplus will be slower so as not to jeopardise economic recovery.

"We will safeguard Sweden's strong position and act cautiously so that we can deal with the weaker economy without having to cut spending or raise taxes in the future. The Government is following developments closely and is considering the need for additional measures to limit the impact of the crisis on the labour market and to protect the long-term prospects for growth," says Mr Borg.

Contact Caroline Karlsson Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 80 13 +46 72 744 23 30 e-mail to Caroline Karlsson, via the Senior Registry Clerk Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Press release 20 September 2012 Ministry of Finance The budget for 2013: Investing in the future In the Budget Bill for 2013, the Government presents proposals to strengthen growth and prevent people from becoming stuck in unemployment. The strong Swedish public finances enable the Government to propose measures totalling SEK 22.7 billion in 2013. This still leaves margins to further stimulate the economy should the crisis in the euro area deepen.

"The responsible policy conducted by the Government has served Sweden well. Growth and employment have developed better than in most other countries in our region, while our public finances are among the strongest in the EU. Because of this, we can now turn our attention away from emergency crisis management and focus Download on investing in the future, getting more people into work and further strengthening Sweden's strong position," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Key figures, forecast in the Budget Bill for 2013 (pdf 67 kB) Table: Reforms in the Budget Scope for reforms of approximately SEK 23 billion in 2013 Bill for 2013 (pdf 68 kB) The Ministry of Finance estimates that growth will be slower in 2012 and that there will only be a marginal increase in employment. The Swedish economy has developed relatively strongly compared with most EU countries during the first half of 2012. However, it is expected that weak international demand and the uncertain economic situation will contribute to reducing household consumption and corporate investments during the rest of this year and next year.

In all, the Ministry of Finance expects GDP to increase by 1.6 per cent in 2012 and by 2.7 per cent in 2013. Public finances are expected to show a limited deficit in both 2012 and 2013. After that, net lending will gradually improve until 2016. In light of the expected development of the economy and public finances, the Government considers that there is scope for reforms of some SEK 23 billion in 2013.

"We can now use our strength, with Swedish public finances being among the strongest in the EU, to invest in the future," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. "The budget for 2013 means that we can be expansive, but still have safety margins in case of a severe economic slowdown."

Measures to strengthen prospects for growth and prevent unemployment In the Budget Bill for 2013, the Government proposes measures to improve the prospects for growth and prevent people from becoming stuck in unemployment. In total, the Government is allocating SEK 22.7 billion in 2013.

Measures to improve conditions for growth and competitiveness Investing in infrastructure to connect the country, facilitate travel between home and work, and facilitate goods transport Investing in research and innovation to create conditions for new products and better methods that can generate growth Improving conditions for enterprise and entrepreneurship to ensure that the Swedish economy remains competitive Increasing access to housing for greater freedom of choice and opportunities to move for study or work

More people into work Improving job opportunities for young people through education and training initiatives and enhanced labour market policy measures Improving integration through action to promote better reception and training of people born outside Sweden Preventing and breaking long-term unemployment by assigning more people to labour market programmes at an early stage and providing more subsidised employment Improving job prospects for people with disabilities by providing better chances of individual support at a new workplace Strengthening the work-first principle by clarifying requirements and providing support and incentives to increase the outflow from unemployment to employment

A stable financial system and enhanced consumer protection Continuing to work on preventive measures to maintain financial stability, so as to reduce the risk of taxpayers having to foot the bill if banks take unnecessary risks Strengthening consumer protection, since knowledgeable and well-informed consumers are necessary for the financial market to function well

Welfare for all and more equitable distribution Safeguarding the quality and accessibility of health care and social services Strengthening the judicial system for greater security in everyday life Increasing support to financially vulnerable groups for the sake of social cohesion and ensuring that everyone benefits from economic growth Lowering taxes for pensioners to improve their financial situation

More effective energy, climate and environmental policy Acting in energy, climate and environmental policy to reduce harmful emissions and environmental impacts in Sweden and internationally Changing some taxes to make energy and climate policy more cost-effective

Contact Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 24 August 2012 Ministry of Finance Increased reform scope to focus on investment in more jobs The Swedish economy is showing resilience. The country's public finances are among the strongest in Europe, which provides scope for boosting investment to create more jobs in growing enterprises, while policies aimed at reducing exclusion and creating more paths into jobs for people who are far removed from the labour market will continue.

"Sweden has successfully defended and strengthened its strong position, and despite several years of international instability we have a reform scope that can be focused on investments to get more people into work," said Minister for Finance Anders Borg at a press conference at Harpsund Manor House on Friday, Download during which he presented the Ministry of Finance August forecast. Key indicators (pdf 78 kB) Instability and turbulence in Europe is weakening international demand, which has subdued growth in Sweden in 2012. The Swedish labour market will be weak during the rest of 2012, but will then gradually improve. The combination of fragile banking systems and vulnerable state finances in many parts of Europe means that the risk of poorer development still dominates. There is therefore a continued need for safety margins to meet a possible deepening of the crisis.

Thanks to good order in the public finances and a resilient Swedish economy, the scope for reform is assessed to have increased. This paves the way for increasing investments while ensuring that adequate safety margins are in place to handle the risk of a deeper European debt crisis. The focus of economic policy is to counteract the impact of the crisis on jobs and welfare, while Sweden's long-term growth capacity continues to be strengthened and more people enter the labour market. In the 2013 Budget Bill, the Government will propose investment in infrastructure, research and an improved investment climate to provide jobs, growth and increased prosperity. The 2013 Budget Bill will also contain Government initiatives to create more paths into work for young people.

"Growth markets in other parts of the world will play an increasingly important role for Swedish jobs. To equip Sweden for even tougher international competition, the Government will focus on infrastructure and research, as well as measures to improve the Swedish investment climate. Thanks to our responsible policies, we can focus on better growth conditions for more jobs in growing enterprises," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg.

Contact Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Petter Larsson Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 +46 Press release 02 May 2012 Ministry of Finance IMF and Sweden host international conference on issues surrounding fiscal consolidation and medium-term budgetary frameworks Most advanced economies are undertaking fiscal adjustments in order to put their public finances on a sounder footing. The key policy challenge, however, is to strike a balance between consolidation and growth-oriented policies, while ensuring that sound public finances are preserved once the crisis is over. To achieve this ambitious goal, countries need strong budgetary frameworks that can support the pursuit of well-balanced policies. To further the policy debate on this crucial topic, the Swedish Finance Ministry and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are convening a high-level conference in Stockholm on May 7-8, 2012.

The conference, Medium-Term Budgetary Frameworks and Fiscal Consolidation Programs, will bring together policy-makers, practitioners, and academics from around the world to review current fiscal programs, discuss options, and propose solutions. In particular, the conference will focus on designing and External links implementing medium-term plans that restore fiscal sustainability while promoting broad-based economic growth. Among the participants are Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, who will deliver the opening key- Read latest edition of IMF's not speech, as well as IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton and IMF Fiscal Affairs Department Fiscal Monitor Director Carlo Cottarelli.

"The conference brings together a number of prominent researchers and practitioners in the field of fiscal consolidation programs and policy frameworks," Mr. Borg said. "This is an area in which much can be learned from successful examples, such as Sweden. It is important that reforms in Europe to promote fiscal consolidation and better fiscal policy frameworks make progress and are stepped up," he added.

"I am delighted to co-host this conference with Minister Borg," Mr. Lipton said. "Sweden offers a remarkable example in both fiscal consolidation and institutional reforms, and I am looking forward to an in-depth discussion that will also help us distill lessons from successful experiences that can be applied today. The Fund can play a constructive role in promoting such exchange of ideas and experiences among countries".

"Credible medium-term plans are critical for countries facing the daunting task of cutting back their debt and deficits without undermining growth," he noted, adding that it is important for the Fund to hear directly from those who are dealing with this task every day.

Attendance is by invitation only but open to accredited media. Journalists are encouraged to attend and may register via the Swedish Finance Ministry's press office. It will also be webcast live on the conference website www.sweden.gov.se/budgetary-frameworks, where the schedule is also available.

Contact In Stockholm: Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Markus Sjöqvist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 10 00 In Washington: Simonetta Nardin IMF Press Office + 1 202 623 4899 [email protected] Press release 16 April 2012 Ministry of Finance A policy to promote jobs and welfare - the 2012 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill The Swedish economy is expected to slow down markedly in 2012 in the wake of the European debt crisis. Given the risk of significantly weaker economic growth, the need remains for good safety margins in the public finances so as to continue to have the capacity to cushion the impact of a deeper crisis on jobs and welfare. Consequently, there will be limited scope for reforms in the budget for 2013. This scope should be used primarily for measures that prevent unemployment becoming persistent, strengthen the functioning of the economy, improve the financial position of vulnerable groups and strengthen welfare.

"The Government continues to put jobs and welfare first. Apart from managing the direct consequences of the debt crisis, the Government needs to tackle the challenges facing Sweden. This requires measures to achieve permanently higher employment and lower equilibrium unemployment, more robust welfare, better Related conditions for business and a more sustainable climate," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Read more about the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill for 2012 Growth will be weak in 2012 as a result of problems in the public finances of several euro countries. The Summary: Economic and Government is therefore revising downwards its GDP forecast for 2012, from 1.3 per cent to 0.4 per cent. Budget Policy Guidelines However, household and business confidence is expected to gradually revive as the uncertainty surrounding European public finances decreases. This will lead to a gradual increase in demand.

However, there is still a risk of poorer growth. Sweden therefore still needs safety margins in the public Download finances, even if the need has decreased slightly since the Budget Bill for 2012. In view of this, there is limited Key indicators in the Spring scope for reforms in the Budget Bill for 2013. The Government will focus on the following areas. Fiscal Policy Bill 2012 (pdf 68 kB)

More people in work in an inclusive labour market The Government's foremost objective is full employment. While the reforms that have already been implemented to put more people into work have been effective, more needs to be done. The Government will therefore propose measures to improve employment opportunities for young people, people with foreign backgrounds and groups that have been unemployed for a long time, improve matching in the labour market and make public employment services more effective. Attention will also be given to the possible need to adjust the reforms implemented in the social security systems.

Improved welfare Our jointly financed welfare services must be of the highest possible standard and must benefit everyone. In the Budget Bill the Government will propose measures to make the transition from school to work easier, continue to improve the accessibility of care services and work to ensure an effective and efficient justice system.

Enhanced competitiveness By improving the climate for business, the Government has made Sweden more competitive, which is a prerequisite for long-term sustainable growth. The work of the Corporate Tax Committee is an important part of the ongoing process. The Government is now processing the Committee's proposal on tax deductions for venture capital but has also submitted proposals on measures to combat tax planning with interest deductions. This can be a means of creating scope for lower corporate taxes. Two upcoming government bills, on research and innovation and on infrastructure, will also contain measures to promote competitiveness.

A stable financial system A stable and well-functioning financial system is of key importance to the economy. While a range of measures have been taken to promote greater stability, the size of the Swedish banking sector relative to GDP is a risk factor. The Government therefore intends to raise capital adequacy requirements in two steps by 2015. In addition to this, the Government is working actively to strengthen the position of consumers vis-à- vis financial companies.

Improved access to housing A housing shortage hinders opportunities for individuals, not least young people, to move to where the jobs are or to study elsewhere. To tackle this problem, the Government is continuing its efforts to reform and improve the housing market. In the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill, the Government announces proposals to facilitate sub-letting and stimulate more housing construction.

Effective climate policy Climate change is the Government's top environmental priority, alongside the preservation of biodiversity, the marine environment and a non-toxic environment. This requires an ambitious environmental policy in Sweden, in the EU and in other international contexts. The Government's ambition is for Sweden to have a sustainable and resource-efficient energy supply without net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050.

The Government's continued reform ambitions The Government wants to further strengthen the earned income tax credit and raise the lower threshold for state income tax. It also intends to continue to improve the business climate and conditions for entrepreneurship, investment and employment, by revising corporate taxation and other measures. In 2013 and 2014, the Government will present additional proposals on lower taxes for pensioners, provided that public finances are in balance.

These ambitions will be implemented when there is scope for reforms and the economic situation allows, on condition that important reforms in priority welfare areas can be secured.

Contact Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Markus Sjöqvist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 30 January 2012 Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ministry of Finance Anders Borg and Gunilla Carlsson present this year' World Bank report on gender equality as smart economics Swedish launch of World Bank report on gender equality as a pre-condition for reducing poverty and increasing growth.

On 31 January, Minister for Finance Anders Borg and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson are to present the World Development Report 2012 in Stockholm, together with the report' principle author, Dr Ana Revenga (World Bank). The focus of the report is gender equality and development, External links which is one of the Government' prioritised areas for Sweden's development cooperation. A link to an overview of the report can be found

Time and place Tuesday 31 January at 12.30 Ministry for Foreign Affairs Press Centre, Fredsgatan 6

Contact Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Sebastian Tham Press Secretary to Hillevi Engström +46 72 212 74 72 email to Sebastian Tham 2011

Press release 22 September 2011 Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ministry of Finance Debt crisis in focus when Anders Borg and Gunilla Carlsson meet leaders at IMF and World Bank summits The debt crisis and the situation in North Africa and the Horn of Africa will be in focus when Minister for Finance Anders Borg and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson take part in the World Bank and IMF annual meetings on 23-25 September in Washington.

Time and place Time: 12.30-13.30, local time Place: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and National Democratic Institute for International Affairs 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington D.C

At the IMF summit, finance ministers and heads of central banks from all over the world will meet to discuss the worrying economic situation. Top of the agenda is a new report which gives recommendations for how the global economic situation should be dealt with.

"The countries that are now struggling with problematic deficits have to act quickly and decisively to get back in balance. Politicians must always have the courage to do what is right in the long term," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg.

The focus of the World Bank annual meeting is the 2012 World Development Report on gender equality and development. Mr Borg will represent Sweden and the Nordic-Baltic constituency in the joint development committee of the IMF and the World Bank.

Seminar invitation Mr Borg and Ms Carlsson will also take part in a joint seminar on Monday 26 September on the subject of 'Economic growth, gender equality and development', together with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

"Women's participation in the labour market is key to creating growth and development. One prerequisite is that girls and boys have the same right and opportunity to receive education," says Ms Carlsson.

Contact Sebastian Tham Press Secretary to Hillevi Engström +46 72 212 74 72 email to Sebastian Tham Markus Sjöqvist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 20 September 2011 Ministry of Finance The budget for 2012: Time for responsibility With this year's budget, the Government is taking responsibility for Sweden in turbulent times. To offset the effects of the crisis, improve long-term job and growth prospects and strengthen welfare, the Government is proposing measures totalling SEK 15 billion in 2012 and SEK 17.3 billion in 2013. At the same time there are safety margins in the public finances to ensure that Sweden can manage even worse developments if the debt crisis is deep and protracted with considerable impact on the Swedish economy.

"The Government is taking responsibility for ensuring that Sweden is well equipped to meet the consequences of the budgetary uncertainties in the countries around us. People must be able to feel confident that schools, health care and social services will function even when other countries are experiencing unsettled times. And Download by safeguarding a security buffer, we also making sure we have room to manoeuvre so as to meet worse developments," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Key figures, forecast in the Budget Bill for 2012 (pdf 54 kB) Table: Reforms in the Budget Scope for reform of SEK 15 billion Bill for 2012 (pdf 55 kB) The Ministry of Finance estimates that the Swedish economy will slacken considerably in 2012. Increased uncertainty among households means that consumption is expected to increase more slowly. Along with weaker international demand, this has led to a downward revision of GDP growth to 1.3 per cent in 2012. Despite this substantial downward revision of the forecast, there is a risk of a considerably weaker performance.

The dampened growth means that net lending will not improve as quickly as the Government previously thought. The Government believes that a scope for reform of SEK 15 billion for 2012 will result in net lending close to balance. This will also mean there are satisfactory safety margins for use in strengthening employment policy should developments worsen.

Measures for employment, growth and welfare In the Budget Bill for 2012 the Government gives priority to measures to address the slowdown, achieve sustainably higher growth and employment, ensure that everyone shares in welfare and increase the stability of the financial system. A total of SEK 15 billion will be spent in 2012 and SEK 17.3 billion in 2013.

Measures to address the slowdown The purpose of these measures is to use temporary, targeted initiatives to prevent a high level of unemployment becoming persistent. Infrastructure investments in 2012 and 2013, both to create jobs and to meet road and railway maintenance needs that have built up. A labour market package to prevent long-term unemployment and increase support to groups with a weak attachment to the labour market, including young people.

Measures for sustainably higher growth and employment The purpose of these measures is to improve the conditions for employment, growth and competition so as to safeguard Sweden's strong position. Reduced VAT on restaurant and catering services to create jobs for young people and stimulate entrepreneurship Improved conditions for business and savings Reform package for education focused mainly on strengthening the status of the teaching profession and teachers' skills Reforms to reduce dependence on financial assistance Measures for sustainable growth in all parts of Sweden Measures to improve the level of innovation in the economy

Measures to ensure that everyone shares in welfare The purpose of the measures is to safeguard the core activities of the welfare system and ensure a fair distribution of the burdens of the debt crisis. Measures to improve quality, accessibility and choice in health and social services Adjustments to the sickness insurance reform along the lines announced in the 2011 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill Higher housing allowance for young people and families with children Higher housing supplement for old-age pensioners Measures for a humane and legally secure migration policy

Measures for a stable financial system An efficient financial system is central to the economy, and the work of improving stability is continuous. Substantially increased resources for Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) Intention to raise the capital adequacy requirement for banks, partly to reduce default risks, partly to reduce taxpayers' costs

The Government's continued reform ambitions The Government believes that most of the reform ambitions described in the Budget Bill for 2011 can still be implemented during this electoral period. They will be implemented when there is lasting scope for reform and the economic situation allows, on condition that important reforms in priority welfare areas can be secured. The priority measures include: a fifth step in the in-work tax credit lower taxes for pensioners a raised threshold for state income tax continued improvements in the climate for business and conditions for enterprise, investment and employment

Contact Markus Sjöqvist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 10 00 Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 13 April 2011 Ministry of Finance Responsibility for jobs - the 2011 Spring Fiscal Policy Bill Sweden's economy is growing rapidly, unemployment is falling and public finances are expected to show a surplus already this year. This means the Government will be better equipped to implement measures for more people in work and improved welfare.

The Government's main objectives during the electoral period are to steer Sweden towards full employment and reduce social exclusion. Forecasts for the coming years show high growth, strong public finances with a surplus already this year and falling unemployment. Related Summary of the 2011 Spring If the economic situation allows and on condition that important reforms in the areas of welfare and education Fiscal Policy Bill can be safeguarded, the Government intends to implement major parts of the tax cuts that were announced as Forecasts 13 April 2011 reform ambitions in the Budget Bill for 2011. Ahead of the 2012 Budget Bill policy will be focused on responsibility for jobs through ensuring steady growth to get more people in work without overheating the economy, building a robust financial system and strengthening the quality of the education system and welfare. If necessary for steady growth, Sweden will move ahead of other countries to secure a robust Download financial system. Key figures, forecast in Spring Fiscal Policy Bill for 2011 (23 "In a situation when many other countries are experiencing austerity and weak economies, Sweden's economy kB) is growing stronger. We must use this to ensure that more people find work and that welfare initiatives can be implemented. At the same time it is important in a world that continues to be uncertain, with high levels of debt and large deficits, that we build up a surplus to enable us to manage future crises assertively," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg.

To steer Sweden towards full employment and reduce social exclusion, in the 2012 Budget Bill the Government will give priority to measures for:

More people in work The focus is on continued reforms to put more people in work and encourage more and growing enterprises for higher growth. The Government is giving priority to further in-work tax credits and a higher threshold for state income tax, combined with lower taxes for pensioners and lower VAT for restaurants.

A robust financial system A stable financial system is of central importance for the economy. The Government will try out measures to offset risks associated with household indebtedness and banks' risk-taking and foreign exposure. The possibilities of increasing banks' equity requirement will be reviewed. This is to make them more resilient to financial unrest. Moreover the transition rules for Swedish banks' capital adequacy will be extended so as to prevent capital adequacy requirements becoming lower than at present.

A high-quality education system Well-functioning education will strengthen Sweden's competitiveness and improve individuals' knowledge and life opportunities. 2011 and 2012 will be two of the most reform-intensive years in Swedish educational history. Despite this, further measures may be needed to rectify remaining deficiencies in the education system. The Government considers that it continues to be important to raise the status of the teaching profession, for example through rewarding good teachers.

High quality welfare Our publicly provided, jointly financed welfare must be of the highest possible standard and must be available to all. The Government has implemented a number of welfare reforms for higher quality, greater freedom of choice and increased accessibility. The future direction of policy will be to continue to enhance quality, accessibility and freedom of choice in health care and elderly care and improve the situation of children and young people at risk. In addition the Government wants to continue to improve the results and effectiveness of the judicial system.

Sustainable growth in all parts of Sweden The Government wants to improve the conditions for running a business, working and living everywhere in the country. Sweden must take advantage of the energy transition in the green industries and of people's interest in tourism, locally produced food and experiences of nature. Good access to commercial and public services and digital and physical infrastructure are important for sustainable growth throughout Sweden.

Expenditure ceiling for 2015 of SEK 1 123 billion In the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill the Government also calculates the size of the expenditure ceiling for 2015. The Government estimates that the expenditure ceiling should be SEK 1 123 billion. This means an increase of SEK 20 billion compared with the previous year which will result in a slightly lower budget margin than in 2014.

Contact Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Markus Sjöqvist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 26 January 2011 Prime Minister's Office Ministry of Finance Ministry for Foreign Affairs Program World Economic Forum From Wednesday 26 until Sunday 30 January, the World Economic Forum's annual summit will be held in Davos, Switzerland. The forum engages leaders from various fields to discuss how the situation in the world can be improved. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Minister for Finance Anders Borg, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will be there to represent the Swedish Government.

The theme of this year's summit is "Shared Norms for the New Reality". This year's summit is the 41st of its kind, and close to 35 heads of state and government, a large number of ministers, almost 900 CEOs and others are expected to take part. Related Interview with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt ahead of the Programme points: World Economic Forum in Davos Debate article: A new image of Sweden is emerging WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 18:00 - 18:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Josette Sheeran, Chef för WFP (Bilateral room ME19, Middle Entry level) External links 18:30 -19:00 , Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Robert Greenhill (Bilateral room ME19) More information about the summit at The World Economic Forum's website THURSDAY 27 JANUARY 08:00-08:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Breakfast with Andrew Mitchell, Open for media. (Hotel Alexanderhaus)

10:00-10:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral med Kofi Annan (Bilateral meeting room ME21)

12:30-14:00, Gunilla Carlsson, Development Lessons from High-growth Economies (Hotel Schweizerhof, Arvenstübli) What are the development lessons - good and bad - that slow-growth, industrialized economies can learn from faster-growing emerging markets?

15.00-16.00, Gunilla Carlsson, Informal working meeting about "Global Sustainability" (www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/pages/gsp

16:00-16:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Micheline Calmy-Rey, UN Women

16:30-17:00 Bilateral Michelle Bachelet

17:30 - 18:00, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Helen Clark, UNDP (Bilateral meeting room ME23)

THURSDAY 27 JANUARY 08:00-08:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Breakfast with Andrew Mitchell, Open for media. (Hotel Alexanderhaus)

10:00 - 10:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral med Kofi Annan (Bilateral meeting room ME21)

12:30 - 14:00, Gunilla Carlsson, Development Lessons from High-growth Economies (Hotel Schweizerhof, Arvenstübli) What are the development lessons - good and bad - that slow-growth, industrialized economies can learn from faster-growing emerging markets? 15.00-16.00, Gunilla Carlsson, Informal working meeting about "Global Sustainability" (www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/pages/gsp

16:00-16:30, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Micheline Calmy-Rey, UN Women

16:30 - 17:00 Bilateral Michelle Bachelet

17:30-18:00, Gunilla Carlsson, Bilateral Helen Clark, UNDP (Bilateral meeting room ME23)

FRIDAY 28 JANUARY 08.00 - 10.15, Carl Bildt, Governing in a new media age (Private Events for Annual Meeting) How will the roles and functions of government change in the coming years, and how will internet, social media and other dimensions of the digital revolution affect their abilities to deliver and execute? What is known about practices that work in the new world of networked governance? (Congress Centre, Rinerhorn Terrasse)

09.00, Anders Borg, Meeing with Stanley Fischer

09.00-10.00, Gunilla Carlsson, Redefining Sustainable Development. (Congress Centre - Congress Hall)

10.20-10.50, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Bilateral with the President of Mexico Calderón

11.00-11.30, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Meeting with ECB's Jean-Claude Trichet

11.10-11.30, Carl Bildt and Gunilla Carlsson Bilateral meeting with Jakob Kellenberger, President, ICRC. (Congress centre)

11.45-12.05, Carl Bildt, Bilateral meeting with Mr David Drummond, Senior Vice President Corporate Development, Google (Congress centre)

12.15-14.15, Anders Borg, Lunchseminarium Currency Imbalances: Towards a New Bretton Woods? High volatility of exchange rates of the most important currencies has triggered renewed debates about the stability of the international monetary system. Questions on global reserve currencies, economic disparities, protectionism and financial imbalances are calling for a new Bretton Woods.

12.30-14.00, Carl Bildt, 7th Davos Ukrainian Lunch Debate: a) how to kickstart modernization, b) bring Ukraine and Poland closer together and c) foster Ukraine's European Integration. (Morosani Scweizerhof Hotel, Promenade 50)

12.30-14.15, Fredrik Reinfeldt, seminar- Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - Torward a New Growth Model (Congress Centre, Parsenn/Pischa) At their 2009 London Summit, G20 leaders pledged "to build an inclusive, green and sustainable recovery" and to "lay the foundation for a fair and sustainable world economy". Yet, domestic pressures for increased protectionist measures continue to grow. With unemployment persisting and the path of recovery uncertain in many countries, how can this aspiration for more inclusive growth be translated more effectively into reality? What role do free trade and open economy play in promoting sustainable growth? How can surplus and deficit countries adopt a mutually reinforcing set of reforms to accelerate growth in global aggregate demand and median living standards? Moderated by Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden

14.00-16.30, Gunilla Carlsson, Designing a Policy Innovation Platform for sustainable Consumption (Derby Hotel Davos, Fluela 1+ 2 + 3)

14.30-15.30, Fredrik Reinfeldt and Carl Bildt, Confronting New Realities: The Nordic Experience (Congress Centre, Aspen 2) What are the underlying principles and policies behind the economic success and social innovation that are hallmarks of Nordic countries? The following dimensions will e addressed: - Public-private collaboration - Fiscal reform - Gender and migration policies - Emloyment and social protection The session will include: Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland (Panellists) Tarja Halonen, President of Finland (Panellists) Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark (Panellists) Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden (Panellists) Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister of Norway (Panellists) Moderated by Klas Eklund, Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Lund

17.00-19.00, Fredrik Reinfeldt and Anders Borg, Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - Reform of the International Monetary System (Congress Centre, Pischa) The international monetary system of recent decades has been characterized by wide swings in exchange rate parities, large and persistent current account imbalances and cross-border financial crises affecting developed and developing countries alike. Recent exchange rate policy tensions have evoked memories of the competitive devaluations of the 1930s. What longer-term lessons can be drawn from the experience of the past decade? What reforms would be appropriate and feasible in the areas identified by the French G20 presidency: increasing protection against capital flow volatility; answering the need for reserve asset diversification; and improving policy coordination? How should the mandate, capacity and governance of the International Monetary Fund be improved to support these objectives? Moderated by Christine Lagarde, Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry of France; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum

20.00-22.00, Carl Bildt, Middagsseminarium The Art of Negotiation (Hotel National, Living Room) Carl Bildt, Discussion leader

SATURDAY 29 JANUARY 08.15 - 10.00 Fredrik Reinfeldt and Carl Bildt, Seminar Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - Rio + 20 (Congress Centre, Parsenn) The 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro galvanized environmental consciousness and cooperation on a scale never witnessed before or since. Attended by 108 heads of state or government, it resulted in landmark climate change, biodiversity, forestry management and financing accords. The Rio+20 Summit in 2012 presents a similar opportunity for progress. Should it pursue a top- down (intergovernmental) or bottom-up (national and multistakeholder) reform agenda or both? If the UN is to remain a central platform, should a World Environment Organization be created? If so, what should be its core mandate and functions? If not, in what other ways could a major upgrade in international environmental and developmental governance be achieved? How can other multilateral regimes, such as trade, advance the environment agenda? Moderated by Achim Steiner, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi

08.00 - 10.00, Anders Borg, Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - Aligning Perspectives in the New Financial Landscape (Congress Centre, Pischa WorkSpace) The G-20 summit in Korea produced agreement on an important set of reforms to international financial supervision. However, deliberations on financial governance and regulatory reform are far from complete. How can business and policy leaders ensure progress on financial government and regulatory reforms in 2011? How can they seek to advance the scope of the regulatory framework and the establishment of a level playing field as a means of improving global financial governance? What are the next steps in regulating key dimensions of the financial landscape? 1. Regulating systemically important financial institutions 2. Coordinating among regulatory frameworks 3. Levelling the playing field between regulated and unregulated sectors 4. Restoring trust in the financial system 5. Developing capital markets in emerging economies

12.00-14.00, Carl Bildt, Lunch seminar Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders - The Role of the Group of 20 in the Multilateral System

Contact Roberta Alenius Presschef hos Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 49 04 Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Anna Charlotta Johansson +46 8 405 00 00 Sebastian Tham Press Secretary to Hillevi Engström +46 72 212 74 72 email to Sebastian Tham 2010

Press release 12 October 2010 Ministry of Finance The budget for 2011: from crisis to full employment The Government's policy focuses on supporting the recovery of the Swedish economy, promoting full employment by continuing to strengthen the work-first principle and reducing exclusion, and safeguarding publicly financed welfare. These objectives are all dependent on continuing to keep the public finances in good order.

"The Government's primary goal is to take Sweden back to full employment. We are therefore continuing our efforts to strengthen the work-first principle and reduce exclusion," says Minister for Finance Anders Borg. Download Table: Government measures Broad recovery, though not without risks in this bill (pdf 63 kB) The Swedish economy is developing well, with recovery on a broad front.

"But Sweden is still in a period of low economic activity and high unemployment. And there are still risks that developments will be less favourable than expected. It is therefore important that we make sure that the public finances are once again in surplus and that we prevent a high level of unemployment becoming persistent. The years of high growth that lie ahead must be used to ensure that more people, including people who have had difficulty becoming established in the labour market, begin to work," says Mr Borg.

Measures for jobs, knowledge, welfare and the environment In this bill, the Government proposes measures costing a total of SEK 13 billion. The reforms receiving priority are: increasing employment and reducing exclusion increasing knowledge safeguarding core welfare services and reducing the effects of the crisis reducing emissions and climate impact.

Full employment and reduced exclusion The Government is continuing its efforts to increase the labour supply and stimulate the demand for labour, so that jobs will come early in the upturn. An important factor in this is to prevent new bottlenecks that would hinder employment growth. Another element of the Government's strategy is to improve conditions for a dynamic business sector.

The Government therefore proposes: an adaptation of labour market policy to economic developments measures to promote integration so as to reduce exclusion measures to promote better conditions for entrepreneurs and a more vigorous innovation climate to improve conditions for growth a higher standard deduction for sub-letting to stimulate housing supply.

Increasing knowledge A well-functioning education system offers long-term prospects of increased permanent employment and reduced exclusion. Research, development and innovation are similarly core components of growth policy. The emphasis in investments in the education area will lie on compulsory (primary and lower secondary) school. Education will be improved both in quantitative and qualitative terms.

Preserving welfare and reducing the effects of the crisis The Government continues to give priority to measures that will reduce the effects of the crisis and protect core welfare services. Welfare services must be of the highest standard and available to all.

The Government therefore proposes: a new temporarily higher government grant to local governments to enable them to provide essential welfare services such as education, healthcare and social services lower taxes for pensioners by raising the basic income tax allowance so as to counteract lower income- related and supplementary pensions measures to promote gender equality measures in health and medical services to increase availability and quality reforms in elderly policy to provide increased freedom of choice and quality care for the elderly measures for culture and sport.

In addition, reforms are announced in family policy, primarily for lone parents, so as to improve their economic standard.

Reduced emissions to achieve climate objectives Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The Government recognises the importance of meeting this challenge and has therefore set a national climate target that is more ambitious than the EU target. The Government's assessment is that the target will largely be attained by means of measures that have already been decided or announced. However, this presupposes continued investments in climate action in other countries. The Government therefore announces the commitment of additional resources for this purpose from 2013 onwards.

The Government's reform ambitions The Government has the ambition of implementing a range of reforms during this electoral period. However, this will only happen when the public finances surplus target has been met and there is permanent scope for reforms.

In that case, the Government's priorities will include: lower taxes for low and medium earners by taking another step in the in-work tax credit and raising the threshold for state income tax halving VAT on restaurant and catering services compulsory unemployment insurance

For more information on the budget, see www.sweden.gov.se/statebudget

Contact Daniel Valiollahi Press Secretary +46 8 405 10 00 Markus Sjöquist Press Secretary to Anders Borg +46 8 405 13 81 +46 76 107 20 36 Press release 05 October 2010 Prime Minister's Office Sweden's new government Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has appointed the following government ministers today, 5 October 2010

Ministers and their press contacts are listed below. For new ministers, the press contact given is temporary and applies until further notice.

Prime Minister: Fredrik Reinfeldt Roberta Alenius +46 70 270 72 17

Markus Nordström +46 70 238 67 30

Minister for EU Affairs: Birgitta Ohlsson Jenny Sonesson +46 70 308 44 06

Minister for Justice: Beatrice Ask Martin Valfridsson +46 70 274 10 22

Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy: Tobias Billström Markus Friberg +46 702 61 30 84

Minister for Foreign Affairs: Carl Bildt Irena Busic +46 70 271 02 55

Minister for International Development Cooperation: Gunilla Carlsson Peter Larsson +46 70 283 95 97

Minister for Trade: Ewa Björling Monica Ohlsson +46 70 296 18 99

Minister for Defence: Sten Tolgfors Mikael Östlund +46 70 297 43 28

Minister for Health and Social Affairs: Göran Hägglund Petra Kjellarsson +46 70 646 21 12

Minister for Children and the Elderly: Maria Larsson Niclas Thorselius +46 70 509 50 65

Minister for Public Administration and Housing: Stefan Attefall Martin Kits +46 70 535 07 87

Minister for Social Security: Ulf Kristersson Niclas Bengtsson +46 70 353 78 22

Minister for Finance: Anders Borg Daniel Valiollahi +46 72 225 45 47

Minister for Financial Markets: Peter Norman Anna Charlotta Johansson +46 70 356 30 32

Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister: Jan Björklund Camilla Hansson +46 70 206 99 09

Minister for Gender Equality (Deputy Minister for Education): Nyamko Sabuni Yoav Bartal +46 70 357 51 94

Minister for Rural Affairs: Eskil Erlandsson Anna-Karin Nyman +46 70 519 01 59

Minister for the Environment: Andreas Carlgren Lennart Bodén +46 70 950 22 45

Minister for Enterprise and Energy: Maud Olofsson Håkan Lind +46 70 269 11 98

Minister for Information Technology and Regional Affairs (Deputy Minister for Enterprise): Anna-Karin Hatt Frank Nilsson +46 70 690 24 33

Minister for Communications: Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd Markus Sjöqvist +46 76 107 20 36

Minister for Culture and Sport: Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth Sara Bengtsson +46 70 358 77 91 Minister for Employment: Hillevi Engström Sebastian Carlsson +46 73 769 22 77

Minister for Integration (Deputy Minister for Employment): Erik Ullenhag Anna Neuman +46 70 301 47 90

Contact Roberta Alenius Presschef hos Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 49 04 Markus Nordström Press Secretary to Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 48 72 +46 70 238 67 30 email to Markus Nordström