2010 Press release 10 September 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications Greater profits for state-owned enterprises During the first half of 2010, state-owned enterprises' earnings grew by 20 per cent, while pre-tax profits rose by 42 per cent. Earnings rose by 20 per cent during the first half of 2010, from SEK 165.0 billion to SEK 197.6 billion. The higher earnings are partly attributable to increased earnings for Vattenfall, which accounted for approximately 60 per cent of the aggregate earnings of all state-owned enterprises. LKAB continued to report major increases in earnings compared to the previous year. LKAB's earnings rose during the period from SEK 4.0 billion to SEK 12.7 billion. During the same period, the newly formed enterprises Infranord and Swedavia had a positive effect on turnover of SEK 2.1 billion and SEK 1.1 billion respectively. Pre-tax profits rose by 42 per cent, from SEK 24.7 billion to SEK 35.2 billion. The profit after tax rose by 38 per cent, from SEK 19.8 billion to SEK 27.5 billion. LKAB reported considerably higher profits after tax compared to the same period in the previous year, from a loss of SEK 222 million to a profit of SEK 4.7 billion. Vattenfall reported lower profits after tax, down from SEK 10.7 billion to SEK 9.0 billion. Gross investments increased by 39 per cent to SEK 36.4 (26.2) billion during the first two quarters. The bulk of the investments are attributable to Vattenfall and LKAB, which are continuing with their major investment programmes. Akademiska Hus, Svenska Spel and the newly formed enterprises Infranord and Swedavia also had a positive effect on investments. The value of the state's portfolio of listed shares (TeliaSonera, Nordea Bank and SAS) declined by 6 per cent during the first two quarters of 2010, from SEK 147.2 billion to SEK 137.9 billion. The Government is an important company owner in Sweden. Fifty-seven enterprises are managed through the Government Offices, 43 of which are entirely state-owned and 14 partially state-owned. Three enterprises are listed on the stock exchange. Press release 10 September 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson comments on the new entrepreneurship report from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth A new report from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth shows the level of entrepreneurship in society and the total number of entrepreneurs during the period 2004-2008. The report shows that just over 778 000 people, or 18.5 per cent of those working in Sweden, run a company of some form or other. This means that almost one in five people are entrepreneurs to varying extents. The study covers all forms of entrepreneurs, i.e. self-employed people, combiners (people running a business parallel to their job), partners in close companies and operative business leaders. The study shows that the level of entrepreneurship has risen, and the largest rise has occurred during the current electoral period. Half External links of all new entrepreneurs are women. The report Forgotten enterprise - how many "I'm very pleased to read these figures. Entrepreneurship is important for jobs and enterprise throughout the entrepreneurs are there in country. This is why it is very important that more people dare to take the plunge and realise their business Sweden? is available on the ideas. The fact that women's entrepreneurship is on the rise is extremely positive. The proportion of women Swedish Agency for Economic who run businesses is relatively low in Sweden. I'm convinced that women have just as many good business and Regional Growth website ideas as men," says Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson. It is above all in rural municipalities that the level of entrepreneurship is high. The level in metropolitan municipalities is lower, whereas a lot of the municipalities on the outskirts of major cities have a higher total level of enterprise. The highest proportion of entrepreneurship is to be found in Årjäng, Bjurholm, Berg, Sorsele and Sunne. At county level, Jämtland and Gotland have the highest proportion of entrepreneurs. Contact Catrin Mattsson Political Adviser Press release 26 August 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications Maud Olofsson to present new, robust initiatives for Norrland's interior Tomorrow, Friday 27 August, Maud Olofsson will present new initiatives for the interior of Norrland. Also taking part in the press conference will be Helena Lindahl and Tomas Mörtsell, Riksdag candidates for the Centre Party in Västerbotten, and Yvonne Lif-Lövbrand, CEO of Hotell Borgafjäll. Time and place 10.00 a.m. Restaurang Socialize, Vasagatan 1, Umeå Please bring your press credentials. We look forward to seeing you. Contact Lisa Wärn Pressekreterare hos Maud Olofsson Press release 19 August 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications End to regional coordinator function In light of prevailing developments with a clearer economic recovery and a dramatic reduction of redundancy notices, with a decrease in unemployment and employment on the rise, the Government considers that any measures that are still necessary should primarily be handled within the framework of regional growth efforts. For this reason, the Government today took a decision on ending the use of regional coordinators with responsibility for dealing with redundancy. The regional coordinator function was set up in response to the increasing number of redundancies resulting from the global economic and financial crisis during autumn 2008. This decentralised approach has contributed to focusing efforts, dialogue and more efficient use of resources, and has also been cited by the OECD as a good example of coordinating measures during the crisis. "It is important that the experiences of cooperation, more efficient working methods and use of resources that resulted from the coordination efforts are now put to use and can continue to be developed within the framework of regional growth efforts," says Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson. The task of acting as regional coordinator for dealing with redundancy has been assigned to county governors and, in those counties where there are regional self-governing bodies or coordinating bodies, the chairs of the executive committees or equivalent of these bodies. The aim of the function has been to contribute to enhanced coordination of actors and existing resources at national, regional and local level to meet the needs of individuals and companies affected by the economic crisis. "The Government wishes to express a sincere thank you to all the regional coordinators for the valuable work that has been done together with many actors, locally and regionally. Their contribution has helped Sweden get through this crisis better than many other countries," says Ms Olofsson. Contact Catrin Mattsson Political Adviser Press release 09 July 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications Government adopts strategy for greater services innovation The Government has adopted a strategy for greater services innovation. The strategy marks the start of a project to adapt and develop policies and systems for enterprise and innovation promotion so that they take into account the conditions for innovation that exist in the services economy. The aim is for businesses, public sector actors and other organisations in Sweden to join together in contributing to the development of services innovation and thus develop competitiveness in the economy as a whole. "We want to do something for jobs. An increasingly large part of our economy is made up of services, and many of the jobs of the future will be created through services innovation, in all kinds of areas from travel applications on phones to improved methods of developing welfare. With this strategy we are increasing the focus on, and understanding of, how the services economy is developing. When this is transformed into innovative solutions, Sweden will have more companies and new jobs to look forward to," says Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson. Innovation is about new or better ways of creating value. Services innovation means new or better solutions based on users' needs and their chances of taking on these solutions. This could, for example, be about new methods of communication between users and suppliers, new ways of providing services (e.g. through new partnerships and networks), new ways of using technology to meet user needs or simply a new service. Approximately 70 per cent of added value in Sweden is achieved in the services sector, and the remaining 30 per cent in the manufacturing sector. However, services innovation represents potential for the entire economy - for service enterprises as well as industry, and for private and public activities. The strategy for greater services innovation was drawn up in dialogue with companies, organisations and public sector actors at local, regional and national level. Contact Johanna Martin Political Adviser to Maud Olofsson Sara Modig Division for Research, Innovation and Industry Development +46 8 405 42 93 +46 70 696 34 75 Press release 06 July 2010 Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson comments on latest tourism figures for Sweden The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth presented new tourism figures for Sweden this morning. The total turnover from tourism increased by over 6 per cent to SEK 251.7 billion. Export value, measured as foreign visitors' consumption in Sweden, rose by almost 13 per cent to SEK 93.6 billion in 2009. "I am extremely pleased to see this development. Tourism creates both export revenue and new jobs. And Sweden has so much to offer. From sea- bathing and beautiful 'raukar' rock formations here on Gotland, to ski holidays and ice hotels in Norrland, to large cities offering many fine attractions; and soon people will also be able to take a trip to space from Kiruna.