Background & Purpose

The Swedish parliament must check whether new EU laws are better decided at the EU level or nationally by Sweden, following a rule designed to keep power as close to citizens as possible.

Proposals & Debate

The parliamentary committee reviewed how Sweden handled 119 different EU proposals during 2022 regarding business, crime, finance, and environment, resulting in 14 formal objections sent to EU institutions.

The Decision

Parliament acknowledged the review showing that Sweden actively challenges EU proposals when they cross the boundary of local decision-making.

Does this affect you?

  • Swedish Members of Parliament: Tasked with continuously reviewing and evaluating incoming EU legislative proposals.
  • Swedish Parliamentary Committees: Responsible for formulating formal objections when EU proposals conflict with national self-governance.

In Practice

  • Parliament reviews incoming EU legislative drafts to check the principle of subsidiarity.
  • Various parliamentary committees draft formal objections if they believe the EU is overstepping its bounds.
  • Objections are sent directly to the European Commission and other EU bodies.
  • Parliament tracks its long-term statistics regarding how often it questions EU legislative overreach.