2025-03-192024/25:MJU9 · p.19MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Requirements for environmental consideration in public procurement
Target for the share of organic food in public procurement
What's at stake: The decision affects how much organic food is purchased for schools, hospitals and care homes, and thereby the effects on biodiversity, water quality and animal welfare. It affects public procurers, food producers and everyone who eats food provided by public services.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the Riksdag should adopt a binding target of at least 60 percent organic food in the public sector's food consumption by 2030, or whether the existing directional target under the food strategy and ongoing work on animal-welfare and environmental requirements in public procurement is sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that it is already possible under current rules to set animal-welfare and environmental requirements in public procurement, provided the requirements comply with EU law principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality and transparency. The committee points out that the national procurement strategy already states that public procurement should better steer toward high animal-welfare and environmental ambitions, that the National Agency for Public Procurement (Upphandlingsmyndigheten) has developed sustainability requirement packages for procuring bodies, that the government has begun a review of the procurement strategy, that there is already a directional target of 60 percent organic food in the public sector by 2030 under the food strategy, and that the agency has been tasked with developing support for reducing the environmental and climate impact of purchasing. In light of this ongoing work, the committee sees no reason to take further action at this time.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 27 (V)
The reservation (V) argues that organic production contributes to several national and global environmental and sustainability goals as well as to biodiversity, clean water, fertile soil and improved animal welfare, and that the Riksdag should therefore adopt a binding target of at least 60 percent organic food in the public sector's food consumption by 2030, since the share today stands at about 38 percent and Sweden has good conditions for raising it.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 27 by V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | Abstain 0/1/92/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/16/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/1 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| SLena Hallengren (S, Kalmar län) | No — party line: Abstain |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:1927 by Kajsa Fredholm et al. (V) request 4.2, 2024/25:2519 by Stina Larsson et al. (C) request 2, 2024/25:2613 by Elin Söderberg et al. (MP) requests 184 and 185, 2024/25:3055 by Ulrika Westerlund et al. (MP) request 82 and 2024/25:3109 by Anna-Caren Sätherberg et al. (S) request 46.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1927 av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V) yrkande 4.2, 2024/25:2519 av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C) yrkande 2, 2024/25:2613 av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 184 och 185, 2024/25:3055 av Ulrika Westerlund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 82 och 2024/25:3109 av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S) yrkande 46.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 130 proposals on overarching environmental issues in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals concern, among other things, licensing processes and environmental assessment, wind power development, property rights issues, public procurement, environmental crimes and liability issues for environmental pollution. The Riksdag refers primarily to the fact that work is already underway in the areas covered by the proposals.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to strengthen the steel industry's transition by investing in fossil-free steel, expanding renewable energy, and streamlining permit processes. (V) — Reservation 27
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The party programme makes public procurement an important strategic tool for carrying out socio-economically significant shifts and establishing standards, and demands ambitious environmental goals that are followed up with sharp legislation.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes public procurement an important strategic tool for carrying out socio-economically significant shifts and establishing standards, and demands ambitious environmental goals that are followed up with sharp legislation. A binding target for ecological foodstuffs in the public sector is precisely such sharp follow-up instead of a voluntary direction. The plan also demands sustainable food production and that all animal husbandry starts from the fact that animals are sentient beings, and the election manifesto already makes demands in public procurements.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör offentliga inköp till ett viktigt strategiskt verktyg för att genomföra samhällsekonomiskt betydelsefulla skiften och etablera standarder, och kräver ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning. Ett bindande mål för ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor är just en sådan skarp uppföljning i stället för en frivillig inriktning. Planen kräver också hållbar livsmedelsproduktion och att all djurhållning utgår från att djur är kännande varelser, och valmanifestet ställer redan krav vid offentliga upphandlingar.
- public procurement as steering tooldecisive»Deras inköp av varor och tjänster är ett viktigt« (party programme ↗)“Their procurement of goods and services is an important”
- sharp and ambitious environmental goals»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals that are followed up with sharp legislation and practical work.”
- animal welfare as starting point»All djurhållning ska utgå från att djur är kännande« (party programme ↗)“All animal husbandry shall start from the fact that animals are sentient”
- demands in public procurements»Vänsterpartiet ställer krav på kollektivavtal vid offentliga upphandlingar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party makes demands for collective agreements in public procurements.”
The party programme requires an agricultural policy that provides ecologically sustainable cultivation and safe food, that biological diversity is protected and that environmental consideration and ethical animal husbandry are fundamental principles.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires an agricultural policy that provides ecologically sustainable cultivation and safe food, that biological diversity is protected and that environmental consideration and ethical animal husbandry are fundamental principles. A binding target of at least 60 percent organic food in the public sector is a direct policy instrument for these commitments, and the plan establishes that environmental consideration should be built in from the start. That the share today is well below target level argues for binding requirements rather than policy objectives.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver en jordbrukspolitik som tillgodoser ekologiskt uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel, att den biologiska mångfalden skyddas och att miljöhänsyn och etisk djurhållning är grundprinciper. Ett bindande mål om minst 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor är ett direkt styrmedel för dessa åtaganden, och planen slår fast att miljöhänsyn ska byggas in från början. Att andelen i dag ligger klart under målnivån talar för bindande krav snarare än inriktningsmål.
- ecologically sustainable agriculturedecisive»kraven på ekologisk uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel.« (party programme ↗)“requirements for ecologically sustainable cultivation and safe food.”
- protection of biological diversity»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas.« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected.”
- environmental consideration and ethical animal husbandry»producentintresset, ska vara utgångspunkten för en politik där säkra livsmedel, miljöhänsyn« (party programme ↗)“producer interest, shall be the starting point for a policy where safe food, environmental consideration”
- environmental requirements built in from the start»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“Consideration of the environment's requirements must be built into the production processes from the start.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that the transition to organic farming shall be supported among other things through the framework for public procurement and through legislation, which is precisely the binding policy instrument the counter-proposal seeks.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the transition to organic farming shall be supported among other things through the framework for public procurement and through legislation, which is precisely the binding policy instrument the counter-proposal seeks. The plan also wants to provide more support to agriculture's transition to organic farming and that environmental aspects are weighted significantly more heavily in public procurement. A binding target of at least 60 per cent organic food therefore follows from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att övergången till ekologisk odling ska stöttas bland annat genom regelverket för offentlig upphandling och genom lagstiftning, vilket är exakt det bindande styrmedel motförslaget efterfrågar. Planen vill också ge mer stöd till lantbrukets omställning till ekologisk odling och att miljöaspekterna viktas betydligt tyngre i offentliga upphandlingar. Ett bindande mål om minst 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel följer därför av planen.
- organic farming via procurementdecisive»Övergången till ekologisk odling ska stöttas genom jordbruksstödens utformning, regelverk för offentlig upphandling och genom lagstiftning.« (party programme ↗)“The transition to organic farming shall be supported through agricultural support structures, framework for public procurement and through legislation.”
- support for organic transition»ge mer stöd till lantbruket för omställning till ekologisk odling, återskapande av naturbetesmarker och andra miljöinsatser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“provide more support to agriculture for transition to organic farming, recreation of natural pastures and other environmental measures”
- environmental requirements in procurement»Vid offentliga upphandlingar ska miljö- och kvalitetsaspekterna viktas betydligt tyngre än i dag.« (party programme ↗)“In public procurement environmental and quality aspects shall be weighted significantly more heavily than today.”
- animal welfare requirements in procurement»Skarpa djurskyddskrav ska bland annat ställas i den offentliga upphandlingen.« (party programme ↗)“Sharp animal welfare requirements shall be set among other things in public procurement.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan's line in food issues is locally-grown and climate-smart food and strengthened competitiveness for the green industries, not a binding share for a particular production form.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line in food issues is locally-grown and climate-smart food and strengthened competitiveness for the green industries, not a binding share for a particular production form. The party programme rejects planeconomic signals in market economy, and the election manifesto prioritises effective measures over symbolic politics. A binding target of sixty per cent organic food in the public sector therefore lies outside the plan's line.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje i livsmedelsfrågan är närodlad och klimatsmart mat samt stärkt konkurrenskraft för de gröna näringarna, inte en bindande andel för en särskild produktionsform. Partiprogrammet avvisar planekonomiska pekpinnar i marknadsekonomin, och valmanifestet prioriterar effektiva åtgärder framför symbolpolitik. Ett bindande mål om 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor ligger därför utanför planens linje.
- locally-grown and climate-smart fooddecisive»Vi ska arbeta för mer närodlad och klimatsmart mat och ett levande, hållbart jordbruk som bidrar till den biologiska mångfalden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall work for more locally-grown and climate-smart food and a living, sustainable agriculture that contributes to biological diversity.”
- strengthened competitiveness»Vi vill stärka de gröna näringarnas konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen the competitiveness of the green industries.”
- effective measures over symbolic politics»Ett ledarskap som prioriterar effektiva åtgärder framför symbolpolitik eller passivitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Leadership that prioritises effective measures over symbolic politics or passivity.”
flags: citat_blockerat
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that environmental requirements can be set in public procurement, but that procurement at the same time shall give low costs and stimulate competition, and that general and technology-neutral economic policy instruments are the most effective tool.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that environmental requirements can be set in public procurement, but that procurement at the same time shall give low costs and stimulate competition, and that general and technology-neutral economic policy instruments are the most effective tool. A binding volume target for a specific production method is a market-distorting regulation of the sort the plan wants to phase out and the symbolic politics it rejects. The plan therefore argues against the counter-proposal.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att miljökrav ska kunna ställas vid offentlig upphandling, men att upphandlingen samtidigt ska ge låga kostnader och stimulera konkurrens, och att generella och teknikneutrala ekonomiska styrmedel är det mest effektiva redskapet. Ett bindande volymmål för en särskild produktionsmetod är en marknadsstörande reglering av det slag planen vill fasa ut och den symbolpolitik den tar avstånd från. Planen talar därför mot motförslaget.
- technology-neutral instrumentsdecisive»Generella och teknikneutrala ekonomiska styrmedel, såsom koldioxidskatt och handel med utsläppsrätter, är det mest effektiva redskapet.« (party programme ↗)“General and technology-neutral economic policy instruments, such as carbon tax and trading in emission allowances, are the most effective tool.”
- environmental requirements can be set, not forced»Vid offentlig upphandling ska tydliga miljö-, klimat- och hälsoskyddskrav kunna ställas och långsiktigt hållbara produkter kunna premieras.« (party programme ↗)“In public procurement, clear environmental, climate and health-protection requirements can be set and long-term sustainable products can be favoured.”
- away with market-distorting rules»Samtliga direktstöd och marknadsstörande regleringar ska fasas ut så snart som möjligt« (party programme ↗)“All direct support and market-distorting regulations shall be phased out as soon as possible”
- rejection of symbolic politics»Liberal miljöpolitik tar avstånd från symbolpolitik och åtgärder som dövar samveten i stället för att rädda miljön.« (party programme ↗)“Liberal environmental policy rejects symbolic politics and measures that salve the conscience instead of saving the environment.”
The election manifesto's commitment to agriculture is regulatory changes and cost reductions to increase self-sufficiency and strengthen competitiveness, and the plan otherwise wants to conduct economic policy with general means.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto's commitment to agriculture is regulatory changes and cost reductions to increase self-sufficiency and strengthen competitiveness, and the plan otherwise wants to conduct economic policy with general means. A binding quantitative target of at least 60 per cent organic food in the public sector is detailed control that places costs on operations without support in the plan. That the plan advocates environmentally friendly procurement and more environmentally adapted cultivation methods makes the conclusion uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestets åtagande för lantbruket är regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för att öka självförsörjningen och stärka konkurrenskraften, och planen vill i övrigt bedriva näringspolitik med generella medel. Ett bindande kvantitativt mål om minst 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor är en detaljstyrning som lägger kostnader på verksamheterna utan stöd i planen. Att planen förordar miljövänlig upphandling och mer miljöanpassade brukningsmetoder gör slutsatsen osäker.
- self-sufficiency and competitivenessdecisive»Regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för svenskt lantbruk för att öka Sveriges självförsörjning och stärka lantbrukets konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Regulatory changes and cost reductions for Swedish agriculture to increase Sweden's self-sufficiency and strengthen agriculture's competitiveness.”
- general means rather than detailed control»Näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel« (party programme ↗)“Economic policy shall be conducted with general means”
- environmentally friendly procurement as tool»miljövänlig upphandling är exempel på strategiska instrument som ska användas.« (party programme ↗)“environmentally friendly procurement is an example of strategic instruments to be used.”
- environmentally adapted agriculture»miljöanpassade och hållbara brukningsmetoder måste ske.« (party programme ↗)“environmentally adapted and sustainable cultivation methods must occur.”
The plan's line toward agriculture is to support, not direct, to reduce the number of regulations and to strengthen domestic food production.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line toward agriculture is to support, not direct, to reduce the number of regulations and to strengthen domestic food production. A binding target of at least 60 percent organic food in the public sector is a detailed control of purchases that neither follows from the production target nor from the plan's requirements for efficiency and precision in environmental policy. The requirement is rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje mot jordbruket är att stötta, inte styra, att minska antalet regler och att stärka den inhemska livsmedelsproduktionen. Ett bindande mål om minst 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor är en detaljstyrning av inköpen som varken följer av produktionsmålet eller av planens krav på effektivitet och precision i miljöpolitiken. Kravet avvisas.
- support not direct farmingdecisive»Vi ska stötta, inte styra, jord- och skogsbruket« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall support, not direct, agriculture and forestry”
- increased domestic production»Stärka jordbruket för att öka den inhemska produktionen av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen agriculture to increase domestic food production”
- less regulatory burden on farming»Minska antalet regler för jordbruket och korta handläggningstider för miljötillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the number of regulations for agriculture and shorten processing times for environmental permits”
- no expensive symbolic politics»Klimatpolitiken får aldrig reduceras till dyrbar symbolpolitik« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy must never be reduced to expensive symbolic politics”
The election manifesto requires that environmental policy seek the measures that deliver most environment per krona and wants to stop symbolic politics that undermines the possibility to conduct commerce.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that environmental policy seek the measures that deliver most environment per krona and wants to stop symbolic politics that undermines the possibility to conduct commerce. A binding target of 60 per cent organic food in the public sector is a quantitative requirement without such efficiency review, and the plan also warns that strict procurement conditions shut out smaller actors. The plan's goal is instead Swedish competitiveness and self-sufficiency, which is why it speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att miljöpolitiken söker de åtgärder som ger mest miljö per krona och vill stoppa symbolpolitik som går ut över möjligheten att bedriva näring. Ett bindande mål om 60 procent ekologiska livsmedel i offentlig sektor är ett kvantitativt krav utan sådan effektivitetsprövning, och planen varnar dessutom för att stränga upphandlingsvillkor stänger ut mindre aktörer. Planens mål är i stället svensk konkurrenskraft och självförsörjning, varför den talar mot kravet.
- most environment per kronadecisive»Sträva efter miljöeffektivitet och hitta de åtgärder som ger mest miljö per krona« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strive for environmental efficiency and find the measures that deliver most environment per krona”
- stop symbolic politics»Stoppa symbolpolitik som går ut över möjligheten att bedriva industri och näring« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop symbolic politics that undermines the ability to conduct industry and commerce”
- procurement requirements hinder small actors»Onödigt stränga villkor i branschstandarder och i upphandlingar gör det ofta svårt för mindre aktörer att slå sig in på marknaden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Unnecessarily strict conditions in industry standards and in procurements make it often difficult for smaller actors to break into the market.”
- agriculture's competitiveness»Öka det svenska jordbrukets konkurrenskraft och Sveriges självförsörjning av livsmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase Swedish agriculture's competitiveness and Sweden's self-sufficiency in food”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:MJU9)
- Committee report full text (HC01MJU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1194 — Flytt av Livsmedelsverket och Tullverket till Skåne av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:1307 — Torvbrytning av Rebecka Le Moine och Märta Stenevi (båda MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1312 — Hög tid för en lex Kallinge av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1313 — Minskande av PFAS i vår närmiljö av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1340 — Idrottspolitiska frågor av Angelika Bengtsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1370 — Skog, skogsbruk och ekonomi av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1371 — Politik för stärkt äganderätt av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1373 — Livsmedel av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1383 — Planering och byggande av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1395 — Jordbruk - ökad konkurrenskraft utan förlust av biologisk mångfald av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1396 — Jakt- och viltvård av Mattias Eriksson Falk m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1398 — Cirkulär ekonomi av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1399 — Bevarande och utveckling av torvbruket av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1457 — Mineralpolitik för en stark gruvnäring av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1464 — En tillväxtorienterad politik för industrilandet Sverige av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1465 — En hållbar energipolitik av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1559 — Krafttag för helhetssyn vid tillståndsprövning av Helena Lindahl och Daniel Bäckström (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:1613 — Urholkning av äganderätten av Ulrika Heie (C)
- Motion 2024/25:162 — Ljudnivåer från idrottsanläggningar av Ingemar Kihlström (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1743 — Snabbare tillståndsprocesser med bibehållen miljöprestanda av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
Source: The Swedish Parliament