2024-01-312023/24:MJU6 · p.7MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Distribution of water authority tasks
Distributing the water authorities' tasks among other agencies
What's at stake: The decision affects how responsibility for water management and EU-law requirements is organised administratively in Sweden, which could simplify or disrupt current working arrangements depending on whether a reorganisation goes ahead now.
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 water authorities should be abolished and their tasks instead distributed to other named agencies, or whether the current authority structure for water management should be kept pending the government's own ongoing work.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the authority structure for water management was previously shaped to implement the Water Framework Directive and that an effective, coordinated, and purposeful organisation is needed to meet EU-law requirements, welcomes that the government has already initiated work on proposals to ensure good water management, and does not want to pre-empt this ongoing preparatory work; the motion is rejected.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (SD, C)
The reservation considers that responsibility for water management is too fragmented and that the authority structure needs reviewing, shares an earlier inquiry's assessment that the water authorities should be abolished and their tasks instead distributed to the Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Geological Survey, and the county administrative boards, and wants the government to come back with such a proposal.
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 6 by SD, C.
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 | Yes | Yes 20/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | Yes | Yes 94/0/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 13/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | No 0/62/1/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Broke with the party line
| SDAnette Rangdag (SD, Jämtlands län) | Abstain — party line: No |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects motion 2023/24:2774 by Stina Larsson et al. (C) points 2 and 3.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2774 av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C) yrkandena 2 och 3.
Riksdag decision: Parliament approved the government's proposal for changes to the Environmental Code, the Food Act, and the Planning and Building Act. The legislative changes mean that municipalities shall provide the information needed to assess risks in drinking water catchment areas and that municipalities, property owners and use rights holders shall provide the information needed to assess risks that arise in pipes, installations and devices on properties or in buildings used to distribute drinking water. The legislative proposal also means that those who produce or supply drinking water shall provide information about drinking water quality. Furthermore, a provision on market surveillance and a provision on conditions for placing construction products intended to come into contact with drinking water on the market are introduced. The legislative changes enter into force on 1 March 2024.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to develop the organization of water management for more efficient and coordinated administration in the long term. (SD, C) — Reservation 6
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 plan does not take a position on water management's government agency structure.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not take a position on water management's government agency structure. The nearest related principle is that environmental threats require powerful legislation and long-term social planning and that long-term environmental considerations shall be overarching; to dissolve water agencies and distribute their tasks to several other bodies finds no support in the plan. The plan therefore argues against the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Planen tar inte ställning till vattenförvaltningens myndighetsstruktur. Närmast liggande princip är att miljöhoten kräver kraftfull lagstiftning och långsiktig samhällsplanering och att de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen ska vara överordnade; att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna och sprida deras uppgifter till flera andra organ ger inget stöd i planen. Planen talar därför emot motförslagets krav.
- powerful environmental governancedecisive»Därför behövs en kraftfull lagstiftning, ekonomiska styrmedel, långsiktig samhällsplanering, klimatinvesteringar« (party programme ↗)“Therefore powerful legislation, economic instruments, long-term social planning, climate investments”
- environmental considerations overarching»mot varandra, men de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen måste vara överordnade i den meningen att ett globalt ekologiskt sammanbrott aldrig kan« (party programme ↗)“against each other, but long-term environmental considerations must be overarching in the sense that a global ecological collapse never can”
- decision-making by problem scope»Politiska beslut måste fattas på olika nivåer beroende på vilka problem« (party programme ↗)“Political decisions must be made at different levels depending on which problems”
The plan does not address water management's authority structure.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address water management's authority structure. Closest lying principle is that environmental policy should be strategic and that the state should be present throughout the country, and that water is a shared asset that the market cannot manage properly. Dismantling the water authorities thus does not appear to be a requirement the plan supports; the plan calls for stronger, not dismantled, management of water matters.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte vattenförvaltningens myndighetsstruktur. Närmast liggande princip är att miljöpolitiken ska vara strategisk och att staten ska finnas närvarande i hela landet, samt att vatten är en gemensam tillgång som marknaden inte kan hushålla med. Att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna framstår därmed inte som ett krav planen stöder; planen efterfrågar starkare, inte nedmonterad, förvaltning av vattenfrågorna.
- strategic environmental policydecisive»Detta kräver en strategisk miljöpolitik« (party programme ↗)“This requires a strategic environmental policy”
- state presence throughout the country»Staten ska finnas närvarande i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The state should be present throughout the country.”
- shared responsibility for water»hushålla med sådant som saknar marknadspris,« (party programme ↗)“manage such things that lack a market price,”
The plan says nothing about the existence of water authorities, but states that nature conservation issues must receive greater emphasis and that comprehensive measures are required for lakes, waterways and seas to recover.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about the existence of water authorities, but states that nature conservation issues must receive greater emphasis and that comprehensive measures are required for lakes, waterways and seas to recover. The decentralist principle that decisions should be taken as close to citizens as possible rather speaks against moving tasks to central authorities. Dismantling the water authorities therefore does not appear as a measure the plan calls for.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger inget om vattenmyndigheternas existens, men slår fast att naturvårdsfrågorna måste få större tyngd och att omfattande åtgärder krävs för att sjöar, vattendrag och hav ska tillfriskna. Den decentralistiska principen att beslut ska tas så nära medborgarna som möjligt talar snarare mot att flytta uppgifterna till centrala myndigheter. Att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna framstår därför inte som en åtgärd planen efterfrågar.
- stronger nature conservationdecisive»Naturvårdsfrågorna i Sverige och inom EU måste få« (party programme ↗)“Nature conservation issues in Sweden and within the EU must receive”
- clean water as a precondition»Rent vatten är en förutsättning för att kunna« (party programme ↗)“Clean water is a precondition for being able to”
- decentralized decision-making»Beslut bör tas så nära medborgarna som möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“Decisions should be taken as close to citizens as possible.”
The plan does not address the authority structure of water administration, but the party programme criticizes that Sweden has developed towards an increasingly complicated state and requires consistent decentralization with decisions close to those affected.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address the authority structure of water administration, but the party programme criticizes that Sweden has developed towards an increasingly complicated state and requires consistent decentralization with decisions close to those affected. The election manifesto wants to clean up among redundant rules and bureaucracy. Terminating the water authorities and moving tasks to existing agencies and county administrative boards aligns with that principle. The conclusion is derived and uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte vattenförvaltningens myndighetsstruktur, men partiprogrammet kritiserar att Sverige utvecklats mot en allt mer komplicerad stat och kräver konsekvent decentralisering med beslut nära dem som berörs. Valmanifestet vill rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati. Att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna och föra uppgifterna till befintliga myndigheter och länsstyrelserna ligger i linje med den principen. Slutsatsen är härledd och osäker.
- simplify state structuredecisive»Sverige har utvecklats mot en allt mer komplicerad stat.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden has developed towards an increasingly complicated state.”
- decentralize decisions»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralize further. People should get to decide more themselves, and political decisions should be made close to those affected.”
- reduce bureaucracy»Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall clean up among redundant rules and bureaucracy.”
- power close to people»Decentralisering handlar om att flytta makten närmare människors vardag.« (party programme ↗)“Decentralization means moving power closer to people's everyday lives.”
The plan says nothing about the existence of water authorities or the authority structure for water management.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about the existence of water authorities or the authority structure for water management. The closest commitments are high ambitions for sea and water, EU cooperation as the primary environmental instrument, and that state authorities shall be present throughout the country. Dismantling the water authorities does not follow from these principles, so the plan nearly argues against the counter-proposal's requirement. The conclusion is uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger ingenting om vattenmyndigheternas existens eller myndighetsstrukturen för vattenförvaltning. Närmast liggande åtaganden är höga ambitioner för hav och vatten, EU-samarbetet som främsta miljöinstrument och att statliga myndigheter ska finnas i hela landet. Att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna följer inte av dessa principer, varför planen närmast talar emot motförslagets krav. Slutsatsen är osäker.
- EU drives environmental workdecisive»EU-samarbetet är vårt viktigaste instrument för att driva på miljöarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“EU cooperation is our most important instrument for driving environmental work.”
- protect valuable marine areas»de mest värdefulla havsområdena skyddas som marina reservat« (2022 manifesto ↗)“the most valuable marine areas are protected as marine reserves”
- authorities throughout the country»statliga myndigheter ska finnas närvarande i alla delar av Sverige« (2022 manifesto ↗)“state authorities shall be present in all parts of Sweden”
- secured drinking water supply»Alla har rätt till rent vatten. Dricksvattenförsörjningen måste säkras« (party programme ↗)“Everyone has a right to clean water. The drinking water supply must be secured”
The plan does not address water management's authority structure, but the subsidiarity principle is explicitly a power distribution principle about the right power in the right place, determined by which task is to be performed.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address water management's authority structure, but the subsidiarity principle is explicitly a power distribution principle about the right power in the right place, determined by which task is to be performed. The same logic lies behind the election manifesto's requirement to replace fragmented stewardship with a coordinated organisation. To distribute water authorities' tasks to existing authorities is in line with this and with the requirement to prevent complicated rules.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte vattenförvaltningens myndighetsstruktur, men subsidiaritetsprincipen är uttryckligen en maktfördelningsprincip om rätt makt på rätt plats som avgörs av vilken uppgift som ska utföras. Samma logik ligger bakom valmanifestets krav på att ersätta splittrat huvudmannaskap med en sammanhållen organisation. Att fördela vattenmyndigheternas uppgifter till befintliga myndigheter ligger i linje med detta och med kravet på att motverka krångliga regler.
- subsidiarity as power distributiondecisive»Rätt makt på rätt plats« (party programme ↗)“The right power in the right place”
- consolidate fragmented stewardship»Avskaffa regionernas ansvar för sjukvården.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Abolish the regions' responsibility for healthcare.”
- near and far principle»Subsidiaritetsprincipen är således ingen renodlad decentraliseringsprincip, utan både en när- och fjärrprincip.« (party programme ↗)“The subsidiarity principle is thus not a purely decentralisation principle, but both a near and far principle.”
- prevent complicated rules»regler ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“rules shall be prevented.”
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 wants to go through government agencies' activities to free up resources, shorten processing times with a deadline and prevent over-implementation of EU decisions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to go through government agencies' activities to free up resources, shorten processing times with a deadline and prevent over-implementation of EU decisions. A winding-up of the water authorities with tasks distributed to existing agencies and county administrative boards aligns with this efficiency and minimum-level principle as well as with the principle that decisions should be made at the lowest effective level. The plan, however, does not specifically address water management's agency structure.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill gå igenom myndigheternas verksamhet för att frigöra resurser, korta handläggningstiderna med en bortre tidsgräns och motverka överimplementering av EU-beslut. En avveckling av vattenmyndigheterna med uppgifterna fördelade till befintliga myndigheter och länsstyrelser ligger i linje med denna effektiviserings- och miniminivåprincip samt med att beslut ska fattas på lägsta effektiva nivå. Planen tar dock inte upp vattenförvaltningens myndighetsstruktur särskilt.
- make agencies more efficientdecisive»Inrätta ett effektiviseringskansli som ska gå inom alla myndigheters ekonomi för att frigöra resurser till försvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Establish an efficiency office that shall go through every agency's finances to free up resources for defence”
- shorter processing times»Korta myndigheternas handläggningstider genom en bortre tidsgräns« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Shorten government agencies' processing times through a deadline”
- EU directives at minimum level»Minska regelkrånglet och onödig byråkrati, bland annat genom att motverka överimplementering i Sverige av EU-beslut – som huvudregel ska EU-direktiv genomföras på miniminivå« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy, among other things by preventing over-implementation in Sweden of EU decisions - as the main rule EU directives shall be implemented at minimum level”
- lowest effective level»Det politiska systemet ska bygga på att beslut fattas på lägsta« (party programme ↗)“The political system shall be based on decisions being made at the lowest”
flags: citat_migrerat
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 wishes to merge authorities and streamline public activities where possible, and stop waste within authorities.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wishes to merge authorities and streamline public activities where possible, and stop waste within authorities. The counter-proposal's demand to wind down water authorities and distribute tasks to existing authorities and county administrative boards is precisely such streamlining. The plan moreover weighs national self-determination higher than adapting authority structure to the EU framework.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill slå samman myndigheter och renodla offentliga verksamheter där det är möjligt, och stoppa slöseriet inom myndigheterna. Motförslagets krav på att avveckla vattenmyndigheterna och fördela uppgifterna till befintliga myndigheter och länsstyrelser är just en sådan renodling. Planen väger dessutom nationellt självbestämmande högre än att myndighetsstrukturen anpassas efter EU-ramverket.
- streamlined authoritiesdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill också slå samman myndigheter och renodla offentliga verksamheter där det är möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats also wish to merge authorities and streamline public activities where possible.”
- stop authority waste»Stoppa slöseriet inom myndigheterna och slå samman myndigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop waste within authorities and merge authorities.”
- national self-determination»Stärka det nationella självbestämmandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen national self-determination.”
- respect for tax funds»respekt för skattebetalarnas pengar« (party programme ↗)“respect for taxpayers' money.”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU6)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU6)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1521 — Ett robust och modernt va-system av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2450 — En förstärkning av det civila försvaret och krisberedskapen av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2485 — Hållbarhet och miljö av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2629 — Utgiftsområde 20 Klimat, miljö och natur av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2769 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:30 Genomförande av EU:s nya dricksvattendirektiv av Andrea Andersson Tay m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2773 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:30 Genomförande av EU:s nya dricksvattendirektiv av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2774 — med anledning av prop. 2023/24:30 Genomförande av EU:s nya dricksvattendirektiv av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:687 — Agerande mot PFAS av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:903 — Klimatanpassa Sverige av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:996 — Grön samhällsomställning av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP)
- Proposition 2023/24:30 — Genomförande av EU:s nya dricksvattendirektiv
Source: The Swedish Parliament