2022-12-212022/23:NU10 · p.1NUBusiness & energy
Subsidiarity Assessment of the Commission's Proposal for a Regulation Establishing a Crisis Instrument for the Internal Market
Subsidiarity objection to the EU emergency instrument for the single market
What's at stake: The emergency instrument is meant to keep the free movement of people, goods and services open during crises such as the pandemic or Russia's war in Ukraine. The objection concerns how far the EU may go in steering access to strategically important goods and services, which affects businesses and consumers as well as member states' own decision-making powers.
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 object to the Commission's proposed single-market emergency instrument by invoking the principle of subsidiarity, or whether the proposal should be supported without objection.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee welcomes an emergency instrument that safeguards free movement in a crisis and sees the value of rapid communication and coordination between member states and the Commission, but considers, like the government, that it needs to be clarified how the provisions on securing access to goods and services of strategic importance relate to the stated legal basis. Since the proposal in those parts risks encroaching on member states' national competence, it cannot be regarded as certainly compatible with the principle of subsidiarity, and the committee proposes that the Riksdag submit a reasoned opinion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (M, KD, L)
The reservation wants to support an EU single-market emergency instrument that secures free movement even in times of crisis, without raising any subsidiarity objection.
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: Riksdagen beslutar att lämna ett motiverat yttrande till Europaparlamentets, rådets och kommissionens ordförande med den lydelse som….
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by M, KD, L.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | Yes 17/0/0/7 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Yes 89/1/0/17 | differs | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/4 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | No 0/10/0/6 | match | confidence: high | derived |
| KD | Yes | No 0/15/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | No 0/56/0/12 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/1/0/11 | match | confidence: high | derived |
Broke with the party line
| STomas Eneroth (S, Kronobergs län) | No — party line: Yes |
| SDJonas Andersson (SD, Östergötlands län) | No — party line: Yes |
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 decides to submit a reasoned opinion (motiverat yttrande) to the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission with the wording that appears in the committee's proposal in Appendix 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen beslutar att lämna ett motiverat yttrande till Europaparlamentets, rådets och kommissionens ordförande med den lydelse som framgår av utskottets förslag i bilaga 2.
Riksdag decision: Parliament has examined a legislative proposal from the EU Commission concerning the introduction of an instrument aimed at ensuring that the internal market within the EU, that is the free movement of persons, goods and services, functions well even in crisis situations. The proposal also contains provisions to secure access to goods and services that are of strategic importance, which according to the proposal is defined as goods and services that are absolutely necessary for the internal market and that cannot be replaced or diversified. The proposal has been examined according to the so-called subsidiarity principle (subsidiaritetsprincipen), which states that the EU shall only legislate on a matter if the objectives of the planned action cannot be better or equally well achieved by the member states themselves. Parliament believes that the proposal is not in all respects compatible with the subsidiarity principle. According to parliament, there is a need to clarify how the provisions concerning goods and services of strategic importance relate to the legal basis that is stated. Parliament therefore decided to submit objections to the European Parliament, the Council, and the EU Commission in what is called a reasoned opinion (motiverat yttrande).
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to support an EU crisis instrument for the internal market that ensures free movement even during crises. (M, KD, L) — Reservation 1
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 generally opposes proposals that increase EU power and wants to return power to member states, and rejects supranational bodies that violate the sovereignty of elected parliaments.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan generally opposes proposals that increase EU power and wants to return power to member states, and rejects supranational bodies that violate the sovereignty of elected parliaments. The counter-proposal instead wants to support the crisis instrument without subsidiarity objections. The plan therefore speaks against that demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen motsätter sig generellt förslag som ökar EU:s makt och vill föra makt tillbaka till medlemsländerna, och avvisar överstatliga organ som kränker de folkvalda parlamentens suveränitet. Motförslaget vill tvärtom stödja krisinstrumentet utan subsidiaritetsinvändning. Planen talar därför mot det kravet.
- against increased EU powerdecisive»I det dagliga arbetet motsätter sig Vänsterpartiet generellt förslag som ökar EU:s makt« (party programme ↗)“In daily work the Left Party generally opposes proposals that increase EU power”
- national parliaments' sovereignty»Överstatliga organ som kränker de nationella folkvalda parlamentens suveränitet är ingen hållbar lösning.« (party programme ↗)“Supranational bodies that violate the sovereignty of national elected parliaments are no sustainable solution.”
- Swedish EU withdrawal»Vänsterpartiet driver kravet om ett svenskt utträde ur EU.« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party pursues the demand for Swedish withdrawal from the EU.”
- free movement subordinated to sustainability»för kapital ska underordnas alla EU-länders rätt att värna en hållbar« (party programme ↗)“for capital shall be subordinated to all EU countries' right to safeguard sustainable”
The plan affirms free movement and sees EU cooperation as the foundation for solving our time's most difficult problems, including crises where alone is not strong.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan affirms free movement and sees EU cooperation as the foundation for solving our time's most difficult problems, including crises where alone is not strong. A crisis instrument that secures free movement in times of crisis is such a matter requiring coordination at European level. At the same time the plan values that competence shifts be determined by the member states, which makes the conclusion uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bejakar den fria rörligheten och ser EU-samarbetet som grunden för att lösa vår tids svåraste problem, inklusive kriser där ensam inte är stark. Ett krisinstrument som säkrar fri rörlighet i kristider är en sådan fråga som kräver samordning på europeisk nivå. Samtidigt värnar planen att kompetensförskjutningar bestäms av medlemsstaterna, vilket gör slutsatsen osäker.
- free movement affirmeddecisive»Vi bejakar principerna om fri rörlighet för varor, personer, tjänster och kapital.« (party programme ↗)“We affirm the principles of free movement of goods, persons, services and capital.”
- EU solves shared problems»Vi är övertygade om att EU-samarbetet är grunden för att lösa många av vår tids svåraste problem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We are convinced that EU cooperation is the foundation for solving many of our time's most difficult problems.”
- coordination when required»Bara de beslut som kräver samordning eller reglering på europeisk nivå ska fattas av EU.« (party programme ↗)“Only those decisions that require coordination or regulation at European level should be made by the EU.”
- member states determine competence»Det är emellertid viktigt att varje sådan maktförskjutning bestäms av medlemsstaterna.« (party programme ↗)“It is however important that any such shift of power is determined by the member states.”
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 party programme is explicitly EU-critical from a decentralist perspective, wants centralized governance to decrease and wants member state parliaments to be given a real opportunity to check that the EU does not make decisions outside its competences.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme is explicitly EU-critical from a decentralist perspective, wants centralized governance to decrease and wants member state parliaments to be given a real opportunity to check that the EU does not make decisions outside its competences. The counter-proposal wants to refrain from raising a subsidiarity objection to a crisis instrument that could encroach on national competence. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal, although it values free movement.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet är uttryckligen EU-kritiskt utifrån en decentralistisk grundsyn, vill att centralstyrningen minskar och att medlemsländernas parlament ges reell möjlighet att kontrollera att EU inte fattar beslut utanför sina befogenheter. Motförslaget vill avstå från subsidiaritetsinvändningen mot ett krisinstrument som kan inkräkta på nationell kompetens. Planen talar därför mot motförslaget, även om den värnar den fria rörligheten.
- national subsidiarity checkdecisive»parlament ska ges reell möjlighet att kontrollera« (party programme ↗)“parliaments shall be given a real opportunity to check”
- reduced EU-centralized governance»Centralstyrning ska minska och de enskilda« (party programme ↗)“Centralized governance shall decrease and the individual”
- decentralist EU-criticism»Utifrån vår decentralistiska grundsyn är vi ett EU« (party programme ↗)“From our decentralist perspective, we are an EU”
The plan explicitly says that common policy should become more powerful precisely on free trade and that Sweden cannot manage without free trade and a functioning internal market.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly says that common policy should become more powerful precisely on free trade and that Sweden cannot manage without free trade and a functioning internal market. A crisis instrument that secures free movement also in crisis is therefore something the plan supports. The plan's demand for a narrower but sharper EU constitutes a counterweight but applies to areas where the union does not need to act jointly.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att den gemensamma politiken bör bli kraftfullare just på frihandelns område och att Sverige inte klarar sig utan frihandel och en fungerande inre marknad. Ett krisinstrument som säkrar fri rörlighet också i kris är därför något planen bär upp. Planens krav på ett smalare men vassare EU utgör en motvikt men gäller områden där unionen inte behöver agera gemensamt.
- stronger EU on free tradedecisive»På områden som klimatomställningen, frihandeln och den gränsöverskridande brottsligheten bör den gemensamma politiken bli kraftfullare« (party programme ↗)“On areas such as climate transition, free trade and cross-border crime, common policy should become more powerful”
- free trade decisive»Sverige klarar sig inte utan frihandel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden cannot manage without free trade.”
- value of EU cooperation»EU har bidragit till att krigens Europa blivit ett fredens och stabilitetens Europa.« (party programme ↗)“The EU has contributed to Europe of wars becoming Europe of peace and stability.”
- narrower but sharper EU»EU måste bli smalare, men vassare, göra färre saker men göra dem bättre.« (party programme ↗)“The EU must become narrower, but sharper, do fewer things but do them better.”
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 strengthen the EU as a free trade union with a deepened internal market and value free movement, and sees a federal Europe as strong and united on matters where cooperation is needed.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to strengthen the EU as a free trade union with a deepened internal market and value free movement, and sees a federal Europe as strong and united on matters where cooperation is needed. A crisis instrument that secures free movement even in times of crisis is exactly such an area. The plan's subsidiarity principle, that the EU shall address matters where national level is insufficient, argues for the instrument rather than against it.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill stärka EU som frihandelsunion med en fördjupad inre marknad och värna den fria rörligheten, och den ser ett federalt Europa som starkt och enat i de frågor där samarbete behövs. Ett krisinstrument som säkrar fri rörlighet även i kristider är precis ett sådant område. Planens subsidiaritetsprincip, att EU ska ägna sig åt frågor där nationell nivå inte räcker till, talar för instrumentet snarare än för en invändning.
- deepened internal marketdecisive»Vi ska stärka EU som frihandelsunion med en fördjupad inre marknad, värna den fria rörligheten i Europa och verka för fler frihandelsavtal med omvärlden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall strengthen the EU as a free trade union with a deepened internal market, value free movement in Europe and work for more free trade agreements with the outside world.”
- free movement valued»Den fria rörligheten för individer är grunden i Europasamarbetet och ska värnas.« (party programme ↗)“Free movement for individuals is the foundation of European cooperation and shall be valued.”
- federal Europe»Vår vision är ett federalt Europa som står starkt och enat i de frågor där samarbete behövs« (party programme ↗)“Our vision is a federal Europe that stands strong and united on matters where cooperation is needed”
- subsidiarity in the EU»EU ägnar sig åt frågor där de lokala, regionala och nationella nivåerna inte« (party programme ↗)“The EU addresses matters where local, regional and national levels are unable”
The counter-proposal wants to support the crisis instrument without any subsidiarity objection being raised.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to support the crisis instrument without any subsidiarity objection being raised. The party programme requires that the EU's tasks are delineated to prevent unwanted centralization, that it is clearly established which competence areas the union has and does not have, and that a mechanism for subsidiarity review exists. The plan therefore speaks for the objection being raised, while at the same time it welcomes a functioning internal market.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill stödja krisinstrumentet utan att någon subsidiaritetsinvändning görs. Principprogrammet kräver att EU:s uppgifter avgränsas för att förhindra ovälkommen centralisering, att det tydligt slås fast vilka kompetensområden unionen har och inte har, och att en mekanism för subsidiaritetsprövning finns. Planen talar därför för att invändningen görs, samtidigt som den i sak välkomnar en fungerande inre marknad.
- delineate the EU's tasksdecisive»En avgränsning av EU:s uppgifter är nödvändig för att« (party programme ↗)“A delineation of the EU's tasks is necessary in order to”
- clear competence boundaries»vilka EU:s kompetensområden är, och vilka de inte är.« (party programme ↗)“what the EU's competence areas are, and which they are not.”
- counter centralization»förhindra ovälkommen centralisering.« (party programme ↗)“prevent unwanted centralization.”
- develop the internal market»På det ekonomiska området kan EU bidra till välståndets uppbyggnad genom att utveckla och förbättra« (party programme ↗)“In the economic field, the EU can contribute to the building of prosperity by developing and improving”
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 supports a deeper internal market, but at the same time states that the EU should neither do nor decide about everything, that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level and that the EU should never develop at the expense of member states.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan supports a deeper internal market, but at the same time states that the EU should neither do nor decide about everything, that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level and that the EU should never develop at the expense of member states. To refrain from subsidiarity objections when the proposal could encroach on national competence goes against that direction. The counter-proposal's demands are rejected, while the substantive content about free movement in crisis has the plan's support.
Original (Swedish)
Planen stöder en djupare inre marknad, men den slår samtidigt fast att EU varken ska göra eller besluta om allt, att beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå och att EU aldrig ska utvecklas på medlemsstaternas bekostnad. Att avstå från subsidiaritetsinvändning när förslaget kan inkräkta på nationell kompetens strider mot den linjen. Motförslagets krav avvisas, medan sakinnehållet om fri rörlighet i kris har planens stöd.
- limited EU competencedecisive»Moderaternas syn på EU speglar vår syn på statens uppgifter: EU ska varken göra eller fatta beslut om allt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderates' view of the EU reflects our view of the state's tasks: the EU should neither do nor decide about everything”
- subsidiarity»Beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå, så nära medborgarna som möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decisions should be made at the lowest possible level, as close to citizens as possible”
- member states' sovereignty»Men EU ska aldrig utvecklas på medlemsstaternas bekostnad.« (party programme ↗)“But the EU should never develop at the expense of member states”
- deeper internal market»Fördjupa den inre marknaden, inte minst för tjänster och digitala produkter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen the internal market, not least for services and digital products”
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 counter-proposal wishes to support the EU's crisis instrument for the internal market without making any subsidiarity objection.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wishes to support the EU's crisis instrument for the internal market without making any subsidiarity objection. The plan requires that power transfers to Brussels are stopped, that inter-governmentalism is restored and that national self-determination is strengthened, and argues that the benefits of free trade do not require a more integrated political union. When the proposal risks encroaching on national competence, the plan speaks for the objection, not for refraining from it.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill stödja EU:s krisinstrument för den inre marknaden utan att någon subsidiaritetsinvändning görs. Planen kräver att maktöverföringar till Bryssel stoppas, att mellanstatligheten återupprättas och att det nationella självbestämmandet stärks, och menar att frihandelns fördelar inte kräver en mer integrerad politisk union. När förslaget riskerar att inkräkta på nationell kompetens talar planen för invändningen, inte för att avstå från den.
- stoppa maktöverföring till EUdecisive»Stoppa maktöverföringar och EU-skatter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop power transfers and EU taxes”
- återupprättad mellanstatlighet»Återupprätta mellanstatligheten och stärka väljarnas påverkansmöjligheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Restore inter-governmentalism and strengthen voters' possibilities to influence”
- frihandel utan politisk union»Sverigedemokraterna anser att fri handel mellan europeiska länder är av stort värde för vår ekonomi men det finns inget behov av en mer integrerad politisk union för att åtnjuta frihandelns fördelar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats consider that free trade between European countries is of great value to our economy but there is no need for a more integrated political union to enjoy the benefits of free trade.”
- nationellt självbestämmande»Stärka det nationella självbestämmandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen national self-determination”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:NU10)
- Committee report full text (HA01NU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Source: The Swedish Parliament