2023-06-072022/23:JuU25 · p.2JuUJustice
Implementation at minimum level
How firearm magazines should be regulated when implementing the EU's Firearms Directive
What's at stake: Sweden has already been sued by the European Commission for late implementation, which puts the timeline under pressure; at the same time, a possession-based regulation of magazines in practice affects hunters, sport shooters and retailers, who risk needing a permit and facing criminal liability based on circumstances - such as which firearms a magazine fits - that they cannot themselves control or know.
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 firearm magazines, which the EU directive requires to be regulated, should be regulated by possession - as the government proposes - or by use, the less restrictive method favoured by the dissenting member, and whether unlawful possession of certain magazines should be criminalised with imprisonment in the penalty scale.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee accepts the government's proposal for possession-based regulation of firearm magazines, since the alternative use-based regulation would carry serious drawbacks for gun owners, including a requirement for dual permits for anyone other than target shooters, and since time pressure and the risk of EU fines argue for moving ahead; the committee also backs criminalising unlawful possession of certain magazines so that sanctions are effective, proportionate and dissuasive, and it therefore rejects the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (C)
The reservation (C) considers the possession-based regulation of magazines to be a clear over-implementation of the directive compared with a use-based regulation, since magazines - which are defined not by technical characteristics but by which firearms they can be used in - could shift from unregulated to requiring a permit for reasons outside the owner's control, which would also make it nearly impossible for retailers who are not firearms dealers to sell magazines; the dissenting member also opposes criminalisation with imprisonment in the penalty scale as legally uncertain and unpredictable, and wants the government to return with a bill that addresses this.
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 1 by C.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: MModeraterna, SDSverigedemokraterna
Ja 284–21Ja 161–144
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
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 21/0/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | Yes | Yes 94/0/0/13 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | match | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/2 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects motion 2022/23:2379 by Ulrika Liljeberg et al. (C).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2022/23:2379 av Ulrika Liljeberg m.fl. (C).
Riksdag decision: Parliament accepted the government's proposal for changes to Swedish firearms legislation. The changes are assessed as necessary to implement the so-called amendments directive to the EU firearms directive into Swedish law. The legislative changes take effect on 1 July 2023 and include, among other things, that marking requirements are expanded while an option is introduced to make exceptions to the marking requirements for historically valuable firearms; firearm magazines holding many cartridges and capable of being combined with certain semi-automatic firearms are regulated; firearms brokers, i.e., business activities that connect buyers and sellers of firearms, are regulated in the same way as firearms dealers; firearms dealers and firearms brokers shall report if a purchase or attempted purchase of ammunition has raised suspicions, for example due to the amount; the requirements for registration are expanded.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to implement the weapons directive at the minimum level by regulating the use of magazines instead of their possession. (C) — 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 demands a struggle against access to illegal firearms and that parents should not have to worry about gun violence.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands a struggle against access to illegal firearms and that parents should not have to worry about gun violence. The counter-proposal wants to ease regulation by replacing magazine possession regulation with user regulation and opposes criminalisation with imprisonment. It weakens weapons control; the plan's demand for legal certainty does speak to the objection about predictability, but does not bear the outcome.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver kamp mot tillgången till illegala skjutvapen och att föräldrar inte ska behöva oroa sig över skjutvapenvåld. Motförslaget vill lätta på regleringen genom att ersätta innehavsreglering av magasin med en användarreglering och motsätter sig kriminalisering med fängelse. Det försvagar vapenkontrollen; planens krav på rättssäkerhet talar visserligen för invändningen om förutsebarhet, men bär inte utgången.
- limit access to weaponsdecisive»kamp mot tillgången till illegala skjutvapen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“struggle against access to illegal firearms”
- stop gun violence»Föräldrar ska inte behöva oroa sig över skjutvapenvåld och drömma mardrömmar om att deras barn ska drabbas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Parents should not have to worry about gun violence and have nightmares about their children being affected.”
- penalties may need to be raised»Vissa straff kan behöva höjas men mycket mer fokus måste riktas mot att förhindra rekryteringen av nya barn till gängkriminalitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Some penalties may need to be raised but much more focus must be directed at preventing the recruitment of new children into gang crime.”
- legal certainty»personliga integriteten och fundamentala principer i en rättsstat.« (party programme ↗)“personal integrity and fundamental principles in a rule of law state.”
The plan's line on weapons is toughened penalties, including doubling the penalty for serious weapons offences, and strong measures against smuggling of weapons as part of an uncompromising fight against crime.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line on weapons is toughened penalties, including doubling the penalty for serious weapons offences, and strong measures against smuggling of weapons as part of an uncompromising fight against crime. Rejecting regulation of magazine possession as over-implementation and opposing criminalization with imprisonment pulls in the opposite direction. The plan says nothing about magazines specifically, but the direction is unambiguous. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje på vapenområdet är skärpta straff, bland annat fördubblat straff för grova vapenbrott, och krafttag mot införsel av vapen inom en kompromisslös kamp mot kriminaliteten. Att avvisa innehavsregleringen av magasin som överimplementering och motsätta sig kriminalisering med fängelse drar i motsatt riktning. Planen säger inget om magasin specifikt, men riktningen är entydig. Planen talar därför mot motförslagets krav.
- doubled penalty for weapons offencesdecisive»Vi vill fördubbla straffet för grova vapenbrott.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to double the penalty for serious weapons offences.”
- strong measures against weapons»Vi vill ta krafttag mot införsel av vapen och narkotika, bland annat genom stärkt gränskontroll.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to take strong measures against smuggling of weapons and drugs, among other things through strengthened border control.”
- uncompromising crime fighting»Kampen mot kriminaliteten ska vara kompromisslös.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The fight against crime shall be uncompromising.”
- toughened penalties»Vi vill skärpa straffen bland annat för gängrelaterad brottslighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to toughen penalties for, among other things, gang-related crime”
The plan does not address ammunition magazines, but its line is that it should be expensive, difficult and hard to be criminal and that law enforcement authorities should be given the tools required against serious organised crime.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address ammunition magazines, but its line is that it should be expensive, difficult and hard to be criminal and that law enforcement authorities should be given the tools required against serious organised crime. That speaks against the counter-proposal's demands for weaker possession regulations and abolished criminalisation. The plan's demand for proportionality in legislation pulls partly in the other direction, hence low certainty.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte vapenmagasin, men dess linje är att det ska vara dyrt, jobbigt och svårt att vara kriminell och att rättsvårdande myndigheter ska ges de verktyg som krävs mot den grova organiserade brottsligheten. Det talar mot motförslagets krav på svagare innehavsreglering och slopad kriminalisering. Planens krav på proportionalitet i lagstiftning drar delvis åt andra hållet, därav låg säkerhet.
- high thresholds for criminalsdecisive»Det ska vara dyrt, jobbigt och svårt att vara kriminell.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It should be expensive, difficult and hard to be criminal.”
- organised crime threatens democracy»grova organiserade brottsligheten utgör ett hot mot« (party programme ↗)“serious organised crime constitutes a threat to”
- rule of law and tools against crime»Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas samtidigt som de« (party programme ↗)“Security of law shall be ensured at the same time as”
- proportionality in legislation»alla lagar som innebär oproportionerliga ingrepp i« (party programme ↗)“all laws that entail disproportionate intrusions into”
The plan defends the rule of law and the individual's rights against the state and requires proportionality between legislation's restrictions and its purpose.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan defends the rule of law and the individual's rights against the state and requires proportionality between legislation's restrictions and its purpose. The counter-proposal objects to the fact that possession can become subject to licensing for reasons outside the holder's control and to unpredictable criminalization, that is, a legal certainty objection that lies in the plan's direction. That the EU should do fewer things but do them better also speaks against over-implementation, as does the demand to clean up among redundant rules.
Original (Swedish)
Planen försvarar rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten och kräver proportionalitet mellan lagstiftningens inskränkningar och dess syfte. Motförslaget invänder mot att innehav kan bli tillståndspliktigt av skäl utanför innehavarens kontroll och mot en oförutsägbar kriminalisering, alltså en rättssäkerhetsinvändning som ligger i planens riktning. Att EU ska göra färre saker men göra dem bättre talar också mot överimplementering, liksom kravet på att rensa bland överflödiga regler.
- rule of law and legal certaintydecisive»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and the individual's rights against the state must be defended.”
- proportionality requirement»Det måste finnas en proportionalitet mellan lagstiftningens inskränkning av medborgarnas integritet och lagarnas syfte.« (party programme ↗)“There must be proportionality between the limitation of citizens' integrity imposed by legislation and the legislation's purpose.”
- no over-implementation»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.”
- clean up redundant rules»Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall clean up among redundant rules and bureaucracy.”
The plan wants to sharpen sentences for among other things weapons offences and wants the penalty system to become stricter for organized crime, which speaks against loosening regulation of weapons magazines and against rejecting criminalization.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to sharpen sentences for among other things weapons offences and wants the penalty system to become stricter for organized crime, which speaks against loosening regulation of weapons magazines and against rejecting criminalization. The plan also wants Sweden to participate fully in the EU's crime prevention, not stay at minimum level. The plan's requirement for strengthened rule of law gives some support for the objection about predictability, but weighs lighter.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill skärpa straffen för bland annat vapenbrott och att påföljdssystemet blir strängare vid organiserad brottslighet, vilket talar mot att lätta upp regleringen av vapenmagasin och mot att avvisa kriminalisering. Planen vill också att Sverige deltar fullt ut i EU:s brottsbekämpning, inte lägger sig på miniminivå. Planens krav på stärkt rättssäkerhet ger visst stöd för invändningen om förutsebarhet, men väger lättare.
- toughened sentences for weapons offencesdecisive»Vi vill avskaffa dagens mängdrabatt på brott, slopa den närmast automatiska frigivningen från fängelsestraff och skärpa straffen för bland annat vapenbrott, våldtäkt och utpressning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to abolish today's sentence reductions on crimes, eliminate the near-automatic release from prison sentences and strengthen sentences for, among other things, weapons offences, rape and extortion.”
- stricter penalties»Påföljdssystemet ska förändras så att återfall och upprepad brottslighet ger strängare straff, liksom medverkan i organiserad brottslighet.« (party programme ↗)“The penalty system shall be changed so that recidivism and repeated crime result in stricter sentences, as does participation in organized crime.”
- full participation in the EU's crime prevention»Sverige ska delta fullt ut i EU:s brottsbekämpning och den europeiska polismyndigheten Europol ska ges ett tydligare operativt mandat att bekämpa internationell brottslighet och terrorism.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall participate fully in the EU's crime prevention and the European police authority Europol shall be given a clearer operational mandate to combat international crime and terrorism.”
- strengthened rule of law»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Rule of law and protection of civil freedoms and rights need to be strengthened.”
The plan's clearest commitment in this area is sharply increased penalties for weapons offenses and that all crimes shall be prosecuted effectively, with respect for the laws upheld firmly.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's clearest commitment in this area is sharply increased penalties for weapons offenses and that all crimes shall be prosecuted effectively, with respect for the laws upheld firmly. Opposing regulation of magazine possession and criminalization of illegal possession contradicts this. However, the plan's demand for predictable and clear legislation and its support for hunting and wildlife management speak for the counter-proposal's objections regarding legal certainty.
Original (Swedish)
Planens tydligaste åtagande på området är kraftigt skärpta straff för vapenbrott och att alla brott ska beivras effektivt, med respekten för lagarna upprätthållen med fasthet. Att motsätta sig innehavsreglering av magasin och kriminalisering av otillåtet innehav går emot detta. Planens krav på förutsägbar och tydlig lagstiftning samt dess stöd för jakt och viltvård talar dock för motförslagets invändningar om rättssäkerhet.
- increased penalties for weapons offensesdecisive»Skärp straffet för vapenbrott till lägst fem års fängelse.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase the penalty for weapons offenses to at least five years imprisonment.”
- all crimes shall be prosecuted»Alla brott ska effektivt och utan undantag beivras« (party programme ↗)“All crimes shall be effectively and without exception prosecuted”
- predictable and clear law»förutsägbara reaktioner som är förankrade i en human och tydlig lagstiftning.« (party programme ↗)“predictable reactions that are anchored in humane and clear legislation.”
- hunting and wildlife management are protected»Jakt, fiske och viltvård är en del i bevarandet av den« (party programme ↗)“Hunting, fishing and wildlife management are part of the preservation of”
The election manifesto establishes that the EU's weapons directive shall not be implemented in Swedish legislation in a way that harms hunters, sport shooters and weapon collectors negatively, and that EU rules as a main rule shall be implemented at minimum level without overimplementation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that the EU's weapons directive shall not be implemented in Swedish legislation in a way that harms hunters, sport shooters and weapon collectors negatively, and that EU rules as a main rule shall be implemented at minimum level without overimplementation. The counter-proposal's objection that the possession regulation of magazines is an overimplementation hits exactly this point. The party programme's requirement for predictable legal application also supports the criticism against unpredictable criminalization.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att EU:s vapendirektiv inte ska genomföras i svensk lagstiftning på ett sätt som drabbar jägare, sportskyttar och vapensamlare negativt, och att EU-regler som huvudregel ska genomföras på miniminivå utan överimplementering. Motförslagets invändning att innehavsregleringen av magasin är en överimplementering träffar precis detta. Idéprogrammets krav på förutsebar rättstillämpning stöder också kritiken mot en oförutsägbar kriminalisering.
- no harmful weapons directivedecisive»Det är viktigt att EU:s vapendirektiv inte genomförs i svensk lagstiftning så att du som är jägare, sportskytt eller vapensamlare drabbas negativt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is important that the EU's weapons directive is not implemented in Swedish legislation in a way that harms you as a hunter, sport shooter or weapon collector negatively.”
- EU rules 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 counteracting overimplementation in Sweden of EU decisions - as a main rule, EU directives shall be implemented at minimum level”
- predictable legal application»principer om likabehandling och förutsebarhet.« (party programme ↗)“principles of equal treatment and predictability.”
- simpler weapon handling»Arbeta för kortade handläggningstider för vapenlicenser« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work toward shortened processing times for weapon licenses”
flags: citat_migrerat
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 election manifesto is very critical of the implementation of the EU's weapons directive and explicitly points out magazine regulations as a measure taken to make legal weapons ownership difficult.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto is very critical of the implementation of the EU's weapons directive and explicitly points out magazine regulations as a measure taken to make legal weapons ownership difficult. The counter-proposal's requirement to avoid over-implementation and not to criminalize magazine possession with imprisonment thereby directly aligns with the plan's commitment to stop harassment of hunters and legal weapons owners. The plan also states that measures should be directed against illegal weapons and gang crime instead of legal possession.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet är mycket kritiskt till implementeringen av EU:s vapendirektiv och pekar uttryckligen ut magasinsreglering som en åtgärd som görs för att försvåra legalt vapenägande. Motförslagets krav på att undvika överimplementering och att inte kriminalisera magasininnehav med fängelse ligger därmed direkt i linje med planens åtagande att stoppa hetsjakten på jägare och legala vapeninnehavare. Planen slår också fast att åtgärder bör riktas mot illegala vapen och gängbrottslighet i stället för mot legalt innehav.
- motstånd mot magasinsregleringdecisive»Magasinsreglering och förbud mot bly i ammunition är exempel på åtgärder som görs för att försvåra legalt vapenägande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Magazine regulations and prohibitions on lead in ammunition are examples of measures taken to make legal weapons ownership difficult.”
- kritik mot vapendirektivet»Sverigedemokraterna är mycket kritiska till implementeringen av EU:s vapendirektiv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats are very critical of the implementation of the EU's weapons directive.”
- rikta åtgärder mot illegala vapen»politiska åtgärder som borde riktats mot illegala vapen och gängbrottslighet istället riktats mot legalt vapeninnehav« (2022 manifesto ↗)“political measures that should have been directed against illegal weapons and gang crime instead directed against legal weapons possession”
- värna legala vapenägare»Stoppa hetsjakten på jägare och legala vapeninnehavare« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop harassment of hunters and legal weapons owners”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:JuU25)
- Committee report full text (HA01JuU25)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:2379 — med anledning av prop. 2022/23:102 Genomförande av ändringarna i vapendirektivet av Ulrika Liljeberg m.fl. (C)
- Proposition 2022/23:102 — Genomförande av ändringarna i vapendirektivet
Source: The Swedish Parliament