2023-06-202022/23:MJU18 · p.14MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Regulatory simplification
Simplifying rules in the food chain
What's at stake: The decision affects how burdensome the regulatory framework is for smaller food and hospitality businesses, such as small bed and breakfasts, compared with larger operators like hotels. It therefore matters for small business owners' ability to run their operations and for competitiveness across the whole food chain.
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 parliament should now decide on further rule simplifications for food businesses, such as exemptions for small-scale hospitality operators, or whether the ongoing review of the food strategy should be allowed to continue before new measures are proposed.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee refers to the food strategy's goal of a competitive and sustainable food chain and welcomes the government's initiative to review and update the strategy, with a focus on increased competitiveness. The committee is not prepared to propose further measures at this stage and therefore rejects the motions on rule simplification, including exemptions for small-scale hospitality operators.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 21 (C)
The reservation (C) calls for food legislation to be flexible enough that small-scale hospitality operators, such as small bed and breakfasts, can be exempted from the same requirements that apply to larger hotels. The reasoning is that the current rules risk placing a disproportionate burden on small-scale operations.
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 21 by 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 | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | Yes | Yes 94/0/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 14/1/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/20/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Abstain 0/0/62/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| MPAmanda Lind (MP, Stockholms 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
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2022/23:42 by Saila Quicklund (M), 2022/23:937 by Eric Palmqvist et al. (SD) point 4, 2022/23:970 by Martin Kinnunen et al. (SD) points 1, 23 and 26 and 2022/23:1124 by Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist et al. (C) point 16.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2022/23:42 av Saila Quicklund (M), 2022/23:937 av Eric Palmqvist m.fl. (SD) yrkande 4, 2022/23:970 av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 1, 23 och 26 samt 2022/23:1124 av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C) yrkande 16.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected all motions concerning food policy issues that came in during the general motion period in 2022. The proposals deal, among other things, with public consumption, labelling of food, food control, food self-sufficiency and civil preparedness. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to the fact that work is underway in the areas that the motions address.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants climate labeling of food similar to nutrition declarations. (C) — Reservation 21
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 address regulatory simplification for the tourism industry.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address regulatory simplification for the tourism industry. The nearest commitments are that small business operators competing with large corporations live under conditions resembling those of the working class and that the countryside with services in smaller towns must not be depleted. Allowing small-scale operations such as small bed and breakfasts to be exempted from the same requirements as large hotels can be supported from there, but the plan gives no explicit support for deregulation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte regelförenkling för besöksnäringen. Närmast liggande åtaganden är att småföretagare som konkurrerar med storbolag lever under villkor som liknar arbetarklassens och att landsbygden med service på mindre orter inte får utarmas. Att låta småskalig verksamhet som små bed and breakfasts undantas från samma krav som stora hotell kan stödjas därifrån, men planen ger inget uttryckligt stöd för avreglering.
- small business conditionsdecisive»Du som arbetar hårt inom ditt eget småföretag, i konkurrens med storbolag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“You who work hard in your own small business, competing with large corporations.”
- small entrepreneurs near the working class»småföretagare tillhör varken borgarklassen eller arbetarklassen« (party programme ↗)“small business operators belong neither to the bourgeoisie nor the working class”
- living smaller towns»Äldreomsorg, förskola, skola och matbutik behöver finnas på fler mindre orter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Elderly care, preschool, school and grocery shop need to exist in more smaller towns.”
- needs of the countryside»Miljöarbetet ska ta hänsyn till landsbygdens behov.« (party programme ↗)“Environmental work should take into account the needs of the countryside.”
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's line is that requirements for safe food shall be maintained and that no one shall be able to gain competitive advantage by lowering requirements on working environment and fair competition, which speaks against small-scale hospitality being exempted from the same requirements as larger actors.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line is that requirements for safe food shall be maintained and that no one shall be able to gain competitive advantage by lowering requirements on working environment and fair competition, which speaks against small-scale hospitality being exempted from the same requirements as larger actors. The party programme at the same time wants to stimulate new enterprise and requires clear and comprehensible rules, which pulls the opposite way. Taken together the plan rejects the exemption requirement, but the foundation is weak.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje är att kraven på säkra livsmedel ska hållas och att ingen ska kunna skaffa sig konkurrensfördelar genom att sänka kraven på arbetsmiljö och sund konkurrens, vilket talar mot att småskalig besöksnäring undantas från samma krav som större aktörer. Partiprogrammet vill samtidigt stimulera nyföretagande och kräver tydliga och överskådliga regler, vilket drar åt motsatt håll. Sammantaget avvisar planen undantagskravet, men underlaget är svagt.
- safe fooddecisive»kraven på ekologisk uthålligt åkerbruk och säkra livsmedel.« (party programme ↗)“requirements for ecologically sustainable agriculture and safe food.”
- fair competition»Det ska aldrig löna sig att begå brott eller skaffa sig konkurrensfördelar genom att försumma de anställdas rätt till en trygg arbetsmiljö.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It shall never pay to commit crime or gain competitive advantage by neglecting employees' right to a safe working environment.”
- stimulate small enterprise»entreprenörskap och kooperativ och social företagsamhet ska stimuleras.« (party programme ↗)“entrepreneurship and cooperatives and social enterprise shall be stimulated.”
The party programme establishes that unnecessary bureaucracy shall be avoided through active regulatory simplification and that small businesses shall have easier conditions than larger businesses, and that modern ecotourism can provide many green jobs in the countryside.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that unnecessary bureaucracy shall be avoided through active regulatory simplification and that small businesses shall have easier conditions than larger businesses, and that modern ecotourism can provide many green jobs in the countryside. Making legislation flexible enough that small bed and breakfasts avoid the same requirements as large hotels aligns with these commitments. The plan also wants to strengthen opportunities for people with good ideas to start and run businesses.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att onödig byråkrati ska undvikas genom ett aktivt regelförenklingsarbete och att småföretag ska ha lättare villkor än större företag, samt att modern ekoturism kan ge många gröna jobb på landsbygden. Att göra lagstiftningen så flexibel att små bed and breakfasts slipper samma krav som stora hotell ligger i linje med dessa åtaganden. Planen vill också stärka möjligheterna för människor med goda idéer att starta och driva företag.
- active regulatory simplificationdecisive»Onödig byråkrati ska undvikas genom ett aktivt« (party programme ↗)“Unnecessary bureaucracy shall be avoided through active”
- easier conditions for small businesses»arbetsgivaravgift och mindre sjuklöneansvar än« (party programme ↗)“employer's contribution and less sick pay responsibility than”
- small-scale ecotourism»utveckling av modern ekoturism kan ge många« (party programme ↗)“development of modern ecotourism can provide many”
- facilitate business»goda idéer att starta och driva företag.« (party programme ↗)“good ideas to start and run businesses.”
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 expensive and complicated regulations lie like a wet blanket over rural areas and that superfluous rules and bureaucracy should be cleaned up, with regulatory simplification as an explicit reform for rural competitiveness.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that expensive and complicated regulations lie like a wet blanket over rural areas and that superfluous rules and bureaucracy should be cleaned up, with regulatory simplification as an explicit reform for rural competitiveness. Tourism is pointed out as important for the entire country's development. That exempting small-scale tourism from requirements designed for larger hotels is precisely the sort of simplification the plan requires.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att dyra och krångliga regelverk ligger som en våt filt över landsbygden och att överflödiga regler och byråkrati ska rensas upp, med regelförenkling som en uttrycklig reform för landsbygdens konkurrenskraft. Besöksnäringen pekas ut som viktig för hela landets utveckling. Att undanta småskalig besöksnäring från krav utformade för större hotell är precis den sortens förenkling planen kräver.
- clean up superfluous rulesdecisive»Dyra, krångliga och innovationshämmande regelverk ligger som en våt filt över delar av landsbygden. Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expensive, complicated and innovation-hindering regulations lie like a wet blanket over parts of rural areas. We shall clean up superfluous rules and bureaucracy.”
- regulatory simplification for rural areas»Regelförenklingar, skattesänkningar, gårdsförsäljning av alkohol och ett mer tillväxtvänligt strandskydd är bara några av de reformer som måste komma på plats för att stärka landsbygdens konkurrenskraft och öka människors frihet och självbestämmande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Regulatory simplifications, tax cuts, farm sales of alcohol and a more growth-friendly beach protection are just some of the reforms that must be put in place to strengthen rural competitiveness and increase people's freedom and self-determination.”
- strengthen tourism»Besöksnäringen har stor betydelse för hela landets utveckling, och för att den ska kunna fortsätta växa krävs också bättre kommunikationer och infrastruktur.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tourism is of great importance for the entire country's development, and for it to be able to continue to grow also requires better communications and infrastructure.”
- simplification for micro-enterprises»Rensa upp i regelträsket för entreprenörer, stora som små. Vi vill införa en ny och förenklad företagsform för mikroföretag, så att fler ska våga testa att driva företag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Clean up in the regulatory jungle for entrepreneurs, large and small. We want to introduce a new and simplified business form for micro-enterprises, so that more dare to try to run a business.”
The plan commits that the regulatory burden on small businesses shall be reduced and that public decisions shall be analysed from a small-business perspective, and that policy shall quickly remove obstacles and provide rules that make it easy to do right.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits that the regulatory burden on small businesses shall be reduced and that public decisions shall be analysed from a small-business perspective, and that policy shall quickly remove obstacles and provide rules that make it easy to do right. Allowing small-scale tourism business to avoid the same requirements as large hotels is an application of precisely that principle, as is the plan's support for subsistence enterprise. The tourism industry is not explicitly mentioned.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att regelbördan för små företag ska minska och att offentliga beslut ska analyseras ur småföretagarperspektiv, samt att politiken snabbt ska undanröja hinder och ge spelregler som gör det lätt att göra rätt. Att låta småskalig besöksnäring slippa samma krav som stora hotell är en tillämpning av just den principen, liksom av planens stöd för levebrödsföretagande. Besöksnäringen nämns inte uttryckligen.
- reduced regulatory burden on small businessesdecisive»Regelbördan för små företag ska minska« (party programme ↗)“The regulatory burden on small businesses shall be reduced”
- simple and clear rules»Vi vill ha spelregler som gör det lätt att göra rätt« (party programme ↗)“We wish to have rules that make it easy to do right”
- protect subsistence enterprise»Goda möjligheter att försörja sig själv genom företagande – så kallat levebrödsföretagande – vidgar« (party programme ↗)“Good opportunities to support oneself through enterprise—so-called subsistence enterprise—expands”
- remove obstacles for businesses»Politikens uppgift måste vara att snabbt undanröja hinder för att underlätta för företag och människor att ta« (party programme ↗)“Policy's task must be to quickly remove obstacles to facilitate businesses and people to take”
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 demands that bureaucracy and complex rules be countered, that incoming laws be examined from a small-business perspective and that small and medium-sized enterprises stand at the centre of economic policy.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands that bureaucracy and complex rules be countered, that incoming laws be examined from a small-business perspective and that small and medium-sized enterprises stand at the centre of economic policy. To exempt small-scale tourism from requirements designed for large hotels is a direct application of this, as is easing the operation of diverse rural businesses.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att byråkrati och krångliga regler motverkas, att tillkommande lagar prövas ur ett småföretagarperspektiv och att små och medelstora företag står i centrum för näringspolitiken. Att undanta småskalig besöksnäring från krav utformade för stora hotell är en direkt tillämpning av detta, liksom att differentierat landsbygdsföretagande ska underlättas.
- examination from small-business perspectivedecisive»Tillkommande lagar bör prövas ur ett småföretagarperspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“Incoming laws should be examined from a small-business perspective.”
- small businesses at the centre»De små och medelstora företagen, som ofta är familjeföretag« (party programme ↗)“The small and medium-sized enterprises, which are often family businesses”
- eased rural business operations»Även differentierat landsbygdsföretagande ska underlättas.« (party programme ↗)“Diverse rural businesses should also be eased.”
- general instruments»Näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel,« (party programme ↗)“Economic policy shall be conducted with general means,”
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 commits the party to remove a third of businesses' administrative costs and a third of regulatory red tape, so that it becomes easy to do the right thing.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits the party to remove a third of businesses' administrative costs and a third of regulatory red tape, so that it becomes easy to do the right thing. Exempting small-scale tourism from the same requirements as large hotels is precisely such a proportionate simplification of regulations. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demands in substance.
Original (Swedish)
Planen förbinder partiet till att ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och en tredjedel av regelkrånglet, så att det blir lätt att göra rätt. Att undanta småskalig besöksnäring från samma krav som stora hotell är precis en sådan proportionerlig regelförenkling. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav i sak.
- reduced regulatory red tapedecisive»Ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och en tredjedel av regelkrånglet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove a third of businesses' administrative costs and a third of regulatory red tape”
- easy to do the right thing»Där det är lätt att göra rätt – för att en tredjedel av regelkrånglet tagits bort.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Where it is easy to do the right thing – because a third of the regulatory red tape has been removed.”
- bureaucracy hinders small businesses»höga skatter, krångliga tillståndsprocesser och byråkrati sätter käppar i hjulet för innovation och tillväxt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“high taxes, complex permit processes and bureaucracy hinder innovation and growth.”
- good conditions for small businesses»Villkoren för att starta, växa och expandera behöver vara goda« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The conditions for starting, growing and expanding need to be good”
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 election manifesto commits to working for regulation simplification and to ease small businesses' administrative burden and to remove unnecessary rules where business costs do not match societal benefit.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to working for regulation simplification and to ease small businesses' administrative burden and to remove unnecessary rules where business costs do not match societal benefit. The plan particularly points out that rigid rules for business development lie like a wet blanket over the countryside. The counter-proposal's requirement for more flexible rules and exemptions for small-scale tourism thus directly responds to the plan's commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att verka för regelförenkling och avlasta småföretagens administrativa börda och att ta bort onödiga regler där kostnaderna för företagen inte motsvarar nyttan för samhället. Planen pekar särskilt ut att stelbenta regler för företagsutveckling ligger som en blöt filt över landsbygden. Motförslagets krav på flexiblare regler och undantag för småskalig besöksnäring svarar därför direkt mot planens åtaganden.
- regulation simplification for small businessdecisive»Verka för regelförenkling och avlasta småföretagens administrativa börda« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for regulation simplification and ease small businesses' administrative burden”
- remove unnecessary rules»För att få fler och växande företag är det viktigt att ta bort onödiga regler där kostnaderna för företagen inte motsvarar nyttan för samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To get more and growing businesses it is important to remove unnecessary rules where business costs do not match societal benefit.”
- rigid rules in the countryside»Utmaningarna är idag många där stelbenta regler för byggande och företagsutveckling ligger som en blöt filt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Today's challenges are many where rigid rules for building and business development lie like a wet blanket.”
- simplified regulations»Förenkla regelverken och förbättra rättssäkerheten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Simplify regulations and improve legal certainty”
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:MJU18)
- Committee report full text (HA01MJU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1003 — Sverigevänlig konsumentpolitik av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1047 — Den svenska självförsörjningsgraden av Lars Mejern Larsson och Mikael Dahlqvist (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:110 — Åtgärder mot hälsofarliga kosttillskott av Saila Quicklund (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1124 — En hållbar besöksnäring av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1208 — Livskraftig skånsk landsbygd av Peter Ollén m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1300 — Ansvarsfullt producerad palmolja av Åsa Eriksson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1402 — Tydligare krav på redovisning av innehållet i livsmedel av Marie-Louise Hänel Sandström (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1411 — Åtgärder för ett mer hållbart och konkurrenskraftigt yrkesfiske av Johan Hultberg (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1422 — Problematiken med att palmolja används i Sverige i så stor utsträckning i livsmedel och kemisk-tekniska produkter av Adnan Dibrani m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1459 — Mindre men bättre kött av Rebecka Le Moine m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:1571 — Beredskapslager för livsmedel av Dan Hovskär (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1572 — Ökad självförsörjningsgrad av livsmedel av Dan Hovskär (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1631 — Förändrad lagstiftning för jakt av Martina Johansson (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1685 — Nationella beredskapslager av Eric Westroth och Ann-Christine From Utterstedt (båda SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1764 — Säkerhetspolitik av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1829 — Beredskapslager för livsmedel av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1835 — Självförsörjningsgraden av livsmedel av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1888 — Fiske av Helena Lindahl m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:2002 — Utvärdering av samhällsnyttan av målen för ekologiska livsmedel inom offentlig upphandling av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2072 — Utgiftsområde 23 Areella näringar, landsbygd och livsmedel av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament