2022-11-302022/23:SkU4 · p.6SkUTaxation
Storage of biometric data
Storage of biometric data in the coordination-number system
What's at stake: If biometric data may be retained, authorities can more easily detect whether the same person is already registered under another identity, which could reduce the risk of incorrect entries and multiple identities in the population register. At the same time, storing sensitive biometric data about individuals is an intrusion on privacy that raises data-protection concerns.
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 Tax Agency should be allowed to store biometric data collected when checking a person's identity for a coordination number, for future comparisons and checks, or whether the data should continue to be destroyed immediately after the check.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the biometric data collected during the check are not retained but are destroyed immediately once the check is complete, and that the data therefore never become public documents. On that basis, the committee sees no reason to introduce a possibility to store the data, and rejects the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 5 (C)
The reservation (C) calls for the government to investigate letting the Tax Agency store biometric data, with strong accompanying secrecy protection, for future comparisons and checks. The reasoning is that several consultation bodies have highlighted the need to be able to store and compare biometric data: without retained reference data, authorities cannot check whether a person is already registered under a previous identity, which the reservation argues would reduce the risk of incorrect entries and help prevent multiple identities.
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 5 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 | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Yes 92/0/0/15 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | No 0/19/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects motion 2022/23:31 by Helena Lindahl et al. (C) claim 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2022/23:31 av Helena Lindahl m.fl. (C) yrkande 2.
Riksdag decision: Parliament supports the proposed new law on coordination numbers and amendments to, among others, the population registration act and the population registration database act. The aim is to strengthen the coordination number system by, for example, increasing requirements for identity checks made before issuing a coordination number to a person. A coordination number is an identity designation for persons who are not or have not been registered in Sweden, but who nonetheless need to have contact with Swedish authorities or other parts of society. Persons registered in Sweden are instead assigned a personal number. Coordination numbers are divided into different levels depending on what identity check has been performed beforehand. Today there are two levels. With the new law, a coordination number can be issued at three different levels. To obtain the highest level, the person must be able to verify their identity with valid identity documents and also personally appear in person at the time of application. Identity documents may also be requested to verify the biometric data stored in these documents. The proposal also means that the Tax Agency assumes responsibility for, among other things, identity checks when a coordination number is to be issued to a person. Other authorities must inform the Tax Agency if it can be assumed that an entry is incorrect in the population registration database with respect to persons with coordination numbers. The proposal also contains a limitation of the exemption from registration that applies to persons who are locally employed at foreign embassies or consulates in Sweden. Parliament approved the government's proposal. The legislative changes concerning locally employed persons at embassies and consulates shall enter into force on 1 January 2023 and others on 1 September 2023.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to investigate the possibility for the Swedish Tax Agency to store biometric data for future controls. (C) — Reservation 5
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 establishes that growing surveillance and registration should be opposed, that everyone has the right to a broad private sphere and that personal integrity and principles of rule of law should be protected.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that growing surveillance and registration should be opposed, that everyone has the right to a broad private sphere and that personal integrity and principles of rule of law should be protected. Building up stored biometric reference data for future comparisons is exactly such registration. The plan therefore speaks against the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att växande övervakning och registrering ska motverkas, att alla har rätt till en bred privat sfär och att den personliga integriteten och rättsstatens principer ska värnas. Att bygga upp lagrade biometriska referensdata för framtida jämförelser är precis sådan registrering. Planen talar därför mot motförslagets krav.
- right to private sphereweak support»Alla människor har rätt till en bred privat sfär« (party programme ↗)“All people have the right to a broad private sphere”
- personal integrity in rule of lawdecisive»personliga integriteten och fundamentala principer i en rättsstat« (party programme ↗)“personal integrity and fundamental principles in a rule of law state”
- presumption of innocence»anses oskyldiga tills motsatsen är bevisad« (party programme ↗)“are presumed innocent until proven guilty”
- risk of racialised control»Många unga, särskilt med utländsk bakgrund, som bor i fattiga områden, utsätts även för rasism och övervåld från polisen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Many young people, particularly with foreign background, who live in poor areas, are also subjected to racism and police excessive force”
flags: citat_svagt
The plan wants to give authorities more tools and tear down confidentiality obstacles so that work against crime functions, and it requires that welfare crime and money laundering are stopped.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to give authorities more tools and tear down confidentiality obstacles so that work against crime functions, and it requires that welfare crime and money laundering are stopped. The ability to compare biometrics against stored reference data counteracts multiple identities and therefore lies in line with the plan. The counter-proposal's requirement for strong confidentiality responds to the plan's commitment to personal integrity.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill ge myndigheterna fler verktyg och riva sekretesshinder så att arbetet mot brott fungerar, och den kräver att välfärdsbrottslighet och penningtvätt stoppas. Möjligheten att jämföra biometri mot sparade referensdata motverkar multipla identiteter och ligger därför i linje med planen. Motförslagets krav på stark sekretess svarar mot planens åtagande om personlig integritet.
- more tools against crimedecisive»Polisen behöver också fler verktyg, som bättre möjligheter till avlyssning och husrannsakan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Police also need more tools, such as better possibilities for wiretapping and house search.”
- tear down confidentiality obstacles»Sekretesshinder mellan myndigheter ska rivas så att polisen och andra yrkesgrupper kan göra sitt jobb.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Confidentiality obstacles between authorities shall be torn down so that police and other professions can do their jobs.”
- against welfare crime»Skattefusk, välfärdsbrottslighet och penningtvätt ska stoppas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tax fraud, welfare crime and money laundering shall be stopped.”
- integrity protection during storage»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
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 opposes all laws that constitute disproportionate intrusions into integrity and establishes that improper registration or surveillance must not occur, while crime prevention must not happen at the expense of human rights.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme opposes all laws that constitute disproportionate intrusions into integrity and establishes that improper registration or surveillance must not occur, while crime prevention must not happen at the expense of human rights. To store biometric data in registers for future comparisons is precisely such an intrusion. The plan thus speaks against the counter-proposal's requirement for an investigation into storage.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet motsätter sig alla lagar som innebär oproportionerliga ingrepp i integriteten och slår fast att otillbörlig registrering eller övervakning inte får förekomma, samtidigt som brottsbekämpning inte får ske på bekostnad av mänskliga rättigheter. Att lagra biometriska uppgifter i register för framtida jämförelser är just ett sådant ingrepp. Planen talar därför mot motförslagets krav på en utredning om lagring.
- no to disproportionate intrusionsdecisive»alla lagar som innebär oproportionerliga ingrepp i« (party programme ↗)“all laws that constitute disproportionate intrusions into”
- no improper registration»otillbörlig registrering eller övervakning baserad på« (party programme ↗)“improper registration or surveillance based on”
- value integrity against surveillance»De ökade möjligheterna till övervakning« (party programme ↗)“The increased possibilities for surveillance”
- right to integrity and privacy»Vi vill värna människors rätt till integritet och« (party programme ↗)“We want to value people's right to integrity and”
The plan makes strong privacy protection an indispensable part of an open society and requires that all legislation is tested for its impact on personal privacy.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes strong privacy protection an indispensable part of an open society and requires that all legislation is tested for its impact on personal privacy. It also lists a range of coercive measures that the party explicitly says no to, which shows where the boundary is drawn against the state. Storing biometric information for future comparison goes against this commitment.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör ett starkt integritetsskydd till en omistlig del av ett öppet samhälle och kräver att all lagstiftning prövas mot sin påverkan på den personliga integriteten. Den räknar dessutom upp en rad tvångsmedel som partiet uttryckligen säger nej till, vilket visar var gränsen dras mot staten. Att lagra biometriska uppgifter för framtida jämförelser går emot detta åtagande.
- strong privacy protectiondecisive»Ett starkt integritetsskydd är därför en omistlig del av ett öppet och demokratiskt samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Strong privacy protection is therefore an indispensable part of an open and democratic society.”
- privacy review of legislationweak support»All lagstiftning bör prövas mot dess påverkan på människors personliga integritet.« (party programme ↗)“All legislation should be tested for its impact on people's personal privacy.”
- no to expanded coercive measures»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras. Vi säger därför nej till visitationszoner, kollektiv bestraffning, omvänd bevisbörda, anonyma vittnen, preventiv avlyssning och inskränkningar av religionsfriheten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and individuals' rights against the state must be defended. We therefore say no to search zones, collective punishment, reversed burden of proof, anonymous witnesses, preventive wiretapping and restrictions on freedom of religion.”
flags: citat_svagt
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 states that if societal development creates new needs, it must be decided politically whether the needs weigh sufficiently heavily to expand data collection and use; an investigation is precisely that assessment.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that if societal development creates new needs, it must be decided politically whether the needs weigh sufficiently heavily to expand data collection and use; an investigation is precisely that assessment. The plan's requirement for order in the asylum and deportation system, where those without grounds leave the country, speaks for detecting multiple identities. At the same time, integrity intrusions are only justified when the opposing interest weighs clearly more heavily and the measure is effective.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger att om samhällsutvecklingen skapar nya behov måste det avgöras politiskt om behoven väger tillräckligt tungt för att vidga insamling och användning av uppgifter; en utredning är just den prövningen. Planens krav på ordning i asyl- och utvisningssystemet, där den utan skäl lämnar landet, talar för att multipla identiteter ska kunna upptäckas. Samtidigt gäller att integritetsingrepp bara är berättigade när det motstående intresset väger uppenbart tyngre och åtgärden är effektiv.
- political assessment of expanded collectiondecisive»måste det avgöras politiskt och i vissa fall rättsligt om dessa behov väger tillräckligt tungt för att vidga« (party programme ↗)“it must be decided politically and in certain cases legally whether these needs weigh sufficiently heavily to expand”
- order in asylum system»Asylrätten ska värnas där den med asylskäl ska stanna och den utan skäl lämnar landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Asylum rights shall be valued where those with asylum grounds shall stay and those without grounds leave the country.”
- effective implementation»Fler som väntar på både utvisning och avvisning ska hållas i förvar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More waiting both deportation and rejection shall be held in detention.”
- proportionality in integrity intrusions»är endast berättigade om ett motstående intresse väger uppenbart tyngre och åtgärden är effektiv.« (party programme ↗)“are only justified if an opposing interest weighs clearly more heavily and the measure is effective.”
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 investigate whether biometric information can be stored with strong confidentiality to prevent multiple identities and misregistrations.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wishes to investigate whether biometric information can be stored with strong confidentiality to prevent multiple identities and misregistrations. The election manifesto demands a total review of confidentiality rules so that authorities can share information to prevent and clear up crimes, and the plan establishes that all crimes shall be vigorously prosecuted. The plan therefore provides support for an investigation, but its demands for strong privacy protection make the support conditional.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill utreda om biometriska uppgifter kan lagras med stark sekretess för att motverka multipla identiteter och felregistreringar. Valmanifestet kräver en total översyn av sekretessreglerna så att myndigheter kan dela uppgifter för att förebygga och klara upp brott, och planen slår fast att alla brott effektivt ska beivras. Planen ger därför stöd för en utredning, men dess krav på starkt integritetsskydd gör stödet villkorat.
- authorities shall be able to share informationdecisive»Total översyn av sekretessreglerna, så att myndigheter kan dela uppgifter mellan sig för att förebygga och klara upp brott.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Total review of confidentiality rules, so that authorities can share information between themselves to prevent and clear up crimes.”
- vigorous crime prevention»Alla brott ska effektivt och utan undantag beivras« (party programme ↗)“All crimes shall be vigorously and without exception prosecuted”
- control of identities»Stram migrationspolitik krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strict migration policy is required to address integration problems and exclusion.”
- strong privacy protection»Den personliga integriteten ska ha ett starkt« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall have a strong”
flags: integritetskonflikt
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's stated first step is to determine who lives in Sweden and stop the cheating with temporary personal numbers, with census and personal appearance as tools.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto's stated first step is to determine who lives in Sweden and stop the cheating with temporary personal numbers, with census and personal appearance as tools. Without stored biometric reference data, it is not possible to detect that someone is already registered under another identity, which is exactly the problem the plan wants to solve. The counter-proposal's demand to investigate storage is therefore supported.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestets uttalade första steg är att fastställa vilka som lever i Sverige och stoppa fusket med tillfälliga personnummer, med folkräkning och personlig inställelse som verktyg. Utan sparade biometriska referensuppgifter går det inte att upptäcka att någon redan är registrerad under en annan identitet, vilket är precis det problem planen vill lösa. Motförslagets krav på att utreda lagring stöds därför.
- establish identitiesdecisive»Ett viktigt första steg är att fastställa vilka som lever i Sverige och att stoppa fusket med tillfälliga personnummer – samordningsnummer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“An important first step is to determine who lives in Sweden and to stop the cheating with temporary personal numbers – coordination numbers.”
- national census»Genomföra en nationell folkräkning för att stoppa bidragsbrotten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Conduct a national census to stop benefit fraud”
- identity verification»Kräva personlig inställelse för att bekräfta samordningsnummer, annars ska det återkallas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Require personal appearance to confirm coordination numbers, otherwise it should be recalled”
- control over population registration»Moderaterna tänker ta kontroll över folkbokföringen för att stoppa bidragsbrotten och se till att de skattepengar du betalar in används till det de är avsedda för.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Moderate Party intends to take control of population registration to stop benefit fraud and ensure that the tax money you pay in is used for its intended purpose.”
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 wants to investigate the storage of biometric data with strong confidentiality to be able to detect if a person is already registered under a different identity.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to investigate the storage of biometric data with strong confidentiality to be able to detect if a person is already registered under a different identity. The plan requires more controls against the shadow economy and illegal migration as well as better tools for authorities to detect irregularities, and tightened conditions for citizenship and welfare presuppose secure identity. Multiple identities are exactly the problem the plan's control line targets.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill utreda lagring av biometriska uppgifter med stark sekretess för att kunna upptäcka om en person redan är registrerad under en annan identitet. Planen kräver fler kontroller mot skuggsamhället och illegal migration samt bättre verktyg för myndigheterna att upptäcka felaktigheter, och skärpta villkor för medborgarskap och välfärd förutsätter säker identitet. Multipla identiteter är just det problem planens kontrollinje riktar sig mot.
- more identity controlsdecisive»Bekämpa skuggsamhället och illegal migration med fler kontroller och fler utvisningar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Combat the shadow economy and illegal migration with more controls and more deportations”
- better control tools»Rättsväsendets samverkan mellan myndigheter och verktyg för att upptäcka och lagföra kriminella ska förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The justice system's cooperation between authorities and tools for detecting and prosecuting criminals must be improved.”
- secure identity as condition»Skärpa villkoren för medborgarskap och höja tröskeln för att ta del av skattefinansierad välfärd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Tighten the conditions for citizenship and raise the threshold for access to tax-funded welfare”
- prevent benefit fraud»Göra det svårare att exploatera den svenska välfärden« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make it harder to exploit Swedish welfare”
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.
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:SkU4)
- Committee report full text (HA01SkU4)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:16 — med anledning av prop. 2021/22:276 Stärkt system för samordningsnummer av Ilona Szatmári Waldau m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:31 — med anledning av prop. 2021/22:276 Stärkt system för samordningsnummer av Helena Lindahl m.fl. (C)
- Proposition 2021/22:276 — Stärkt system för samordningsnummer
Source: The Swedish Parliament