2024-06-122023/24:UU9 · p.1UUForeign affairs
Military Equipment Export Regulations
The regulatory framework for arms exports
What's at stake: Gaps in the framework, such as certain weapon sights being exempt from control, affect the ability to trace and limit exports of products usable in combat, as does the absence of any control over arms imports. It concerns manufacturers, export-control authorities and countries that receive Swedish war materiel.
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 existing arms-export regulatory framework is comprehensive enough, or whether it should be tightened to cover dual-use products such as weapon sights and to introduce regulation of arms imports.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that the defense industry is a central part of Swedish security and defense policy, and that arms exports strengthen the industry's competitiveness, benefiting both the armed forces and Sweden's role in international cooperation, particularly following NATO membership. It also notes that the government's annual communication contributes to greater openness and transparency around export control, and therefore sees no reason to change the regulatory framework.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (V, MP)
The Left Party and the Green Party point out that red-dot sights for hunting weapons fall outside export legislation even though they can be used on combat weapons, and that such exports have occurred to Israel via a Swedish company's agreement. They want the government to investigate bringing such sights and similar dual-use products under the regulatory framework, to tighten dual-use export control generally, and to introduce regulation of arms imports, which is currently entirely absent.
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 2 by V, MP.
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 | No 0/19/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | Yes 91/0/0/15 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 58/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| SD | Yes | Abstain 0/0/63/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:425 by Tobias Andersson et al. (SD) item 9 and 2023/24:2873 by Håkan Svenneling et al. (V) items 9, 14 and 16.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:425 av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD) yrkande 9 och 2023/24:2873 av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V) yrkandena 9, 14 och 16.
Riksdag decision: Parliament decided to file the government's document on strategic export control, which meant that the matter was concluded. Since 1985, the government has reported on its policy regarding Swedish exports of military equipment and dual-use products. The document contains an account of the military equipment exports that occurred during 2023. Furthermore, the government describes cooperation within the EU and in other international forums regarding strategic export control of military equipment and dual-use products. The government also reports on Sweden's donations of military material to Ukraine and on the consequences for export control of Sweden's application for NATO membership. Parliament also rejected seven proposals in motions concerning export control of military equipment and dual-use products from the general motion period of 2023. The motions deal, for example, with reviewing current legislation and with the application of legislation becoming more restrictive or in certain cases more generous. Parliament refers, among other things, to ongoing investigative work and current regulations.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to strengthen export control of war materiel by including optical sights and products with dual-use applications, and establish regulations for the import of war materiel. (V, MP) — Reservation 2
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 works to ban weapons exports to states that wage wars of aggression and to regimes that commit human rights violations, and wants the world to move towards fewer weapons in circulation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan works to ban weapons exports to states that wage wars of aggression and to regimes that commit human rights violations, and wants the world to move towards fewer weapons in circulation. The counter-proposal's requirements that dual-use products such as red dot sights are covered by export controls, stricter controls generally and regulation of imports follow directly from that commitment. The plan also wants to see greater public oversight where it is needed to counter fraud.
Original (Swedish)
Planen arbetar för att förbjuda vapenexport till stater som för angreppskrig och till regimer som begår brott mot de mänskliga rättigheterna, och vill att världen går mot färre vapen i cirkulation. Motförslagets krav på att dual-use-produkter som rödpunktssikten omfattas av exportkontrollen, på skärpt kontroll generellt och på en reglering av import följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen vill dessutom se större samhällelig insyn där det behövs för att stävja fusk.
- ban on weapons exportdecisive»förbjuda vapenexport till diktaturer, stater som för angreppskrig och« (party programme ↗)“ban weapons exports to dictatorships, states that wage wars of aggression and”
- fewer weapons in circulation»Världen behöver gå mot fred, nedrustning« (party programme ↗)“The world needs to move towards peace, disarmament”
- oversight of corporate activities»Vi vill gå mot en större samhällelig insyn« (party programme ↗)“We want to move towards greater public oversight”
- against militarization and arms races»och deeskalering. Vi vänder oss emot militarisering och kapprustning.« (party programme ↗)“and de-escalation. We oppose militarization and arms races.”
Worldstate weighed in: The International Court of Justice orders Israel to stop the offensive in Rafah while the country is being investigated for violations of the genocide convention — The loophole for the sight exported to Israel becomes precisely the situation the plan's export ban is intended to address
The election manifesto wants to take measures against the import of weapons and more international cooperation against weapons smuggling, which directly meets the counter-proposal's demand for a regulation of the import of military materiel and increased control of dual-use products.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to take measures against the import of weapons and more international cooperation against weapons smuggling, which directly meets the counter-proposal's demand for a regulation of the import of military materiel and increased control of dual-use products. The party programme makes the fight against illegal weapons trafficking and military disarmament central tasks. Investigating how sights and other products with dual uses shall be covered by export control follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill ta krafttag mot införsel av vapen och fler internationella samarbeten mot vapensmuggling, vilket direkt möter motförslagets krav på en reglering av importen av krigsmateriel och skärpt kontroll av dual-use-produkter. Partiprogrammet gör kampen mot den illegala vapenhandeln och militär nedrustning till centrala uppgifter. Att utreda hur sikten och andra produkter med dubbla användningsområden ska omfattas av exportkontrollen följer av dessa åtaganden.
- control of weapon importsdecisive»Vi vill ta krafttag mot införsel av vapen och narkotika, bland annat genom stärkt gränskontroll.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to take measures against the import of weapons and drugs, among other things through strengthened border control.”
- against illegal weapons trafficking»Det gör också kampen mot den illegala vapenhandeln.« (party programme ↗)“The fight against illegal weapons trafficking also does so.”
- cooperation against weapons smuggling»Vi vill se fler och intensifierande internationella samarbeten mot smuggling av bland annat vapen och narkotika.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to see more and intensifying international cooperation against smuggling of among other things weapons and drugs.”
- military disarmament»Militär nedrustning är en fundamental uppgift för det internationella samarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“Military disarmament is a fundamental task for international cooperation.”
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's goal is phased-out arms export, and exports to countries in armed conflict or with serious violations of human rights shall be abolished.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme's goal is phased-out arms export, and exports to countries in armed conflict or with serious violations of human rights shall be abolished. Stricter control of dual-use products and regulation of imports of military equipment pull in the same direction as these commitments and close loopholes in control. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demands.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammets mål är en avvecklad vapenexport, och export till länder i väpnad konflikt eller med grova kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter ska avskaffas. En skärpt kontroll av dual-use-produkter och en reglering av import av krigsmateriel drar åt samma håll som dessa åtaganden och täpper till luckor i kontrollen. Planen stöder därför motförslagets krav.
- phased-out arms exportdecisive»Miljöpartiet de grönas mål är därför en avvecklad vapenexport.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party's goal is therefore phased-out arms export.”
- export prohibition in armed conflict»Export av vapen och annan krigsmateriel till diktaturer, länder som befinner sig i väpnad konflikt eller där grova och omfattande kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter förekommer ska avskaffas.« (party programme ↗)“Exports of weapons and other military equipment to dictatorships, countries that are in armed conflict or where serious and extensive violations of human rights occur shall be abolished.”
- consistent peace policy»Sveriges insatser för fred är inte heller trovärdiga när vi samtidigt exporterar vapen till diktaturer och länder i fattigdom.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's peace efforts are also not credible when we simultaneously export weapons to dictatorships and countries in poverty.”
- restrictive export practice»Sverige ska inte börja sälja vapen till Turkiet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall not start selling weapons to Turkey.”
Worldstate weighed in: ICJ orders Israel to stop offensive in Rafah — Tightens the plan's requirements on control of material that can reach countries in armed conflict
The party programme establishes that foreign and security policy ultimately aims to safeguard universal human rights and freedoms, and the election manifesto wants to impose stricter requirements in trade agreements and make Sweden more transparent.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that foreign and security policy ultimately aims to safeguard universal human rights and freedoms, and the election manifesto wants to impose stricter requirements in trade agreements and make Sweden more transparent. An investigation of how dual-use products are covered by export controls and regulation of imports follow from this line. At the same time, the plan wants to strengthen defence robustly, which makes support for stricter export rules uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken ytterst syftar till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter, och manifestet vill ställa hårdare krav i handelsavtal och göra Sverige mer transparent. En utredning av hur dual-use-produkter täcks av exportkontrollen och en reglering av import följer av den linjen. Samtidigt vill planen rusta försvaret kraftfullt, vilket gör stödet för skärpta exportregler osäkert.
- human rights guide foreign policydecisive»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to safeguard universal human rights and freedoms.”
- conditioned trade»Ställ hårdare krav på arbetsvillkor, miljö och klimat i handelsavtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Impose stricter requirements on working conditions, environment, and climate in trade agreements.”
- increased transparency»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent.”
- rapid rearmament»Vi vill rusta det militära försvaret snabbt, kraftfullt och långsiktigt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to rapidly, powerfully, and sustainably strengthen military defence.”
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 only explicit barrier in the export area is that Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships, and it requires that trade policy be conducted without the naivety shown towards Chinese and Russian power politics.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's only explicit barrier in the export area is that Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships, and it requires that trade policy be conducted without the naivety shown towards Chinese and Russian power politics. That dual-use products today fall outside control is precisely such a gap, which is why the counter-proposal's demand for investigation and tightened control aligns with the plan's principle. The plan however says nothing about dual-use or import regulation, so the conclusion is weakly grounded.
Original (Swedish)
Planens enda uttryckliga spärr på exportområdet är att Sverige inte ska exportera vapen till diktaturer, och den kräver att handelspolitiken bedrivs utan den naivitet som visats inför kinesisk och rysk maktpolitik. Att dual-use-produkter i dag faller utanför kontrollen är just en sådan lucka, varför motförslagets krav på utredning och skärpt kontroll ligger i linje med planens princip. Planen säger dock inget om dual-use eller importreglering, så slutsatsen är svagt underbyggd.
- no weapons export to dictatorshipsdecisive»Sverige ska inte exportera vapen till diktaturer.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall not export weapons to dictatorships.”
- free trade without naivety»Handels- och främjandepolitiken ska stärka Sverige som aktör för en friare värld och dra nytta av frihandelns fördelar utan den naivitet som alltför länge uppvisats för kinesisk och rysk maktpolitik.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Trade and promotion policy shall strengthen Sweden as an actor for a freer world and benefit from the advantages of free trade without the naivety that has too long been shown towards Chinese and Russian power politics.”
- criteria for dealings with dictatorships»staten ska det finnas kriterier gällande affärsrelationer med odemokratiska regimer.« (party programme ↗)“the state shall there be criteria regarding business relations with non-democratic regimes.”
- security view of strategic assets»Den utveckling där odemokratiska eller rentav totalitära stater förvärvar strategiska tillgångar i« (party programme ↗)“The development where non-democratic or indeed totalitarian states acquire strategic assets in”
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 requires that weapons exports be limited to democratic states, surrounded by careful control and not go to actively warring countries or states with systematic violations of human rights.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that weapons exports be limited to democratic states, surrounded by careful control and not go to actively warring countries or states with systematic violations of human rights. Products that can be used on combat weapons but fall outside control undermine exactly this commitment. An investigation and tightened control of dual-use therefore aligns with the plan's line, while the plan affirms a domestic defence industry.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att vapenexporten begränsas till demokratiska stater, omgärdas av noggrann kontroll och inte går till offensivt krigförande länder eller stater med systematiska kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter. Produkter som kan användas på stridsvapen men faller utanför kontrollen urholkar just detta åtagande. En utredning och skärpt kontroll av dual-use ligger därför i planens linje, samtidigt som planen bejakar en inhemsk försvarsindustri.
- careful export controldecisive»sas till demokratiska stater och omgärdas av noggrann« (party programme ↗)“limited to democratic states and surrounded by careful”
- no export to warring states»Export ska ej gå till offensivt krigförande länder« (party programme ↗)“Exports shall not go to actively warring countries”
- human rights conditions for export»till stater där det förekommer systematiska kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter« (party programme ↗)“to states where systematic violations of human rights occur”
- domestic defence industry needed»en inhemsk försvarsindustri« (party programme ↗)“a domestic defence industry”
Worldstate weighed in: International Court of Justice orders Israel to stop the offensive in Rafah — makes control of unregulated product flows to precisely such a state directly relevant to the plan's export conditions
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 to strengthen Swedish defence industry and let its expertise benefit allies, and to significantly reduce companies' regulatory burden.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's line is to strengthen Swedish defence industry and let its expertise benefit allies, and to significantly reduce companies' regulatory burden. The counter-proposal requires tightened export controls for dual-use products, investigation of sight systems and new regulation of military equipment imports, thus expanded burdens on exactly this industry. The plan therefore speaks against the demand, even though it does not address how export controls are formed.
Original (Swedish)
Planens linje är att stärka svensk försvarsindustri och låta dess kunnande komma allierade till del, samt att kraftigt minska företagens regelbörda. Motförslaget kräver skärpt exportkontroll av dual-use-produkter, utredning av sikten och ny reglering av import av krigsmateriel, alltså utökade pålagor på just denna industri. Planen talar därför emot kravet, även om den inte behandlar exportkontrollens utformning.
- strengthened defence industrydecisive»Verka för att Sveriges teknologiska kunnande och kompetenta försvarsindustri kommer hela Nato till del« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work to ensure Sweden's technological expertise and competent defence industry benefits the whole of NATO”
- weapons export as security policy»Sverige ska helhjärtat stå upp för Ukraina, även med fortsatta vapenleveranser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall wholeheartedly stand up for Ukraine, even with continued weapons supplies.”
- reduced regulatory burden»Ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och en tredjedel av regelkrånglet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove one-third of companies' administrative costs and one-third of bureaucratic red tape”
- support for security-sensitive companies»Ge företag som är engagerade i säkerhetskänslig verksamhet bättre stöd från staten att kunna möta cyberattacker, spionage och stöldförsök från främmande makt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Give companies engaged in security-sensitive operations better support from the state to be able to meet cyber attacks, espionage and theft attempts from hostile powers”
The plan wishes to strengthen Swedish defence industry, improve Sweden's position in international trade and restore the relationship with Israel.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wishes to strengthen Swedish defence industry, improve Sweden's position in international trade and restore the relationship with Israel. The counter-proposal's demands to bring more dual-use products under export control, stricter general control and new import regulation would restrict precisely the industry and trade relations the plan wishes to protect.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill stärka svensk försvarsindustri, förbättra Sveriges ställning i internationell handel och återupprätta relationen till Israel. Motförslagets krav på att fler dual-use-produkter förs in under exportkontrollen, skärpt kontroll generellt och ny reglering av import skulle begränsa just den industri och de handelsrelationer planen vill värna.
- strengthened defence industrydecisive»Svensk försvarsindustri ska också stärkas genom att fortsatt satsa på inhemsk försvarsteknologi och att tydligare värdera det strategiska intresset av svenska leverantörer vid inköp av försvarsmateriel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish defence industry shall also be strengthened by continuing to invest in domestic defence technology and by more clearly valuing the strategic interest of Swedish suppliers in procurement of defence materiel.”
- promoted Swedish trade»Förbättra Sveriges ställning på den internationella marknaden och i handel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve Sweden's position on the international market and in trade”
- relationship with Israel»Relationen till Israel, som den enda demokratin i sin region, bör återupprättas och vårdas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The relationship with Israel, as the only democracy in its region, should be restored and maintained.”
- industry competitiveness»Prioritera svensk industri och konkurrenskraft« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prioritize Swedish industry and competitiveness”
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.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:UU9)
- Committee report full text (HB01UU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2343 — En svensk utvecklingspolitik för rättvisa, jämställdhet och hållbar utveckling av Nooshi Dadgostar m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2608 — Vapenexport till Saudiarabien av Martin Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2873 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:114 Strategisk exportkontroll 2023 - krigsmateriel och produkter med dubbla användningsområden av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2880 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:114 Strategisk exportkontroll 2023 - krigsmateriel och produkter med dubbla användningsområden av Yasmine Eriksson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:425 — En tillväxtorienterad politik för industrilandet Sverige av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:462 — Nordafrika och Mellanöstern av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2023/24:114 — Strategisk exportkontroll 2023 - krigsmateriel och produkter med dubbla användningsområden
Source: The Swedish Parliament