2023-03-292022/23:NU12 · p.8NUBusiness & energy
Climate tariffs and trade in climate-smart goods and services
Climate tariffs (a carbon border adjustment mechanism) and trade in climate-smart technology
What's at stake: The decision concerns whether Swedish companies, which already operate under strict climate and environmental legislation, should be given better protection against unfair competition from countries with lower climate ambitions, and whether it should become easier to export climate-smart technology that can reduce emissions in other countries.
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 government should push for an EU carbon border adjustment mechanism compatible with WTO rules and for easier trade in climate-smart technology, or whether no specific parliamentary statement on the matter is needed.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion. The full reasoning for this point is missing from the available material.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 11 (C)
The Centre Party considers that Swedish companies, which are far ahead in emission reductions thanks in part to a near emission-free electricity system, risk unfair competition from countries that forgo climate regulation. The party wants the government to push for an EU carbon border adjustment mechanism compatible with WTO rules that reduces the risk of carbon leakage and strengthens emission reductions, with revenues contributing to climate investments, and for it to become easier to trade in climate-smart technology so that climate-smart exports from Sweden and other countries can displace emissions elsewhere.
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 11 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: LLiberalerna, MPMiljöpartiet
Ja 281–21Ja 252–50
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 | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 15/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 64/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motion 2022/23:2190 by Annie Lööf et al. (C) amendments 14, 15, 42, 55 and 56.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2022/23:2190 av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C) yrkandena 14, 15, 42, 55 och 56.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 85 proposals in motions submitted during the ordinary motion period 2022. The proposals concern international trade, the EU's internal market, trade and investment promotion, and sustainable business. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to the policies pursued, ongoing work, and various measures. The proposals deal with, among other things, overarching questions about free trade and protectionism, that is to say, protection of domestic production by means of, for example, tariffs. The proposals also concern requirements in trade agreements, reform of the World Trade Organization, trade relations with certain countries, questions about the free movement of certain goods, trade promotion, scrutiny of foreign direct investments, and sustainable business.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants sustainability chapters in EU trade agreements to be binding and for member states to be able to terminate agreements if counterparts do not comply with these commitments. (C) — Reservation 11
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 programme states that even richer countries must have the right to protect themselves against undercutting and environmentally damaging competition and that environmental policy should be regulated across borders without preventing countries from going further.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The programme states that even richer countries must have the right to protect themselves against undercutting and environmentally damaging competition and that environmental policy should be regulated across borders without preventing countries from going further. A carbon adjustment mechanism is precisely a protection against carbon leakage that makes it possible to pursue a more radical climate policy nationally, and the election manifesto demands that policy sets demands on industry's transition. The plan does not mention climate tariffs, so the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Programmet slår fast att även rikare länder ska ha rätt att skydda sig mot underbuds- och miljöskadlig konkurrens och att miljöpolitiken bör regleras över gränserna utan att hindra länder från att gå före. En koldioxidjusteringsmekanism är just ett skydd mot koldioxidläckage som gör det möjligt att driva en radikalare klimatpolitik nationellt, och valmanifestet kräver att politiken ställer krav på industrins omställning. Planen nämner inte klimattullar, varför slutsatsen härleds.
- protection against environmentally damaging competitiondecisive»länder ska ha rätt att skydda sig mot underbuds- och miljöskadlig« (party programme ↗)“countries must have the right to protect themselves against undercutting and environmentally damaging”
- countries can go further»Miljöpolitiken bör regleras över gränserna utan att hindra länder att« (party programme ↗)“Environmental policy should be regulated across borders without preventing countries to”
- demands on industry's transition»Politiken kan och måste ställa krav på att industrin ställer om« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Policy can and must set demands on industry to transition”
- technology transfer to South»Nord behöver dock under överskådlig tid föra över teknik« (party programme ↗)“North must however for an foreseeable time transfer technology”
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 to working for a global carbon price with the principle that the polluter pays and to exporting climate-smart solutions and driving other countries, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to working for a global carbon price with the principle that the polluter pays and to exporting climate-smart solutions and driving other countries, which is precisely what the counter-proposal wants. The programme moreover requires that trade agreements align with environmental agreements, which bears a WTO-compliant border adjustment mechanism against carbon leakage. The mechanism as such is not mentioned in the documents, hence derived coverage.
Original (Swedish)
Planen förbinder sig att verka för ett globalt koldioxidpris med principen att förorenaren betalar och att exportera klimatsmarta lösningar och driva på andra länder, vilket är just det motförslaget vill. Programmet kräver dessutom att handelsavtalen stämmer överens med miljöavtalen, vilket bär en WTO-förenlig gränsjusteringsmekanism mot koldioxidläckage. Mekanismen som sådan nämns inte i dokumenten, därav härledd täckning.
- polluter pays globallydecisive»Vi ska verka för att ett globalt koldioxidpris införs med principen att förorenaren betalar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall work for a global carbon price to be introduced with the principle that the polluter pays.”
- export of climate technology»Exportera klimatsmarta lösningar och driv på andra länder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Export climate-smart solutions and drive other countries.”
- trade in line with environmental agreements»De internationella handelsavtalen måste stämma överens med de internationella« (party programme ↗)“International trade agreements must align with international”
- leader in transition»Sverige ska bli världens första fossilfria välfärdsnation.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become the world's first fossil-free welfare nation.”
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 outright demands climate tariffs on goods from countries outside the EU together with a higher price on emissions allowances.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto outright demands climate tariffs on goods from countries outside the EU together with a higher price on emissions allowances. The party programme is based on the polluter pays principle and that costs affecting the environment should be included in the price, and looks favorably on minimum rules and taxes at EU level to reduce climate-damaging emissions. The counter-proposal's requirement for a carbon adjustment mechanism and easier trade in climate-smart technology is thus the plan's own line.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver rakt ut klimattullar på varor från länder utanför EU tillsammans med ett högre pris på utsläppsrätter. Partiprogrammet bygger på att förorenaren betalar och att kostnader som drabbar miljön ska inkluderas i priset, och ser gärna minimiregler och -skatter på EU-nivå för att minska klimatpåverkande utsläpp. Motförslagets krav på en koldioxidjusteringsmekanism och lättare handel med klimatsmart teknik är därmed planens egen linje.
- climate tariffs on importsdecisive»höja priset på utsläppsrätter i EU, inkludera utsläpp från flyg och sjöfart i systemet och införa klimattullar på varor från länder utanför EU.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“raise the price of emissions allowances in the EU, include emissions from aviation and shipping in the system and introduce climate tariffs on goods from countries outside the EU.”
- polluter pays»ska betala. Kostnader som drabbar miljön eller« (party programme ↗)“should pay. Costs that affect the environment or”
- common climate taxes in the EU»biotoper samt minimiregler och -skatter för att« (party programme ↗)“biotopes and minimum rules and taxes for”
- industry's phase-out of fossil fuels»införa en omställningslag så att all industri fasar ut kol, olja och fossilgas till senast 2030.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“introduce a transition law so that all industry phases out coal, oil and fossil gas by 2030 at the latest.”
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 party programme establishes that the ultimate solution to the climate issue is global carbon pricing and that it should always be unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that the ultimate solution to the climate issue is global carbon pricing and that it should always be unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way. A carbon border adjustment mechanism that counteracts carbon leakage is an application of that principle, and the plan explicitly wants to use trade policy to reduce emissions in other countries and make emissions trading more ambitious. The plan also sees the export of Swedish environmental technology as a way to reduce emissions globally.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att lösningen i klimatfrågan ytterst är en global prissättning på koldioxid och att det alltid ska vara olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande. En koldioxidjusteringsmekanism som motverkar koldioxidläckage är en tillämpning av den principen, och planen vill uttryckligen använda handelspolitiken för att sänka utsläpp i andra länder och göra utsläppshandeln mer ambitiös. Planen ser också export av svensk miljöteknik som ett sätt att minska utsläppen globalt.
- global carbon pricingdecisive»Ytterst är lösningen i klimatfrågan att få till stånd en global prissättning på koldioxid« (party programme ↗)“Ultimately, the solution to the climate issue is to achieve global carbon pricing”
- more ambitious emissions trading»EU:s system för handel med utsläppsrätter är bland de mest effektiva verktyg vi har, och vi vill göra det ännu mer ambitiöst och öppna upp det för fler länder som vill ansluta sig.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU's emissions trading system is among the most effective tools we have, and we want to make it even more ambitious and open it up to more countries that want to join.”
- reduce emissions globally»Med Centerpartiets reformagenda kan Sverige dessutom göra mycket mer för att sänka utsläpp i andra länder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“With the Centre Party's reform agenda, Sweden can also do much more to reduce emissions in other countries.”
- the polluter pays»Det ska alltid vara lönsamt att vara miljövårdande och olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande.« (party programme ↗)“It should always be profitable to be environmentally protective and unprofitable to act in an environmentally destructive way.”
The election manifesto explicitly demands a European carbon tax and climate tariffs to raise the cost of emissions, and the party programme establishes that climate aspects must be integrated into EU trade policy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly demands a European carbon tax and climate tariffs to raise the cost of emissions, and the party programme establishes that climate aspects must be integrated into EU trade policy. The counter-proposal's demand for a WTO-compatible carbon adjustment mechanism against carbon leakage is the same thing in substance. The plan furthermore sees new technology as part of the climate solution, which supports facilitating trade in climate-smart technology.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen en europeisk koldioxidskatt och klimattullar för att höja kostnaden för utsläpp, och partiprogrammet slår fast att klimataspekterna ska integreras i EU:s handelspolitik. Motförslagets krav på en WTO-förenlig koldioxidjusteringsmekanism mot koldioxidläckage är samma sak i sak. Planen ser dessutom ny teknik som en del av klimatlösningen, vilket stöder att handeln med klimatsmart teknik underlättas.
- climate tariffs and carbon taxdecisive»Det behövs en europeisk koldioxidskatt och klimattullar för att höja kostnaden för utsläpp, samtidigt som det europeiska klimatbiståndet ökar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A European carbon tax and climate tariffs are needed to raise the cost of emissions, while European climate aid increases.”
- climate in trade policy»Klimataspekterna ska integreras i EU:s handelspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“Climate aspects must be integrated into EU trade policy.”
- technology as climate solution»Medan andra gröna partier grundades för att stoppa tillväxten vet vi att ny teknik och nya lösningar är en del av lösningen på klimatutmaningen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“While other green parties were founded to stop growth we know that new technology and new solutions are part of the solution to the climate challenge.”
- free trade within the regulatory framework»Sverige ska vara en stark röst för frihandel« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must be a strong voice for free trade”
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 plan requires that the polluter pays and that a system where emissions entail costs exists within the EU, and that the EU works to solve the climate problem.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that the polluter pays and that a system where emissions entail costs exists within the EU, and that the EU works to solve the climate problem. It also requires that energy taxes and regulations be designed with regard to the outside world so that business competitiveness is not undermined. A WTO-compatible carbon border adjustment mechanism responds to both these commitments, even though the plan at the same time wants to see freer world trade.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att förorenaren betalar och att ett system där utsläpp medför kostnader finns inom EU, samt att EU verkar för en lösning av klimatproblemet. Den kräver också att energiskatter och regelverk utformas med hänsyn till omvärlden så att näringslivets konkurrenskraft inte urholkas. En WTO-förenlig koldioxidjusteringsmekanism svarar mot båda dessa åtaganden, även om planen samtidigt vill se friare världshandel.
- emissions shall cost within the EUdecisive»system som innebär att utsläpp medför kostnader bör finnas inom EU.« (party programme ↗)“a system that means emissions entail costs should exist within the EU.”
- the polluter pays»förorenaren betalar, bör vara centrala i miljöarbetet« (party programme ↗)“the polluter pays, should be central in environmental work”
- protect competitiveness»hänsyn till förhållanden i omvärlden för att inte näringslivets konkurrenskraft ska urholkas« (party programme ↗)“consideration of conditions in the outside world so that business competitiveness is not undermined”
- freer trade with fair rules»En friare världshandel med rättvisare spelregler« (party programme ↗)“Freer world trade with fairer rules”
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 measures climate policy by global impact: Sweden accounts for around 0.1 per cent of emissions and shall help other countries reduce their emissions through effective international cooperation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan measures climate policy by global impact: Sweden accounts for around 0.1 per cent of emissions and shall help other countries reduce their emissions through effective international cooperation. A WTO-compliant mechanism that prevents carbon leakage and facilitates trade in climate-smart technology aligns with that, as does the fact that climate knows no national borders. The plan does not, however, address climate tariffs, and its free-trade line moderates the support.
Original (Swedish)
Planen mäter klimatpolitiken i global effekt: Sverige står för omkring 0,1 procent av utsläppen och ska hjälpa andra länder att minska sina utsläpp genom effektivt internationellt samarbete. En WTO-förenlig mekanism som motverkar koldioxidläckage och underlättad handel med klimatsmart teknik ligger i linje med det, liksom med att klimatet inte känner nationsgränser. Planen behandlar dock inte klimattullar, och dess frihandelslinje mildrar stödet.
- emission reductions in other countriesdecisive»Samtidigt ska vi hjälpa andra länder att minska sina utsläpp genom effektivt internationellt samarbete.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time we shall help other countries reduce their emissions through effective international cooperation.”
- global impact matters»Sverige står för cirka 0,1 procent av de totala utsläppen i världen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden accounts for approximately 0.1 per cent of total global emissions.”
- international climate solutions»Klimatet känner inga nationsgränser och Sverige ska vara« (party programme ↗)“Climate knows no national borders and Sweden shall be”
- free trade and internal market»Fördjupa den inre marknaden, inte minst för tjänster och digitala produkter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen the internal market, not least for services and digital products”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly warns that a policy that deviates from the world moves production from Sweden and increases emissions globally, i.e., carbon leakage, and wants to reduce emissions through increased Swedish export of goods and services with low emissions levels.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly warns that a policy that deviates from the world moves production from Sweden and increases emissions globally, i.e., carbon leakage, and wants to reduce emissions through increased Swedish export of goods and services with low emissions levels. A WTO-compatible border adjustment mechanism and facilitated trade in climate-smart technology respond to both these commitments, even though the plan opposes new EU taxes.
Original (Swedish)
Planen varnar uttryckligen för att en politik som avviker från omvärldens flyttar produktion från Sverige och ökar utsläppen globalt, alltså för koldioxidläckage, och vill minska utsläppen genom ökad svensk export av varor och tjänster med låg utsläppsnivå. En WTO-förenlig gränsjusteringsmekanism och underlättad handel med klimatsmart teknik svarar mot båda dessa åtaganden, även om planen motsätter sig nya EU-skatter.
- prevent carbon leakagedecisive»Detta för också med sig att en politik som kraftigt avviker från EU och övriga världens politik på området kan skada vår konkurrenskraft och bidra till att flytta produktion från Sverige till andra länder vilket kan öka utsläppen på global nivå.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“This also means that a policy that strongly deviates from EU and the rest of the world's policy on the matter can damage our competitiveness and contribute to moving production from Sweden to other countries which can increase emissions at global level.”
- emission reduction through exports»Bidra till minskade utsläpp genom att öka exporten av mat, varor och tjänster« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Contribute to reduced emissions by increasing exports of food, goods and services”
- export of climate-smart technology»Med tanke på att svenska företag håller världsklass när det kommer till miljötänk och låg utsläppsnivå i produktionen kan Sverige genom att öka exporten bidra till att minska utsläppen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Given that Swedish companies are world-class when it comes to environmental thinking and low emission levels in production, Sweden can through increased exports contribute to reducing emissions.”
- no to new EU taxes»Stoppa maktöverföringar och EU-skatter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop transfers of power and EU taxes”
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 (2022/23:NU12)
- Committee report full text (HA01NU12)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1014 — Ett konkurrenskraftigt svenskt väginfrastruktursystem av Thomas Morell m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1061 — Upphävande av förbudet mot handel med sälprodukter av Sanne Lennström och Gustaf Lantz (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1090 — Handel med sälprodukter av Alexandra Anstrell (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1121 — Fler företag, fler jobb och stärkt konkurrenskraft i hela landet av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1206 — Export av snus i Europeiska unionen av Jesper Skalberg Karlsson (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1269 — Utökade handelsförbindelser och utbyte med Taiwan av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1497 — Skyddsjakt på säl och skarv av Lili André (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1673 — Jämställdhet för hållbar utveckling av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1758 — Afrikas horn av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1802 — Ökat handelsutbyte med Kosovo av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1879 — En fokuserad utvecklingsagenda bortom 2030 av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1882 — En starkare liberal demokrati av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1952 — Strategi för ökad produktion och export av svensk mat av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2064 — Handel och exportfrämjande av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2144 — Satsningar på Stockholms skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:2170 — För en stark grön näringslivsutveckling av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2190 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:2261 — En grön feministisk utvecklings- och biståndspolitik av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:547 — Utreda omfattningen av produkter som framkommit genom slavarbete av Markus Wiechel och Alexander Christiansson (båda SD)
- Motion 2022/23:849 — Internationellt samarbete i en ny tid av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
Source: The Swedish Parliament