Questions on European Union budget

The party programme wants good cooperation between European countries, especially on areas such as climate, environment, energy and transport, and requires a radical expansion of renewable electricity production. Doubling the EU budget's share for energy cooperation and electricity grid expansion is in line with that. At the same time, the plan is critical of more decisions being moved to the EU, which makes the conclusion uncertain.

• European energy cooperationdecisive»områden som klimat, miljö, energi, transporter och krishantering.« (party programme ↗)“areas such as climate, environment, energy, transport and crisis management.”
• expanded renewable electricity»En radikal utbyggnad av den förnybara elproduktionen är avgörande« (party programme ↗)“A radical expansion of renewable electricity production is crucial”
• inter-state cooperation»Vi vill se ett tätt samarbete mellan de nordiska länderna och ett gott« (party programme ↗)“We want to see close cooperation between the Nordic countries and a good”
• EU criticism»Vi är däremot kritiska till EU:s odemokratiska struktur« (party programme ↗)“We are, however, critical of the EU's undemocratic structure”

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 wishes to at least double the pace of grid expansion and expand electricity production of all kinds, and sees EU cooperation as the foundation for solving the climate question. The counter-proposal's demand to double the share of the EU budget going to energy cooperation and European grid expansion is in line with these explicit commitments, as is the party programme's demand for joint financing of environmental investments. However, the plan does not state a position on the shares of the EU budget.

• doubled grid expansiondecisive»Vi vill minst fördubbla takten i utbyggnaden av elnätet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We wish to at least double the pace of grid expansion.”
• EU solves common problems»Vi är övertygade om att EU-samarbetet är grunden för att lösa många av vår tids svåraste problem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We are convinced that EU cooperation is the foundation for solving many of our time's most difficult problems.”
• joint financing of environmental investments»koldioxidbeskattningen och gemensam finansiering av miljöinvesteringar hör dit.« (party programme ↗)“carbon taxation and joint financing of environmental investments belong there.”
• expanded electricity production»Bygg ut elproduktionen av alla slag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand electricity production of all kinds.”

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 wants to redirect the EU budget from nuclear power, motorways and fossil-dependent agriculture toward sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy, and demands expanded electricity grids, energy storage and a smart energy system at home. Doubling the budget share for energy cooperation and European grid expansion thus lies in the plan's direction. The election manifesto furthermore links reduced energy import dependency directly to the invasion of Ukraine.

• redirected EU budgetdecisive»Det är inte rimligt att EU lägger stora resurser på fossil- och kemikalieberoende jordbruk, kärnkraft och motorvägsbyggen i ekonomiskt starka delar av EU, medan ekologiskt jordbruk, hållbar infrastruktur och förnybar energi får stryka på foten.« (party programme ↗)“It is not reasonable that the EU allocates large resources to fossil- and chemical-dependent agriculture, nuclear power and motorway construction in economically strong parts of the EU, while organic agriculture, sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy are left behind.”
• expanded electricity grids»bygga ut elnäten, investera i energilager och satsa på ett smart energisystem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“expand the electricity grids, invest in energy storage and pursue a smart energy system.”
• reduced energy dependency»Putins invasion av Ukraina visar tydligt hur viktigt det är att Sverige och EU blir mindre beroende av att importera energi.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Putin's invasion of Ukraine clearly shows how important it is for Sweden and the EU to become less dependent on importing energy.”
• climate-conditional budget»Budgeten måste utformas så att den inte går till åtgärder som skadar klimatet.« (party programme ↗)“The budget must be designed so that it does not go toward measures that harm the climate.”

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 wants EU's common policy to become more powerful precisely in the area of climate transition, and the election manifesto commits that Sweden shall become Europe's green battery and that the electricity grid shall be strengthened and expanded. The counter-proposal's demand for a doubled share of the EU budget for energy cooperation and European electricity grid expansion is in line with these commitments. However, the plan does not specify budget shares.

• more powerful EU climate policydecisive»På områden som klimatomställningen, frihandeln och den gränsöverskridande brottsligheten bör den gemensamma politiken bli kraftfullare« (party programme ↗)“On areas such as climate transition, free trade and cross-border crime, the common policy should become more powerful”
• green electricity export and expanded electricity grid»Sverige ska bli Europas gröna batteri och exportera el till grannländer som fasar ut sitt fossilberoende. Vi vill fördubbla produktionen av utsläppsfri el, och rusta och bygga ut elnätet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become Europe's green battery and export electricity to neighbouring countries that phase out their fossil dependency. We want to double the production of emission-free electricity, and strengthen and expand the electricity grid.”
• strengthened energy independence»Sveriges energioberoende måste stärkas, bland annat genom att mångdubbla produktionen av biobränslen och biogas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's energy independence must be strengthened, including by many-fold increasing the production of biofuels and biogas.”
• more ambitious EU climate tools»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.”

The party programme establishes that the EU's common energy policy should be developed, among other things for security policy reasons, and the election manifesto wants to invest in the power system and see the EU as the world's most important environmental organization. Increasing the share of the EU budget that goes to energy cooperation and expanded European power grid therefore aligns with the plan, which is also prepared to reprioritize in the EU budget by phasing out agricultural direct support. However, the plan does not specify a budget share, which is why the support is derived.

• developed EU energy policydecisive»EU:s gemensamma energipolitik ska utvecklas.« (party programme ↗)“The EU's common energy policy shall be developed.”
• investments in the power system»Ska vi få ner elpriserna krävs att vi bygger inte bara kärnkraft utan också mer sol- och vindkraft i hela landet, investerar i kraftsystemet och satsar på energilagring.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To get electricity prices down, we need to build not just nuclear power but also more solar and wind power throughout the country, invest in the power system, and invest in energy storage.”
• EU as climate actor»EU är världens viktigaste miljöorganisation – det är bara genom samarbete i Europa och globalt som klimatutmaningen kan mötas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU is the world's most important environmental organization – it is only through cooperation in Europe and globally that the climate challenge can be met.”
• reprioritization in EU budget»Direktstöden till jordbruket ska avvecklas« (party programme ↗)“Direct support for agriculture shall be phased out”

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 increased coordination of energy policy at the EU level and states that supply security is a cross-border challenge that requires joint measures. It also wishes to secure energy supply in the long term and sees an open international energy market as a benefit for customers, which presupposes expanded transmission capacity. Increasing the EU budget's share for energy cooperation and electricity networks thus lies in line with the plan.

• increased energy coordination in EUdecisive»Det krävs en ökad samordning av energipolitiken på« (party programme ↗)“There is a need for increased coordination of energy policy at”
• cross-border supply security»Även försörjningstryggheten utgör en gränsöverskridande utmaning. Gemensamma åtgärder för bättre energihushållning krävs.« (party programme ↗)“Supply security also constitutes a cross-border challenge. Joint measures for better energy management are required.”
• open international energy market»En öppen och internationell energimarknad med ökad konkurrens är till nytta för kunderna.« (party programme ↗)“An open and international energy market with increased competition is beneficial for customers.”
• secure long-term energy supply»Sveriges energiförsörjning ska tryggas genom en långsiktig energipolitik med fasta spelregler« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's energy supply shall be secured through a long-term energy policy with fixed 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's answer to the energy question is new nuclear power and investments in the Swedish electricity network with shorter permit processes, not a larger joint EU budget for grid expansion. The plan also establishes that the EU should neither do nor decide everything and that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level, which speaks against doubling the EU budget's energy share. The documents do not comment on the distribution of the budget framework, which is why the conclusion is derived.

• nuclear power is the energy solutiondecisive»Ny kärnkraft är lösningen för att reparera Sveriges energisystem på lång sikt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“New nuclear power is the solution to repair Sweden's energy system in the long term.”
• limited EU competence»Moderaternas syn på EU speglar vår syn på statens uppgifter: EU ska varken göra eller fatta beslut om allt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Moderates' view of the EU reflects our view of the state's tasks: the EU should neither do nor decide everything.”
• national grid expansion»Investera i det svenska elnätet och korta tillståndsprocesserna för elnätsutbyggnad« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in the Swedish electricity network and shorten permit processes for grid expansion”
• subsidiarity»Beslut ska fattas på lägsta möjliga nivå, så nära medborgarna som möjligt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decisions must be made at the lowest possible level, as close to citizens as possible.”

The plan's EU line is to significantly reduce Sweden's EU contribution and to stop transfers of power and EU taxes, and it particularly points out EU funds as prestige projects that are prioritized over citizen benefit. To double the proportion of the EU budget that goes to energy cooperation and European grid expansion therefore goes against the plan. The plan certainly wants to expand the grid, but through more efficient Swedish permission processes rather than through the EU budget.

• reduced EU contributiondecisive»Kraftigt minska Sveriges EU-avgift« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Significantly reduce Sweden's EU contribution”
• no more EU funds»Stoppa maktöverföringar och EU-skatter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop transfers of power and EU taxes”
• criticism of EU funds»Antalet myndigheter blir ständigt fler och politiska prestigeprojekt, som höghastighetståg och EU-fonder, prioriteras före medborgarnyttan.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The number of agencies keeps growing and political prestige projects, such as high-speed railways and EU funds, are prioritized before citizen benefit.”
• national grid expansion»Effektivisera och öka förutsägbarheten i tillståndsprocesserna för gruvnäring, elnätsutbyggnad och industri« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make more efficient and increase predictability in permission processes for mining, grid expansion, and industry”