2025-02-262024/25:NU13 · p.4NUBusiness & energy
Formulation of trade agreements
Requirements for the content of future trade agreements
What's at stake: Concerns what terms Sweden and the EU should pursue in trade negotiations, such as protection for exposed industries and rules requiring countries to take back their own citizens, which could affect Swedish companies and migration cooperation.
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 urge the government to actively safeguard Swedish economic interests in trade agreements and push for requirements such as countering non-tariff trade barriers and introducing readmission clauses, or whether no specific statement on the matter is needed.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions on the design of trade agreements and does not consider it necessary for parliament to direct a specific statement to the government on the matter.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 9 (SD)
The reservation (SD) argues that while free trade generally benefits Sweden, the country should always work to safeguard Swedish interests in trade agreements, for example through provisions that strengthen Swedish comparative advantages and by prioritizing sectors where Sweden is a world leader. It wants future negotiations to focus on countering non-tariff trade barriers, considered more important than tariffs especially with more developed countries, and wants the EU to require, in trade agreements, that states take back their own citizens through so-called readmission clauses.
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 9 by SD.
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 | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | Yes | Abstain 0/0/93/13 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | Yes | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | Yes | Yes 20/1/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| 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: low | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/63/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
Broke with the party line
| CRickard Nordin (C, Göteborgs kommun) | 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 Parliament rejects the motions 2024/25:1466 by Tobias Andersson et al. (SD) claims 7-9, 2024/25:2625 by Janine Alm Ericson et al. (MP) claim 29 and 2024/25:3136 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) claims 39 and 40.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:1466 av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 7-9, 2024/25:2625 av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP) yrkande 29 och 2024/25:3136 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkandena 39 och 40.
Riksdag decision: The Parliament said no to approximately 80 proposals on trade policy in motions from the general motion period 2024. The proposals deal among other things with reform of the World Trade Organization, WTO, trade relations with certain countries and regions and free movement for certain goods and services. The Parliament refers among other things to the pursued policy and that work is already ongoing in many of the matters that the proposals deal with.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to promote fair competition and counteract protectionism and market-distorting subsidies on the global trade arena. (SD) — Reservation 9
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 wants Sweden to work for solidarity aid and fair trading conditions and sees people's interests around the world as common, not as a struggle over national comparative advantages.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants Sweden to work for solidarity aid and fair trading conditions and sees people's interests around the world as common, not as a struggle over national comparative advantages. Moreover, tying trade agreements to readmission clauses uses trade policy as a pressure tool in migration issues, which contradicts the plan's asylum policy based on conventions. According to the plan, Sweden shall be a voice for human rights, not for self-interest.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att Sverige verkar för solidariskt bistånd och rättvisa handelsvillkor och ser människors intressen världen över som gemensamma, inte som en kamp om nationella komparativa fördelar. Att dessutom knyta handelsavtal till återtagandeklausuler använder handelspolitiken som påtryckningsmedel i migrationsfrågan, vilket strider mot planens asylpolitik grundad i konventionerna. Sverige ska enligt planen vara en röst för mänskliga rättigheter, inte för egenintresse.
- fair trading conditionsdecisive»solidariskt bistånd och rättvisa handelsvillkor.« (party programme ↗)“solidarity aid and fair trading conditions.”
- convention-based asylum policy»Vi vill se en asylpolitik grundad i respekt för inter« (party programme ↗)“We want to see an asylum policy based on respect for”
- international solidarity»Människor världen över har gemensamma intressen av ekonomisk och« (party programme ↗)“People around the world have common interests in economic and”
- human rights in foreign policy»en stadig röst i världen som talar för mänskliga rättigheter, fred och« (party programme ↗)“a steady voice in the world speaking for human rights, peace and”
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 trade agreements to be designed with values about social dialogue, human rights and the environment as guiding and for the agreements to be consistent with international environmental agreements and not be used against poor countries.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants trade agreements to be designed with values about social dialogue, human rights and the environment as guiding and for the agreements to be consistent with international environmental agreements and not be used against poor countries. A requirement that agreements instead shall be designed to protect national economic interests and combined with clawback clauses lacks support in the plan and pulls in the opposite direction. The position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att handelsavtal utformas med värderingar om social dialog, mänskliga rättigheter och miljö som vägledande och att avtalen stämmer överens med internationella miljöavtal och inte används mot fattiga länder. Ett krav på att avtalen i stället ska utformas för att värna nationella ekonomiska intressen och förenas med återtagandeklausuler saknar stöd i planen och drar åt motsatt håll. Ställningstagandet är härlett.
- values-driven trade agreementsdecisive»EU behöver sluta fler handelsavtal där också våra värderingar om social dialog, mänskliga rättigheter och miljö är vägledande.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU needs to conclude more trade agreements where our values on social dialogue, human rights and the environment are also guiding.”
- trade without power exercise»Handelsavtalen får inte bli verktyg för starka kapitalintressen gentemot fattiga länder« (party programme ↗)“Trade agreements must not become tools for strong capital interests against poor countries”
- trade consistent with environmental agreements»De internationella handelsavtalen måste stämma överens med de internationella« (party programme ↗)“International trade agreements must be consistent with international”
- open and fair trade»Vi står upp för en öppen, fri och rättvis handel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We stand up for open, free and fair trade.”
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 the goal of fair and sustainable global development must come before short-term economic interests and that Sweden's policy shall not be conditioned on domestic political interests.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the goal of fair and sustainable global development must come before short-term economic interests and that Sweden's policy shall not be conditioned on domestic political interests. It also does not believe in countries' right to choose their inhabitants, which speaks against trade agreements being combined with readmission clauses. Designing trade agreements to actively protect national economic interests thus goes against the plan's focus on environmental requirements and human rights in trade.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att målet om en rättvis och hållbar global utveckling måste gå före kortsiktiga ekonomiska intressen och att Sveriges politik inte ska villkoras mot inrikespolitiska intressen. Den tror inte heller på länders rätt att välja sina invånare, vilket talar emot att handelsavtal förenas med återtagandeklausuler. Att utforma handelsavtal för att aktivt värna nationella ekonomiska intressen går därmed emot planens inriktning på miljökrav och mänskliga rättigheter i handeln.
- sustainable development before self-interestdecisive»utveckling måste gå före kortsiktiga ekonomiska« (party programme ↗)“development must come before short-term economic”
- no conditional foreign policy»inte villkoras mot Sveriges inrikespolitiska intressen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“not be conditioned on Sweden's domestic political interests”
- reject readmission demands»Vi tror inte på länders rätt att« (party programme ↗)“We do not believe in countries' right to”
- environmental and rights requirements in trade»Sverige ska ställa krav på att importerade varor är« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall require that imported goods are”
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 requires more free trade and international cooperation, not protectionism and closed borders, and the party programme strives for open borders and rejects command-economy directives.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires more free trade and international cooperation, not protectionism and closed borders, and the party programme strives for open borders and rejects command-economy directives. Structuring trade agreements to protect national economic interests, prioritize selected sectors and include repeal clauses for migrants goes against both openness and the sector-neutral line. The plan's own conditions in trade agreements concern environment and working conditions, not national special interests.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver mer frihandel och internationellt samarbete, inte protektionism och stängda gränser, och partiprogrammet strävar efter öppna gränser och avvisar planekonomiska pekpinnar. Att handelsavtal ska utformas för att värna nationella ekonomiska intressen, prioritera utvalda sektorer och förenas med återtagandeklausuler för migranter går emot både öppenheten och den näringsneutrala linjen. Planens egen villkorlighet i handelsavtal gäller miljö och arbetsvillkor, inte nationella särintressen.
- no to protectionismdecisive»Sverige behöver mer frihandel och internationellt samarbete, inte protektionism och stängda gränser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs more free trade and international cooperation, not protectionism and closed borders.”
- open borders and freedom of movement»Centerpartiet strävar efter öppna gränser, fri rörlighet samt en generös och human flykting- och invandringspolitik.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party strives for open borders, freedom of movement and a generous and humane refugee and immigration policy.”
- demands on environment and working conditions»Ställ hårdare krav på arbetsvillkor, miljö och klimat i handelsavtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make tougher demands on working conditions, environment and climate in trade agreements.”
flags: citat_blockerat
Two of the counter-proposal's concrete demands have direct support in the plan: the election manifesto requires that countries take back their own citizens convicted of crimes in Sweden, and the party programme that the EU completely eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers, which includes non-tariff barriers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
Two of the counter-proposal's concrete demands have direct support in the plan: the election manifesto requires that countries take back their own citizens convicted of crimes in Sweden, and the party programme that the EU completely eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers, which includes non-tariff barriers. The demand that the agreements shall protect national economic interests and prioritize individual sectors lies however further from the plan's line that general measures are most important. Overall, the concrete demands outweigh, but the foundation is weak.
Original (Swedish)
Två av motförslagets konkreta krav har direkt stöd i planen: valmanifestet kräver att länder tar tillbaka egna medborgare som dömts för brott i Sverige, och partiprogrammet att EU helt avskaffar tullar och andra handelshinder, vilket omfattar icke-tariffära hinder. Kravet att avtalen ska värna nationella ekonomiska intressen och prioritera enskilda sektorer ligger däremot längre från planens linje att generella åtgärder är viktigast. Sammantaget väger de konkreta kraven över, men underlaget är svagt.
- return of own citizensdecisive»Vi ska kräva att länder som tar emot svenskt bistånd också tar emot egna medborgare som dömts för brott i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall demand that countries receiving Swedish aid also take back their own citizens convicted of crimes in Sweden.”
- eliminate trade barriers»EU ska helt avskaffa tullar och andra handelshinder mot omvärlden.« (party programme ↗)“The EU shall completely eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers against the rest of the world.”
- prosperity through trade»Sveriges välstånd byggs genom global handel, och som liberaler bejakar vi de möjligheter som« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's prosperity is built through global trade, and as liberals we embrace the opportunities that”
- general before targeted measures»Viktigast är generella åtgärder för« (party programme ↗)“Most important are general measures for”
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 stands for freer world trade with fairer rules and for simplifying regulations and improving competition, which supports the counter-proposal's requirement to oppose non-tariff trade barriers.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan stands for freer world trade with fairer rules and for simplifying regulations and improving competition, which supports the counter-proposal's requirement to oppose non-tariff trade barriers. The election manifesto's requirement for strict migration policy provides support for agreements being combined with readmission clauses. The requirement to prioritize individual sectors, however, sits poorly with the plan's line that economic policy shall be conducted with general means, which is why confidence is low.
Original (Swedish)
Planen står för en friare världshandel med rättvisare spelregler och för att förenkla regler och förbättra konkurrensen, vilket bär motförslagets krav på att icke-tariffära handelshinder motverkas. Valmanifestets krav på en stram migrationspolitik ger stöd för att avtal förenas med återtagandeklausuler. Kravet på att prioritera enskilda sektorer sitter däremot illa med planens linje att näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel, varför säkerheten är låg.
- freer world tradedecisive»En friare världshandel med rättvisare spelregler är en förutsättning för att klyftorna ska kunna minska.« (party programme ↗)“Free world trade with fairer rules is a prerequisite for reducing inequalities.”
- oppose trade barriers»Det måste ske genom att förenkla regler och förbättra konkurrensen« (party programme ↗)“This must happen through simplifying regulations and improving competition”
- strict migration policy»Stram migrationspolitik krävs för att ta itu med integrationsproblem och utanförskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strict migration policy is required to address integration problems and exclusion.”
- general means in economic policy»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 explicitly commits to significantly increasing the number of deportations through more EU-wide readmission agreements and that Sweden should pursue issues that are particularly important for Swedish industries in the EU.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly commits to significantly increasing the number of deportations through more EU-wide readmission agreements and that Sweden should pursue issues that are particularly important for Swedish industries in the EU. The party programme establishes that foreign policy should safeguard Swedish interests. That trade agreements are designed to strengthen Swedish comparative advantages, counteract non-tariff barriers and be combined with readmission clauses is therefore in line with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig uttryckligen att kraftigt öka antalet utvisningar genom fler EU-gemensamma återtagandeavtal och att Sverige ska driva de frågor som är särskilt viktiga för svenska näringsgrenar i EU. Partiprogrammet slår fast att utrikespolitiken ska värna svenska intressen. Att handelsavtal utformas för att stärka svenska komparativa fördelar, motverka icke-tariffära hinder och förenas med återtagandeklausuler ligger därför i planens linje.
- more readmission agreementsdecisive»Kraftigt öka antalet utvisningar genom fler EU-gemensamma återtagandeavtal« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Significantly increase the number of deportations through more EU-wide readmission agreements”
- foreign policy safeguards Swedish interestsweak support»Svensk utrikespolitik ska värna svenska intressen.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish foreign policy should safeguard Swedish interests.”
- Swedish interests pursued in the EU»driva frågor som är särskilt viktiga för Sverige, som villkoren för skogsnäringen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“pursue issues that are particularly important for Sweden, such as conditions for the forestry industry”
- trade barriers should be removed»Fördjupa den inre marknaden, inte minst för tjänster och digitala produkter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen the internal market, not least for services and digital products”
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 explicitly requires that Swedish interests are protected in free trade agreements and that Sweden's position in trade is improved.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that Swedish interests are protected in free trade agreements and that Sweden's position in trade is improved. It also requires that agreements with other countries as a rule are conditional on participation in the return of persons to be deported, and that diplomatic pressure is used for the same purpose. The counter-proposal's demands for national interests and return clauses in trade agreements thus follow directly from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att svenska intressen värnas i frihandelsavtal och att Sveriges ställning i handeln förbättras. Den kräver också att avtal med andra länder som regel villkoras med medverkan till återvändande av personer som ska utvisas, och att diplomatiska påtryckningar används för samma syfte. Motförslagets krav på nationella intressen och återtagandeklausuler i handelsavtal följer därmed direkt av planen.
- Swedish interests in trade agreementsdecisive»Värna svenska intressen i frihandelsavtal« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect Swedish interests in free trade agreements”
- conditional agreements on return»Bilateralt bistånd ska som regel villkoras med att mottagarlandet medverkar till en återvändandeverksamhet för personer som ska utvisas från Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Bilateral aid shall as a rule be conditional on the recipient country participating in a return operation for persons to be deported from Sweden.”
- pressure for returns»Använda diplomatiska påtryckningar och incitament för att underlätta återvändande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Use diplomatic pressure and incentives to facilitate returns”
- strengthened Swedish trade»Förbättra Sveriges ställning på den internationella marknaden och i handel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve Sweden's position in the international market and in trade”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:NU13)
- Committee report full text (HC01NU13)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:115 — Utökade krav på transparens och ansvar för fordonstillverkare samt en teknikneutral definition av miljöbil av Rashid Farivar (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1369 — Svenskt fiske och vattenbruk av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1418 — Åtgärder för att stärka kulturella och kreativa näringar av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1430 — Vissa frågor i Mellanöstern och Afrika av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1431 — Vissa Asienfrågor av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1438 — Internationella relationer och mänskliga rättigheter av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1463 — Export av snus av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1466 — En handelspolitik för tillväxt av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:2467 — En näringspolitik för tillväxt i hela landet av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2486 — Vatten, hav och fiske av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2519 — Cirkulär ekonomi och kemikalier av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2533 — Stärka förbindelserna mellan EU och Republiken Kina (Taiwan) av Boriana Åberg (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2613 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige 2025 av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2625 — En grön feministisk utvecklings- och biståndspolitik av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2635 — Näringspolitik för grön omställning och stärkt konkurrenskraft av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:2805 — En strategi för ökad produktion och export av svensk mat av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2948 — Arbetsmarknad av Jonny Cato m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2988 — Utökade handelsförbindelser och utbyte med Taiwan av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:3107 — Internationell samverkan av Morgan Johansson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3108 — Utgiftsområde 23 Areella näringar, landsbygd och livsmedel av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament