2024-04-042023/24:NU13 · p.21NUBusiness & energy
Sustainable enterprise
Sustainable business: national legislation on due diligence for human rights and the environment
What's at stake: The decision affects how many and which companies are covered by requirements to review their own and their suppliers' impact on human rights and the environment, both in Sweden and in operations abroad, and thereby the protection of employees and local communities in companies' value chains.
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 develop national rules on corporate due diligence regarding human rights and the environment and carry out a broad review of legislation in the area, or whether Sweden should wait for the common EU regulation and rely on work already under way in export financing.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that a common EU regulatory framework on corporate due diligence is being developed and sees no reason for Sweden to simultaneously start a national legislative process in the area; the committee also points to work already under way in export financing for sustainable business, and therefore rejects the motions for national rules and a broader legislative review.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 42 (V)
The reservation argues that the ongoing EU directive on due diligence has been watered down during negotiations and will only cover a fraction of companies, and wants the government to instead develop national due-diligence rules with a climate and environmental perspective regulating companies' actions abroad, come back with proposals based on a government agency report on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and take a comprehensive approach to improving legislation on companies' responsibility for human rights and environmental work.
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 42 by V.
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 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| S | No | Yes 90/0/0/16 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/13/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 14/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 57/0/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:893 by Elin Söderberg et al. (MP) request 7, 2023/24:964 by Per Bolund et al. (MP) request 22, 2023/24:989 by Lorena Delgado Varas et al. (V) requests 4-6 and 15, 2023/24:2466 by Kerstin Lundgren et al. (C) request 25, 2023/24:2669 by Märta Stenevi et al. (MP) request 112 and 2023/24:2699 by Janine Alm Ericson et al. (MP) request 20.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:893 av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP) yrkande 7, 2023/24:964 av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP) yrkande 22, 2023/24:989 av Lorena Delgado Varas m.fl. (V) yrkandena 4-6 och 15, 2023/24:2466 av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C) yrkande 25, 2023/24:2669 av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP) yrkande 112 och 2023/24:2699 av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP) yrkande 20.
Riksdag decision: The EU ban on trade in seal products should be lifted. In a so-called formal request, Parliament directs an appeal to the government that it shall work for an exemption or to completely lift the ban on trade in seal products. Seal hunting is today permitted, but it is prohibited to sell seal products. Parliament believes that the EU ban complicates sound management of Sweden's growing seal population. The appeal to the government is based on proposals submitted during the general motion period of 2023. Approximately 100 proposals in trade matters have been submitted. The motions deal, among other things, with international trade, the EU's internal market, and sustainable enterprise. Apart from the formal request on seal products, Parliament rejected the other proposals.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants Swedish trade policy to pursue fair trade that prioritizes people, social justice, environment, and climate. (V) — Reservation 42
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 party programme states that respect for human rights must be fundamental to all policy and that social, democratic and ecological considerations must take precedence over capital interests.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that respect for human rights must be fundamental to all policy and that social, democratic and ecological considerations must take precedence over capital interests. It explicitly says that environmental policy should be regulated across borders without preventing individual countries from going ahead with more radical legislation. National rules that bind companies' conduct abroad, beyond a watered-down EU directive, is therefore exactly what the plan advocates.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att respekten för mänskliga rättigheter ska vara grundläggande för all politik och att sociala, demokratiska och ekologiska hänsyn ska gå före kapitalintressen. Det säger uttryckligen att miljöpolitiken ska regleras över gränserna utan att hindra enskilda länder att gå före med radikalare lagstiftning. Nationella regler som binder företagens agerande utomlands, utöver ett urvattnat EU-direktiv, är därmed just vad planen förordar.
- Sweden is allowed to go ahead of the EUdecisive»gå före med radikalare lagstiftning.« (party programme ↗)“go ahead with more radical legislation.”
- social considerations before capital»Sociala, demokratiska och ekologiska hänsyn ska gå före kapitalintressen.« (party programme ↗)“Social, democratic and ecological considerations must take precedence over capital interests.”
- human rights fundamental»Respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna ska vara grundläggande« (party programme ↗)“Respect for human rights must be fundamental”
- resistance to increased EU power»I det dagliga arbetet motsätter sig Vänsterpartiet generellt förslag som ökar EU:s makt och försöker istället föra« (party programme ↗)“In daily work, the Left Party generally opposes proposals that increase the EU's power and instead tries to”
The plan establishes that member states should be able to go ahead, not least on environmental and labour law matters, which directly supports the requirement for national rules when the EU directive is watered down.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that member states should be able to go ahead, not least on environmental and labour law matters, which directly supports the requirement for national rules when the EU directive is watered down. It also wants to see more systematic monitoring of transnational corporations and establishes corporations' social responsibilities and responsibility for the environment. A comprehensive approach to corporations' responsibility for human rights follows from that.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att medlemsländerna ska kunna gå före, inte minst på miljö- och arbetsrättsområdet, vilket direkt bär kravet på nationella regler när EU-direktivet urvattnats. Den vill också se en mer systematiserad bevakning av de transnationella företagen och slår fast företagens sociala skyldigheter och ansvar för miljön. Ett helhetsgrepp om företagens ansvar för mänskliga rättigheter följer av det.
- member states may go aheaddecisive»Medlemsländerna ska också kunna gå före« (party programme ↗)“Member states should also be able to go ahead”
- monitoring of transnational corporations»En mer systematiserad bevakning av de transnationella företagen« (party programme ↗)“More systematic monitoring of transnational corporations”
- corporations' responsibility for environment»företagens sociala skyldigheter och ansvar för miljön« (party programme ↗)“corporations' social responsibilities and responsibility for the environment”
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 establishes that member states must be allowed to go ahead with stricter legislation to protect the environment and health even if it conflicts with the EU's internal market, which directly supports the demand for national rules when the EU directive has been watered down.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that member states must be allowed to go ahead with stricter legislation to protect the environment and health even if it conflicts with the EU's internal market, which directly supports the demand for national rules when the EU directive has been watered down. All actors in the economy also have a responsibility to take ethical, social and ecological considerations, and Sweden must take responsibility for its production's effects in other countries.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att medlemsländerna måste få gå före med hårdare lagstiftning till skydd för miljö och hälsa även om det strider mot EU:s inre marknad, vilket direkt bär kravet på nationella regler när EU-direktivet urvattnats. Alla aktörer i ekonomin har dessutom ett ansvar att ta etiska, sociala och ekologiska hänsyn, och Sverige ska ta ansvar för sin produktions effekter i andra länder.
- nationally go ahead of EUdecisive»Medlemsländerna måste få rätt att gå före med hårdare lagstiftning till skydd för miljö och hälsa även om det strider mot EU:s inre marknad.« (party programme ↗)“Member states must be allowed to go ahead with stricter legislation to protect the environment and health even if it conflicts with the EU's internal market.”
- companies' ethical responsibility»Alla aktörer i ekonomin har ett ansvar att ta etiska, sociala och ekologiska hänsyn.« (party programme ↗)“All actors in the economy have a responsibility to take ethical, social and ecological considerations.”
- responsibility for effects abroad»Sverige måste ta ansvar för de effekter vår produktion och konsumtion har på de ekologiska systemen, både här och i andra länder.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must take responsibility for the effects our production and consumption have on ecological systems, both here and in other countries.”
- ecocide legislation»att Sverige verkar för en ekocidlagstiftning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that Sweden works for ecocide legislation.”
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 wants the common policy to become more powerful precisely on climate and trade and wants requirements on corporate responsibility to be driven through trade agreements, not through parallel national regulations.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants the common policy to become more powerful precisely on climate and trade and wants requirements on corporate responsibility to be driven through trade agreements, not through parallel national regulations. The party programme also requires competition-neutral regulations for business on a competitive global market, which speaks against special Swedish rules for corporate behaviour abroad. The counter-proposal's requirement is therefore rejected in substance.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att den gemensamma politiken blir kraftfullare just på klimat- och handelsområdet och att kraven på företagens ansvar drivs genom handelsavtal, inte genom parallella nationella regelverk. Partiprogrammet kräver dessutom konkurrensneutrala regelverk för näringslivet på en konkurrensutsatt världsmarknad, vilket talar emot särskilda svenska regler för företagens agerande utomlands. Motförslagets krav avvisas därför i sak.
- EU level for common requirementsdecisive»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”
- competition-neutral regulations»Viktigt är också att näringslivet får konkurrensneutrala regelverk som möjliggör utveckling på en« (party programme ↗)“It is also important that business receives competition-neutral regulations that enable development on a”
- requirements via trade agreements»Ställ hårdare krav på arbetsvillkor, miljö och klimat i handelsavtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Make tougher demands on working conditions, environment and climate in trade agreements.”
- against double regulations»Rensa upp i regelträsket för entreprenörer, stora som små.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Clear away regulatory red tape for entrepreneurs, large and small.”
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 believes that joint decisions at EU level and global level are necessary both for environmental reasons and for fair competition, and that regulations shall be harmonized.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan believes that joint decisions at EU level and global level are necessary both for environmental reasons and for fair competition, and that regulations shall be harmonized. National separate rules for Swedish companies' conduct abroad go in the opposite direction and risk increasing regulatory burden without solving the cross-border problem. The plan's line is that policy instruments are primarily coordinated at EU level.
Original (Swedish)
Planen anser att gemensamma beslut på EU-nivå och global nivå är nödvändiga både för miljöns skull och för rättvis konkurrens, och att regelverk ska harmoniseras. Nationella särregler för svenska företags agerande utomlands går i motsatt riktning och riskerar att öka regelbördan utan att lösa problemet gränsöverskridande. Planens linje är att styrmedlen i första hand samordnas på EU-nivå.
- environmental regulations decided at EU leveldecisive»gemensamma beslut på EU-nivå och global nivå är nödvändiga, både för miljöns skull och för att« (party programme ↗)“joint decisions at EU level and global level are necessary, both for environmental reasons and to”
- EU-coordinated policy instruments»ekonomiska styrmedlen bör i första hand samordnas på EU-nivå, till exempel genom« (party programme ↗)“economic policy instruments should primarily be coordinated at EU level, for example through”
- harmonized regulations»harmoniseras och reformtakten för konkurrenskraft och produktivitet vara hög.« (party programme ↗)“are harmonized and the pace of reform for competitiveness and productivity is high.”
- reduced regulatory burden»Regelbördan för små företag ska minska, genom ansträngningar på både kommunal, statlig och« (party programme ↗)“The regulatory burden on small businesses shall decrease, through efforts at municipal, national and”
The plan's approach to transnational environmental and responsibility issues is cooperation across national borders as one of the EU's most important tasks, not parallel national regulation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's approach to transnational environmental and responsibility issues is cooperation across national borders as one of the EU's most important tasks, not parallel national regulation. The programme furthermore requires that the rules the state sets for businesses are long-term and that bureaucracy and complicated rules are countered. National special rules for Swedish companies' behaviour abroad therefore go against the plan, even though the ambition to strengthen business's ethical codes is shared.
Original (Swedish)
Planens ordning för gränsöverskridande miljö- och ansvarsfrågor är samarbete över nationsgränserna som en av EU:s viktigaste uppgifter, inte parallell nationell reglering. Programmet kräver dessutom att de regler staten ställer upp för företagen är långsiktiga och att byråkrati och krångliga regler motverkas. Nationella särregler för svenska företags agerande utomlands går därför emot planen, även om ambitionen att stärka näringslivets etiska koder delas.
- transnational issues at EU leveldecisive»Därför är ett samarbete över nationsgränserna nödvändigt och en av EU:s viktigaste uppgifter.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore cooperation across national borders is necessary and one of the EU's most important tasks.”
- long-term rules for business»Det är viktigt att de regler staten ställer upp för företagen är långsiktiga.« (party programme ↗)“It is important that the rules the state sets for businesses are long-term.”
- counter regulatory complexity»Byråkrati och krångliga regler ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“Bureaucracy and complicated rules shall be countered.”
- global ethical codes»Därför är det viktigt att förstärka de globala etiska koderna för näringslivet.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore it is important to strengthen the global ethical codes for business.”
The counter-proposal requires national rules that go further than the EU directive on due diligence.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal requires national rules that go further than the EU directive on due diligence. The plan establishes the opposite as the main rule: over-implementation shall be countered and EU directives shall be transposed at minimum level. It furthermore commits to removing one-third of companies' administrative costs, which a national special regulation for companies' conduct abroad would counteract.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver nationella regler som går längre än EU:s direktiv om tillbörlig aktsamhet. Planen slår fast motsatsen som huvudregel: överimplementering ska motverkas och EU-direktiv genomföras på miniminivå. Den åtar sig dessutom att ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader, vilket ett nationellt särregelverk för företagens agerande utomlands skulle motverka.
- EU directives at minimum leveldecisive»Minska regelkrånglet och onödig byråkrati, bland annat genom att motverka överimplementering i Sverige av EU-beslut – som huvudregel ska EU-direktiv genomföras på miniminivå« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce regulatory red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy, including by counteracting over-implementation in Sweden of EU decisions - as a main rule, EU directives shall be transposed at minimum level”
- reduced administrative costs»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 regulatory red tape”
- bureaucracy hampers growth»Men höga skatter, krångliga tillståndsprocesser och byråkrati sätter käppar i hjulet för innovation och tillväxt. Det kan vi aldrig acceptera.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“But high taxes, complicated authorization processes and bureaucracy stand in the way of innovation and growth. We can never accept that.”
- common rules at EU level»EU:s fokus ska ligga på att lösa problem som Sverige inte kan hantera ensamt, till exempel handel, klimat, migration och säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU's focus should be on solving problems that Sweden cannot handle alone, for example trade, climate, migration and security.”
flags: citat_migrerat
The plan explicitly warns that stricter Swedish requirements than the world's will undermine Swedish industries, and wants to remove rules where the cost to businesses does not match the benefit to society.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly warns that stricter Swedish requirements than the world's will undermine Swedish industries, and wants to remove rules where the cost to businesses does not match the benefit to society. The counter-proposal's requirement for national rules governing Swedish companies' actions abroad means just such special requirements and increased regulatory burden. The plan therefore speaks against the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen varnar uttryckligen för att strängare svenska krav än omvärldens slår ut svenska näringar, och vill ta bort regler där kostnaden för företagen inte motsvarar nyttan för samhället. Motförslagets krav på nationella regler som styr svenska företags agerande utomlands innebär just sådana särkrav och ökad regelbörda. Planen talar därför emot kravet.
- no Swedish special requirementsdecisive»Strängare miljö- och utsläppskrav i Sverige jämfört med i omvärlden riskerar ofta att slå ut svenska näringar och få globalt kontraproduktiva resultat när det kommer till de mål kraven syftar till att uppnå.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stricter environmental and emission requirements in Sweden compared to in the world often risk undermining Swedish industries and producing globally counterproductive results when it comes to the goals the requirements aim to achieve.”
- rules must be cost-effective»För att få fler och växande företag är det viktigt att ta bort onödiga regler där kostnaderna för företagen inte motsvarar nyttan för samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To get more and growing companies it is important to remove unnecessary rules where the costs to companies do not match the benefit to society.”
- reduced regulatory burden»Verka för regelförenkling och avlasta småföretagens administrativa börda« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for regulatory simplification and relieve small businesses' administrative burden”
- Swedish competitiveness first»Prioritera svensk industri och konkurrenskraft« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prioritize Swedish industry and competitiveness”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:NU13)
- Committee report full text (HB01NU13)
- 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 2023/24:2453 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2464 — Arbetsmarknad av Jonny Cato m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2466 — Utrikes- och biståndspolitik av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2492 — En näringspolitik för tillväxt av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2519 — Utökade handelsförbindelser och utbyte med Taiwan av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2536 — Satsning på Stockholms skärgård av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2570 — Om Sveriges handelsrelationer i Sydostasien av Mathias Tegnér m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2631 — Näringsliv av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2632 — Handel och exportfrämjande av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2669 — Rättspolitik av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2699 — En grön feministisk utvecklings- och biståndspolitik av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:364 — Kulturella och kreativa näringar av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:402 — Svenskt fiske och vattenbruk av Beatrice Timgren m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:414 — Ett konkurrenskraftigt svenskt väginfrastruktursystem av Thomas Morell m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:418 — Export av snus av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:423 — En handelspolitik för tillväxt av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:462 — Nordafrika och Mellanöstern av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:476 — Internationella relationer och mänskliga rättigheter av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:484 — Vissa Asienfrågor av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament