2024-05-222023/24:MJU15 · p.34MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Public procurement
Public procurement as a tool in the climate transition
What's at stake: The question is whether the public sector should lead by example through binding sustainability requirements in procurement and vehicle purchasing, or whether it is enough to rely on existing, more general policy instruments and voluntary work on procurement criteria.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The motions called for stricter sustainability requirements in public procurement law and a plan for all vehicles bought or leased by the state, regions and municipalities to be environmentally friendly, while the committee held that the government's general climate policy approach already covers this.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee endorses the government's climate action plan, which is premised on cost-effective policy instruments and complementary measures driving the climate transition across all parts of society, and therefore rejects the motions calling for specific requirements on public procurement.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 95 (C)
The reserving party (C) wants public procurement to become a more powerful tool for lower climate emissions through stronger information efforts, continued work on procurement criteria and basic sustainability requirements in public procurement law, and wants the public sector to lead by producing a plan for all vehicles bought or leased by the state, regions and municipalities to be environmentally friendly or run on renewables.
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 95 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: KDKristdemokraterna
Ja 151–19Ja 134–36
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 | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/93/13 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/16/2 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | No 0/19/0/5 | differs | confidence: low | derived |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| M | Yes | Yes 60/0/0/8 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/10 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:1519 by Elin Söderberg et al. (MP) claims 13 and 71, 2023/24:2453 by Rickard Nordin et al. (C) claim 25, 2023/24:2815 by Kajsa Fredholm et al. (V) claim 83, 2023/24:2817 by Anna-Caren Sätherberg et al. (S) claim 45, and 2023/24:2819 by Daniel Helldén et al. (MP) claims 15, 17 and 173-176.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:1519 av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 13 och 71, 2023/24:2453 av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C) yrkande 25, 2023/24:2815 av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V) yrkande 83, 2023/24:2817 av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S) yrkande 45 och 2023/24:2819 av Daniel Helldén m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 15, 17 och 173-176.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has addressed the government memorandum The Government's climate action plan – all the way to net zero. The Riksdag considers that the content of the action plan is well-balanced and thus proposes that the Riksdag file the plan in the records, meaning the matter is concluded. In the memorandum, the government describes how climate policy work should be conducted during the term of office. According to the government, a number of measures are needed to create the conditions necessary to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest. This also includes the work the government plans in the climate field internationally and within the EU. The government also presents measures to facilitate households and businesses in making the decisions required to achieve the national and global climate goals and Sweden's climate commitments to the EU. The Riksdag also rejected proposals in motions, of which approximately 100 proposals were submitted during the general motion period 2023.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants all emissions to bear their costs through carbon pricing or equivalent mechanisms. (C) — Reservation 95
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 shared owned operations' procurement is an important strategic tool for implementing societally economically significant shifts and establishing standards.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that shared owned operations' procurement is an important strategic tool for implementing societally economically significant shifts and establishing standards. The election manifesto already demands collective agreements in public procurement, that is, that procurement is used as a control tool. The counter-proposal's requirement for sustainability requirements in procurement legislation and the public going ahead with environmental cars thus follows from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet anger att gemensamt ägda verksamheters inköp är ett viktigt strategiskt verktyg för att genomföra samhällsekonomiskt betydelsefulla skiften och etablera standarder. Valplattformen ställer redan krav på kollektivavtal vid offentliga upphandlingar, alltså att upphandling används som styrmedel. Motförslagets krav på hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingslagstiftningen och att det offentliga går före med miljöbilar följer därmed av planen.
- procurement as a control tooldecisive»Deras inköp av varor och tjänster är ett viktigt« (party programme ↗)“Their procurement of goods and services is an important”
- the public goes first»Gemensamt ägda verksamheter kan användas för att driva förändring« (party programme ↗)“Commonly owned operations can be used to drive change”
- requirement in public procurement»Vänsterpartiet ställer krav på kollektivavtal vid offentliga upphandlingar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party demands collective agreements in public procurement.”
- climate considerations in all decisions»Omställningen behöver ske omgående och alla politiska beslut behöver ta hänsyn till den akuta kris som vi befinner oss i.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The transition needs to happen immediately and all political decisions need to take into account the acute crisis we are in.”
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 election manifesto establishes that public procurement should be exemplary, and the party programme requires that environmental considerations be built in from the start of production.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that public procurement should be exemplary, and the party programme requires that environmental considerations be built in from the start of production. Using public procurement as a sharper climate tool with sustainability requirements and a plan for environmental vehicles follows from these commitments along with the fixed climate policy framework. However, the plan does not mention the design of procurement legislation.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att offentliga upphandlare ska vara föredömen, och partiprogrammet kräver att miljöhänsynen byggs in redan från början i produktionen. Att använda offentlig upphandling som ett skarpare klimatverktyg med hållbarhetskrav och en plan för miljöbilar följer av dessa åtaganden tillsammans med det fasta klimatpolitiska ramverket. Planen nämner dock inte upphandlingslagstiftningens utformning.
- the public sector as exemplardecisive»offentliga arbetsgivare och upphandlare ska vara föredömen i att verka för en sund konkurrens« (2022 manifesto ↗)“public employers and procurers shall be exemplary in working for sound competition”
- environmental requirements built in from the start»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“Consideration for environmental requirements shall be built into production processes from the start.”
- fixed climate policy framework»Det klimatpolitiska ramverket ska ligga fast.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The climate policy framework shall remain fixed.”
- conversion of the vehicle fleet»Vi vill dubbla antalet laddstolpar till 2030 för att underlätta för den som har elbil.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to double the number of charging stations by 2030 to facilitate those with electric cars.”
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 explicitly states that environmental and quality aspects must be weighted significantly more heavily in public procurement and that requirements must be set on environment and social conditions.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly states that environmental and quality aspects must be weighted significantly more heavily in public procurement and that requirements must be set on environment and social conditions. The election manifesto also wants only fossil-free cars sold from 2025. The counter-proposal's demands for sustainability requirements in procurement legislation and environment cars in public vehicle fleets are thus the plan's own line.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet säger uttryckligen att miljö- och kvalitetsaspekterna ska viktas betydligt tyngre vid offentliga upphandlingar och att krav ska ställas på miljö och sociala villkor. Valmanifestet vill dessutom att bara fossilfria bilar säljs från 2025. Motförslagets krav på hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingslagstiftningen och miljöbilar i offentliga fordonsflottor är därmed planens egen linje.
- environmental requirements heavier in procurementdecisive»miljö- och kvalitetsaspekterna viktas betydligt« (party programme ↗)“environmental and quality aspects weighted significantly”
- environmental and social requirements in procurement»krav ställas vad gäller miljö, sociala villkor samt« (party programme ↗)“requirements set regarding environment, social conditions as well as”
- fossil-free vehicles»att den som behöver bil ska ha råd med ett klimatsmart alternativ, och att bara fossilfria bilar ska säljas från 2025« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that those who need a car can afford a climate-smart alternative, and that only fossil-free cars shall be sold from 2025”
- sharp requirements in public procurement»Skarpa djurskyddskrav ska bland« (party programme ↗)“Sharp animal protection requirements must among”
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's method choice in climate policy is pricing of emissions and effective policy instruments, not new binding requirements in the procurement regulations.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's method choice in climate policy is pricing of emissions and effective policy instruments, not new binding requirements in the procurement regulations. The election manifesto explicitly warns against expensive and complicated regulations and wants to prioritize effective measures over symbolic politics. The counter-proposal's requirements for fundamental sustainability requirements in procurement legislation thus lies outside the plan's line, although the plan shares the goal of promoting environmental vehicles.
Original (Swedish)
Planens metodval i klimatpolitiken är prissättning av utsläpp och effektiva styrmedel, inte nya bindande krav i upphandlingsregelverket. Valmanifestet varnar uttryckligen för dyra och krångliga regelverk och vill prioritera effektiva åtgärder framför symbolpolitik. Motförslagets krav på grundläggande hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingslagstiftningen ligger därmed vid sidan av planens linje, även om planen delar målet att främja miljöbilar.
- pricing of carbon dioxidedecisive»Ytterst är lösningen i klimatfrågan att få till stånd en global prissättning på koldioxid« (party programme ↗)“Ultimately, the solution to climate is achieving a global pricing of carbon dioxide”
- effective measures over symbolic politics»Ett ledarskap som prioriterar effektiva åtgärder framför symbolpolitik eller passivitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A leadership that prioritizes effective measures over symbolic politics or passivity.”
- avoid complicated regulations»Klimatet kan inte vänta på dyra och krångliga regelverk.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The climate cannot wait for expensive and complicated regulations.”
- promote environmental vehicles»Elbilarna ska främjas med hjälp av fler laddplatser, differentierade trängselskatter som gynnar miljöbilar och bättre parkeringsmöjligheter.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Electric cars should be promoted through more charging points, differentiated congestion charges that favour environmental vehicles and better parking options.”
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 affirms that clear environmental, climate and health protection requirements can be set in public procurement and that long-term sustainable products can be prioritized.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan affirms that clear environmental, climate and health protection requirements can be set in public procurement and that long-term sustainable products can be prioritized. It also demands that fossil emissions from the transport sector shall be gone and that more shall choose electric cars, which carries the demand for a plan for environmental cars in public operations. The counter-proposal's substantive requirements are thereby supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att tydliga miljö-, klimat- och hälsoskyddskrav ska kunna ställas vid offentlig upphandling och att långsiktigt hållbara produkter ska kunna premieras. Den kräver också att fossilutsläppen från transportsektorn ska bort och att fler ska välja elbilen, vilket bär kravet på en plan för miljöbilar i offentlig verksamhet. Motförslagets sakkrav stöds därför.
- environmental requirements in public procurementdecisive»offentlig upphandling ska tydliga miljö-, klimat- och hälsoskyddskrav kunna ställas och långsiktigt« (party programme ↗)“public procurement shall clear environmental, climate and health protection requirements be set and long-term”
- fossil-free transport»Fossilutsläppen från transportsektorn ska bort.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Fossil emissions from the transport sector shall be gone.”
- more electric cars»Fler ska välja elbilen och en inblandning av fossilfria bränslen ska fortsätta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More shall choose the electric car and a blending of fossil-free fuels shall continue.”
- the public sector shall lead»Sverige ska vara en förebild och en pådrivande kraft i det globala arbetet för ett hållbart samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be a model and a driving force in the global work for a sustainable society.”
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 explicitly mentions environment-friendly procurement as a strategic instrument to be used, together with economic policy instruments, and requires that environmental considerations permeate all policy areas.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme explicitly mentions environment-friendly procurement as a strategic instrument to be used, together with economic policy instruments, and requires that environmental considerations permeate all policy areas. The counter-proposal's requirements on sustainability requirements in procurement and environmental vehicles in public operations follow directly from this. The plan's preference for general means in business policy qualifies.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet nämner uttryckligen miljövänlig upphandling som ett strategiskt instrument som ska användas, tillsammans med ekonomiska styrmedel, och kräver att miljöhänsyn genomsyrar alla politikområden. Motförslagets krav på hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingen och miljöbilar i offentlig verksamhet följer direkt av detta. Planens preferens för generella medel i näringspolitiken kvalificerar.
- environment-friendly procurement as policy instrumentdecisive»miljöledningssystem och miljövänlig upphandling är exempel på strategiska instrument som ska användas« (party programme ↗)“environmental management systems and environment-friendly procurement are examples of strategic instruments to be used”
- environmental considerations in all policy areas»Miljöhänsyn behöver genomsyra alla« (party programme ↗)“Environmental considerations need to permeate all”
- economic policy instruments for the environment»Ekonomiska styrmedel och stöd ska användas för« (party programme ↗)“Economic policy instruments and support shall be used for”
- general means in business policy»Näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel« (party programme ↗)“Business policy shall be pursued with general means”
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's climate policy line is built on effective policy instruments in combination with technical development and growth, and the party programme warns against costly symbolic politics.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's climate policy line is built on effective policy instruments in combination with technical development and growth, and the party programme warns against costly symbolic politics. Binding sustainability requirements in procurement legislation and a special environmental car plan for public vehicles are the kind of detailed regulation that the plan instead wants to reduce. The election manifesto promises to cut red tape and administrative costs sharply.
Original (Swedish)
Planens klimatlinje bygger på effektiva styrmedel i kombination med teknisk utveckling och tillväxt, och idéprogrammet varnar för dyrbar symbolpolitik. Bindande hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingslagstiftningen och en särskild miljöbilsplan för offentliga fordon är den typen av detaljreglering som planen tvärtom vill minska. Valmanifestet lovar att kraftigt skära i regelkrångel och administrativa kostnader.
- no climate symbolic politicsdecisive»Klimatpolitiken får aldrig reduceras till dyrbar symbolpolitik eller snäv klimatnationalism.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy must never be reduced to costly symbolic politics or narrow climate nationalism.”
- instruments plus technology development(2022 manifesto)
- reduced red tape»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 red tape”
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The plan warns that unnecessarily strict conditions in procurement shut out smaller actors and wants to stop symbolic politics that hits the business sector.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan warns that unnecessarily strict conditions in procurement shut out smaller actors and wants to stop symbolic politics that hits the business sector. It also requires that climate measures are chosen by effect per spent crown with global perspective and criticizes subsidies for expensive vehicles. Binding sustainability requirements in procurement law and an environmental vehicle plan for the public sector therefore go against the plan's line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen varnar för att onödigt stränga villkor i upphandlingar stänger ute mindre aktörer och vill stoppa symbolpolitik som slår mot näringslivet. Den kräver dessutom att klimatåtgärder väljs efter effekt per satsad krona med globalt perspektiv och kritiserar subventioner av dyra fordon. Bindande hållbarhetskrav i upphandlingslagstiftningen och en miljöbilsplan för det offentliga går därför emot planens linje.
- procurement as obstacledecisive»Onödigt stränga villkor i branschstandarder och i upphandlingar gör det ofta svårt för mindre aktörer att slå sig in på marknaden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Unnecessarily strict conditions in industry standards and in procurement often make it difficult for smaller actors to break into the market.”
- cost-effective climate policy»Bedriva en effektiv klimatpolitik med ett tydligt globalt perspektiv« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Pursue an effective climate policy with a clear global perspective”
- against vehicle subsidies»Subventioner av anställningar, elcyklar och lyxbilar sker precis som mångmiljardsatsningar i integrationsprojekt helt utan evidensbaserade resultat.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Subsidies for employment, e-bikes and luxury cars occur just as many billion-crown investments in integration projects entirely without evidence-based results.”
- against symbolic politics»Stoppa symbolpolitik som går ut över möjligheten att bedriva industri och näring« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Stop symbolic politics that undermines the possibility to conduct industry and business”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU15)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU15)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1011 — Acceleration av klimatomställningen av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1303 — Jämlik och jämställd klimatpolitik av Hanna Westerén (S)
- Motion 2023/24:151 — Jordbrukets miljöpåverkan överdrivs av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1519 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1527 — Ett miljövänligt, robust och konkurrenskraftigt energisystem av Linus Lakso m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1574 — Klimatpolitiken, rättvis omställning och hållbar offentlig upphandling av Mattias Vepsä och Jytte Guteland (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1911 — Stärkta incitament för att bygga i trä av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2021 — Fler bostäder i den gröna industriella omställningens spår av Isak From och Malin Larsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2068 — Skogspolitik med helhetssyn av Mattias Eriksson Falk m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2321 — Ett rättvist skattesystem av Ilona Szatmári Waldau m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2345 — Sverigebiljett av Linda W Snecker m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:2450 — En förstärkning av det civila försvaret och krisberedskapen av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2453 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2458 — En folkrörelse för klimatet av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2465 — Hållbara och tillgängliga transporter för hela landet av Ulrika Heie m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2466 — Utrikes- och biståndspolitik av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2507 — Staten som kontraktsskrivare för Viable Cities av Anna Vikström (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2514 — Styrmedel för avfallsrelaterad CCS av Joakim Sandell (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2557 — Jämställd klimatpolitik av Åsa Karlsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2629 — Utgiftsområde 20 Klimat, miljö och natur av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament