2026-06-112025/26:TU19 · p.1TUTransport & infrastructure
Government's bill
Corporatization requirement in the new law on municipal port operations
What's at stake: The law determines how the country's municipal ports - nodes for trade, energy and food supply, and total defense - are organized, with consequences for competitive conditions relative to private operators and for the ability of smaller ports to remain viable.
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 adopt the government's proposal for a new law on municipal port operations, which requires certain port activities conducted in competition to be run as a company, or whether the bill should be rejected due to risks to total defense and municipal self-government.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee backs the government's proposal for a new law on municipal port operations and rejects the motions calling for it to be turned down. The committee shares the government's assessment that the current arrangement risks conflicting with EU state-aid rules, and that a requirement for certain municipal port activities to be run through a taxable company is the least intrusive solution for municipal self-government. The committee also notes that the government assesses that corporatization should not weaken security and preparedness in the municipalities.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) opposes the bill and points out that both the Council on Legislation and several consultation bodies have highlighted security and preparedness aspects and questioned the wisdom of proceeding with the proposal given the current security situation. It argues that ports are part of total defense - nodes for energy, food, raw materials and exports - and that the proposal focuses too heavily on competition neutrality and organizational form without a comprehensive grasp of ports' role in preparedness. The requirement to corporatize port activities conducted in competition is considered a far-reaching change that is not clearly required by EU law and risks hitting smaller, regionally important ports hard, which otherwise contribute redundancy and reduced vulnerability.
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: adopting the government's legislative proposal and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by S, V, MP.
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 0/21/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | No | No 0/104/0/2 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/17/0/1 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 23/0/0/1 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 19/0/0/0 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 66/0/0/0 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 70/0/0/0 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
Parliament adopts the government's proposal for a law on municipal harbor operations. Thereby Parliament approves proposition 2025/26:234 and rejects the motions 2025/26:4103 by Malin Östh et al. (V) motion 1, 2025/26:4125 by Aylin Nouri et al. (S) and 2025/26:4135 by Malcolm Momodou Jallow et al. (-).
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen antar regeringens förslag till lag om kommunal hamnverksamhet. Därmed bifaller riksdagen proposition 2025/26:234 och avslår motionerna 2025/26:4103 av Malin Östh m.fl. (V) yrkande 1, 2025/26:4125 av Aylin Nouri m.fl. (S) och 2025/26:4135 av Malcolm Momodou Jallow m.fl. (-).
Riksdag decision: Parliament approved the government's proposal for new rules on municipal harbor operations. The rules are changed to be compatible with EU law. The decision entails that a new regulation for municipal harbors in Sweden is created. Currently, harbors operated by municipalities are tax-exempt while other harbors pay tax according to general rules. The EU Commission has drawn Sweden's attention to the fact that this may contradict EU state aid rules. State aid that distorts competition by favoring certain actors is, according to EU competition rules, not permitted. The decision entails that municipalities or regions that have harbor operations shall conduct them in a municipal corporation and on a commercial basis. The new rules for municipal harbor operations come into force on 1 August 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to maintain municipal control of ports without mandatory corporatization requirements. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 1
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 to take back socially vital activities and infrastructure that have been privatized and strengthen joint ownership in key sectors such as infrastructure.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to take back socially vital activities and infrastructure that have been privatized and strengthen joint ownership in key sectors such as infrastructure. A requirement to operate municipal port activities in a tax-liable corporation on commercial terms goes in the opposite direction and is justified by EU legal state aid requirements that the plan sees as unreasonable restrictions on democratically made decisions. The counter-proposal's reservation about ports' role in preparedness strengthens the support.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill ta tillbaka samhällsviktig verksamhet och infrastruktur som privatiserats och stärka det gemensamma ägandet i nyckelsektorer som infrastruktur. Ett tvång att driva kommunal hamnverksamhet i skattskyldigt aktiebolag på affärsmässig grund går åt motsatt håll och motiveras av EU-rättsliga statsstödskrav som planen ser som orimliga begränsningar av demokratiskt fattade beslut. Motförslagets invändning om hamnarnas roll i beredskapen förstärker stödet.
- reclaim socially vital infrastructuredecisive»Det är hög tid att agera och ta tillbaka den samhällsviktiga verksamhet och infrastruktur som har privatiserats.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is high time to act and take back the socially vital activities and infrastructure that have been privatized.”
- EU law limits democracy»EU-rätten innehåller orimliga begränsningar av medlemsländernas« (party programme ↗)“EU law contains unreasonable restrictions on member states'”
- joint ownership in key sectors»strategiska naturtillgångar, energiförsörjning, infrastruktur, bostadsproduktion och den finansiella sektorn.« (party programme ↗)“strategic natural resources, energy supply, infrastructure, housing production and the financial sector.”
- municipal self-government»Det kommunala självstyret är en betydelsefull del av den svenska« (party programme ↗)“Municipal self-government is a significant part of Swedish”
The plan states that Swedish resilience and citizens' security are placed before market interests and requires strong infrastructure for strengthened preparedness and democratic control over society-critical functions.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that Swedish resilience and citizens' security are placed before market interests and requires strong infrastructure for strengthened preparedness and democratic control over society-critical functions. Ports are such nodes, and a mandatory incorporation requirement with commercial efficiency as the governing logic goes against that commitment. The plan also protects local government self-governance.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att svensk motståndskraft och medborgarnas säkerhet sätts före marknadsintressen och kräver stark infrastruktur för stärkt beredskap samt demokratisk kontroll över samhällsviktiga funktioner. Hamnar är sådana noder, och ett tvingande bolagiseringskrav med affärsmässighet som styrande logik går emot det åtagandet. Planen värnar dessutom det kommunala självstyret.
- preparedness before market interestsdecisive»Svensk motståndskraft liksom medborgarnas säkerhet och trygghet sätts före« (party programme ↗)“Swedish resilience as well as citizens' security and safety are placed before”
- infrastructure for preparedness»Stark infrastruktur för stärkt beredskap.« (party programme ↗)“Strong infrastructure for strengthened preparedness.”
- democratic control»Demokratisk kontroll över välfärden och samhällsviktiga funktioner.« (party programme ↗)“Democratic control over welfare and society-critical functions.”
- local self-governance»Kommunalt och regionalt självstyre med beskattningsrätt.« (party programme ↗)“Local and regional self-governance with taxation rights.”
The counter-proposal rejects the corporatization requirement by referring to the role of ports in total defence and to smaller, regionally important ports.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal rejects the corporatization requirement by referring to the role of ports in total defence and to smaller, regionally important ports. The plan requires that society secure control over critical infrastructure in crises and wants to invest more in civil defence, while holding firm to decentralization and decision-making close to those affected. These commitments support the counter-proposal's objection.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget avvisar bolagiseringskravet med hänvisning till hamnarnas roll i totalförsvaret och till mindre, regionalt viktiga hamnar. Planen kräver att samhället säkrar kontrollen över kritisk infrastruktur i kriser och vill satsa mer på det civila försvaret, samtidigt som den håller fast vid decentralisering och att beslut fattas nära dem som berörs. Dessa åtaganden bär motförslagets invändning.
- control over critical infrastructuredecisive»läkemedel, kritiska råmaterial och viktig teknologi. Samhället måste säkra kontroll över« (party programme ↗)“medicines, critical raw materials and important technology. Society must secure control over”
- strengthened civil defence»satsa en större andel av försvarets pengar på det civila försvaret, och öka anslagen till krisberedskap.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest a larger share of defence spending in civil defence and increase allocations to emergency preparedness.”
- decentralization»Decentralisering skapar motvikt till maktkoncentration.« (party programme ↗)“Decentralization creates a counterweight to power concentration.”
- decisions close to people»Därför bör beslut tas så nära människor som möjligt samtidigt som aktivt« (party programme ↗)“Therefore decisions should be taken as close to people as possible whilst actively”
The election manifesto makes civil defence and society's preparedness for war and crisis an explicit commitment, and states that supply is vital in the event of crisis.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto makes civil defence and society's preparedness for war and crisis an explicit commitment, and states that supply is vital in the event of crisis. Not forcing harbour incorporation but taking a comprehensive approach to their role in preparedness, and protecting small regionally important harbours, follows from that together with the plan's decentralisation approach. The plan at the same time embraces competition, which pulls in the other direction, hence low confidence.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet gör civilförsvaret och samhällets beredskap inför krig och kris till ett uttryckligt åtagande, och slår fast att försörjningen är livsviktig i händelse av kris. Att inte tvinga fram bolagisering av hamnar utan ett helhetsgrepp om deras roll i beredskapen, och att värna mindre regionalt viktiga hamnar, följer av det tillsammans med planens decentraliseringslinje. Planen bejakar samtidigt konkurrens, vilket drar åt andra hållet, därav låg säkerhet.
- equip civil preparednessdecisive»Även det civila försvaret är livsviktigt. Vi måste rusta civilförsvaret och samhällets beredskap inför krig och kris.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil defence is also vital. We must equip civil defence and society's preparedness for war and crisis.”
- supply security in crisis»Den är viktig i goda tider och livsviktig i händelse av krig eller kris.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is important in good times and vital in the event of war or crisis.”
- municipal self-determination»Decentralisera mera. Människor ska få bestämma mer själva, och politiska beslut ska fattas nära dem som berörs.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Decentralise more. People should have more say in decisions, and political decisions should be made close to those affected.”
- strengthen total defence»Vi behöver rusta Sveriges totalförsvar, stärka hela rättskedjan, satsa på förebyggande insatser och en likvärdig skola.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We need to strengthen Sweden's total defence, strengthen the entire justice chain, invest in preventive measures and an equivalent school.”
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 public shall not conduct activities that crowd out functioning private alternatives and that the market needs rules to maintain fair competition.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the public shall not conduct activities that crowd out functioning private alternatives and that the market needs rules to maintain fair competition. A requirement that competitively exposed municipal port operations be run in a tax-paying company is precisely such a rule, and the counter-proposal wishes to stop it. The plan's requirement for strengthened total defence weighs partly in the other direction but does not change the main line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att det offentliga inte ska driva verksamheter som tränger ut fungerande privata alternativ och att marknaden behöver spelregler som upprätthåller sund konkurrens. Ett krav på att konkurrensutsatt kommunal hamnverksamhet drivs i skattskyldigt bolag är just en sådan spelregel, och motförslaget vill stoppa den. Planens krav på stärkt totalförsvar väger delvis åt andra hållet men ändrar inte huvudlinjen.
- public shall not crowd out privatedecisive»Det offentliga ska inte driva verksamheter som tränger ut fungerande privata alternativ eller försvårar nyföretagande.« (party programme ↗)“The public shall not conduct activities that crowd out functioning private alternatives or hinder new entrepreneurship.”
- rules for fair competition»Marknaden fungerar bäst i samhällen som präglas av tillit, hederlighet och ansvarstagande, men också i sådana samhällen måste marknaden regleras genom politiska beslut.« (party programme ↗)“The market functions best in societies characterized by trust, integrity and responsibility, but even in such societies the market must be regulated through political decisions.”
- strengthened total defence»I ett säkerhetspolitiskt läge som är det svåraste sedan andra världskrigets slut behöver Sveriges totalförsvar stärkas kraftigt.« (party programme ↗)“In a security policy situation that is the most difficult since the end of the Second World War, Sweden's total defence needs to be strengthened significantly.”
- maritime transport's role»Goda möjligheter till sjötransporter är ett viktigt inslag i infrastrukturen.« (party programme ↗)“Good opportunities for maritime transport are an important part of the infrastructure.”
The plan requires that Sweden in principle can provide for the population's supply and maintains good preparedness for cutting off foreign trade, which makes ports' role in total defence a weighty objection.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that Sweden in principle can provide for the population's supply and maintains good preparedness for cutting off foreign trade, which makes ports' role in total defence a weighty objection. The subsidiarity principle also places the burden of proof on those who want to deprive a smaller community of its task, here the municipalities. A general corporatization requirement that risks smaller, regionally important ports thereby goes against the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att Sverige i princip kan svara för befolkningens försörjning och håller god beredskap inför avspärrning av utrikeshandeln, vilket gör hamnarnas roll i totalförsvaret till en tung invändning. Subsidiaritetsprincipen lägger dessutom bevisbördan på den som vill beröva en mindre gemenskap dess uppgift, här kommunerna. Ett generellt bolagiseringstvång som riskerar mindre, regionalt viktiga hamnar går därför emot planen.
- preparedness for supplydecisive»kunna svara för befolkningens livsmedels och energiförsörjning samt hålla en god beredskap« (party programme ↗)“be able to provide for the population's food and energy supply and maintain good preparedness”
- economic defence in total defence»hotbilder. Det ekonomiska försvaret är en viktig del av totalförsvaret. Sverige ska i princip« (party programme ↗)“threat pictures. Economic defence is an important part of total defence. Sweden shall in principle”
- burden of proof in task transfer»Denna princip innebär att bevisbördan vilar på dem som vill beröva en mindre gemenskap på« (party programme ↗)“This principle means that the burden of proof rests on those who want to deprive a smaller community of”
- strong maritime nation»ställning som sjöfartsnation bör vara stark genom långsiktiga och konkurrenskraftiga villkor.« (party programme ↗)“position as a maritime nation should be strong through long-term and competitive conditions.”
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 is based on the public sector should not do what others can do just as well and that prosperity rests on a dynamic business sector, which speaks for competition-neutral forms for municipal port operations.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is based on the public sector should not do what others can do just as well and that prosperity rests on a dynamic business sector, which speaks for competition-neutral forms for municipal port operations. The plan's emergency commitments concern planning, supply and storage, not what corporate form a port is run as. The counter-proposal's requirement to stop the bill is therefore rejected.
Original (Swedish)
Planen utgår från att det offentliga inte ska utföra sådant som andra kan göra lika bra och att välståndet vilar på ett dynamiskt näringsliv, vilket talar för konkurrensneutrala former för kommunal hamnverksamhet. Planens beredskapsåtaganden gäller planering, försörjning och lager, inte vilken bolagsform en hamn drivs i. Motförslagets krav att stoppa lagförslaget avvisas därför.
- the public should not do everythingdecisive»Om något kan göras lika bra eller bättre av« (party programme ↗)“If something can be done just as well or better by”
- business carries prosperity»Sveriges välstånd bygger på ett dynamiskt och livskraftigt näringsliv.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's prosperity is built on a dynamic and thriving business sector.”
- civil preparedness through planning»Säkra en långsiktig planering för det civila försvaret« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Secure long-term planning for civil defence”
The plan highlights ports and shipping as part of total defense and wants to increase self-sufficiency of critical goods.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan highlights ports and shipping as part of total defense and wants to increase self-sufficiency of critical goods. The counter-proposal's objection that a corporatization requirement risks hitting smaller, regionally important ports without a holistic approach to preparedness follows from these commitments. The plan also sees municipal self-determination as a central part of democracy.
Original (Swedish)
Planen framhåller hamnarna och sjöfarten som en del av totalförsvaret och vill öka självförsörjningsgraden av kritiska varor. Motförslagets invändning att ett bolagiseringskrav riskerar att slå mot mindre, regionalt viktiga hamnar utan ett helhetsgrepp om beredskapen följer av dessa åtaganden. Planen betraktar dessutom det kommunala självbestämmandet som en central del av demokratin.
- ports in total defensedecisive»Vi behöver även stärka den svenska sjöfarten för att säkra arbets- och utbildningstillfällen men inte minst för att sjöfarten är en del av totalförsvaret.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We also need to strengthen Swedish shipping to secure work and educational opportunities but not least because shipping is part of total defense.”
- ports' strategic role»Hamnar och sjöfarten är en viktig del i Sveriges import och export.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Ports and shipping are an important part of Sweden's import and export.”
- supply preparedness»Öka den svenska självförsörjningsgraden av kritiska produkter och varor« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase Sweden's self-sufficiency of critical products and goods”
- municipal self-determination»Vi betraktar det kommunala självbestämmandet som en central del av demokratin« (party programme ↗)“We consider municipal self-determination a central part of democracy”
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 (2025/26:TU19)
- Committee report full text (HD01TU19)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:4103 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:234 En ny lag om kommunal hamnverksamhet av Malin Östh m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:4125 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:234 En ny lag om kommunal hamnverksamhet av Aylin Nouri m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:4135 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:234 En ny lag om kommunal hamnverksamhet av Malcolm Momodou Jallow m.fl. (-)
- Proposition 2025/26:234 — En ny lag om kommunal hamnverksamhet
Source: The Swedish Parliament