2024-09-252023/24:CU24 · p.1CUCivil law & housing
National Audit Office's report on the state's handling of land encroachment
How the state handles encroachment on land and compensates property owners
What's at stake: Land encroachment occurs when the state takes land for roads, power lines or nature protection, and the compensation rules decide what individual landowners are paid. Differences between agencies mean two similar cases can yield different compensation, which hits affected land and forest owners and makes it hard to see what the state pays in total.
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 it is enough for the government to monitor developments and await ongoing reviews and inquiries, or whether parliament should demand a uniform system for how agencies handle land encroachment and compensation, together with follow-up of compensation costs.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee shares the Audit Office's and the government's view that compensation for land encroachment should be set predictably and uniformly, but sees no need for new demands from parliament now: agency practice is largely uniform, a review of compensation for electricity grid expansion is under way, an inquiry into compensation for restrictions on land use has been announced, and the government intends to monitor developments and take corrective measures if needed.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 1 (SD)
The Sweden Democrats want parliament to call on the government to create a uniform system for how agencies handle land encroachment and compensation and to follow up the costs of compensation paid, rather than settling for scattered reviews in individual areas.
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: closing the file on the government's report (no further action) and rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 1 by SD.
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: CCenterpartiet, MModeraterna
Ja 237–62Ja 156–143
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 | Yes 20/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/13 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 14/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| SD | No | No 0/62/0/10 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motion 2023/24:2867 by Mikael Eskilandersson et al. (SD) demands 1 and 2 and refers communication 2023/24:106 to archives.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:2867 av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD) yrkandena 1 och 2 samt lägger skrivelse 2023/24:106 till handlingarna.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has considered a communication from the government. It concerns the National Audit Office's report on the state's handling of land encroachment, that is, when land is taken into use, ultimately by force. The National Audit Office's overall conclusion is that the authorities' management is largely uniform and efficient. There are, however, differences in how the authorities treat property owners and determine compensation in certain cases. It is also difficult to get an overall picture of whether the state resources for compensation in connection with land encroachment are used cost-effectively. The National Audit Office's main recommendation to the government is to review how compensation issues in connection with land encroachment can be handled more uniformly between different areas. The government agrees in principle with the National Audit Office's observations and assessments and considers it important that compensation in different cases of land encroachment is determined in a predictable and uniform manner and that state resources are used cost-effectively. The Riksdag referred the communication to archives, that is, concluded the matter.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to create a uniform system for authorities regarding land encroachment handling and compensation, and monitor costs for paid compensation. (SD) — 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 says nothing about compensation for land intrusion or how authorities handle such matters.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about compensation for land intrusion or how authorities handle such matters. The closest principle is that authorities have a special responsibility to meet all people with equal respect and that legal certainty should be maintained with transparency and independent review, which speaks for a uniform and predictable system rather than area-based reviews. The plan moreover emphasises special awareness of the importance of land use. Derived conclusion: the counter-proposal's demands are supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger ingenting om ersättning vid markintrång eller hur myndigheterna hanterar sådana ärenden. Närmast liggande princip är att myndigheter har ett särskilt ansvar att möta alla människor med samma respekt och att rättssäkerheten ska upprätthållas med insyn och oberoende granskning, vilket talar för ett enhetligt och förutsägbart system snarare än områdesvisa översyner. Planen betonar dessutom en särskild medvetenhet om markanvändningens betydelse. Härledd slutsats: motförslagets krav stöds.
- equal treatment by authoritiesdecisive»Myndigheter har ett särskilt ansvar att möta alla människor« (party programme ↗)“Authorities have a special responsibility to meet all people”
- legal certainty and transparency»Rättssäkerheten behöver upprätthållas genom rättshjälp, medborgerlig« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty needs to be maintained through legal aid, civic”
- conscious land use»en särskild medvetenhet om markanvändningens betydelse.« (party programme ↗)“special awareness of the importance of land use.”
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.
Neither the election manifesto nor the party programme addresses land intrusion or compensation for such.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
Neither the election manifesto nor the party programme addresses land intrusion or compensation for such. The nearest principle is the party programme's requirement that authorities consider all equal before the law and observe impartiality and objectivity, which speaks for a uniform system instead of agency-specific and area-specific solutions. The election manifesto's demands for faster permit processes and reasonable electricity network costs point in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Varken valmanifestet eller partiprogrammet behandlar markintrång eller ersättningar vid sådana. Närmast liggande princip är partiprogrammets krav att myndigheterna ska beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet, vilket talar för ett enhetligt system i stället för myndighetsvisa och områdesvisa lösningar. Valmanifestets krav på snabbare tillståndsprocesser och rimliga elnätskostnader pekar i samma riktning.
- uniform and objective administrationdecisive»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet.« (party programme ↗)“consider all equal before the law and observe impartiality and objectivity.”
- faster permit processes»Långsamma tillståndsprocesser ska snabbas på.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Slow permit processes shall be sped up.”
- control over expansion costs»Samtidigt är det viktigt att kostnaderna för utbyggnaden av elnätet är rimliga för elkunderna, oavsett var i landet man bor.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time it is important that the costs for expansion of the electricity network are reasonable for electricity customers, regardless of where in the country one lives.”
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 does not address compensation for land intrusion.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address compensation for land intrusion. The closest principle is the requirement for stable, long-term and equivalent rules and that state regulations should work equally well regardless of municipality, which argues for a uniform and predictable system instead of area-wise reviews. Clear regulations also facilitate the power network expansion the plan requires, while the plan maintains that environmental considerations should outweigh short-term development interests.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte ersättning vid markintrång. Närmast liggande princip är kravet på stabila, långsiktiga och likvärdiga spelregler och att statliga regelverk ska fungera lika bra oavsett kommun, vilket talar för ett enhetligt och förutsägbart system i stället för områdesvisa översyner. Ett tydligt regelverk underlättar också den utbyggnad av elnäten planen kräver, samtidigt som planen håller fast vid att miljöhänsyn ska väga tyngre än kortsiktiga exploateringsintressen.
- stable and long-term rulesdecisive»Vi vill se stabila och långsiktiga spelregler för företag och hushåll för att underlätta detta.« (party programme ↗)“We want to see stable and long-term rules for companies and households to facilitate this.”
- equivalent state regulations»Statliga regelverk ska fungera lika bra för små kommuner som för stora tillväxtkommuner.« (party programme ↗)“State regulations should work equally well for small municipalities as for large growth municipalities.”
- expanded power networks»bygga ut elnäten, investera i energilager och satsa på ett smart energisystem.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“expand power networks, invest in energy storage and focus on a smart energy system.”
- environment before development»Miljöhänsyn ska väga tyngre än kortsiktiga exploateringsintressen.« (party programme ↗)“Environmental considerations should outweigh short-term development interests.”
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 explicitly requires that government authorities cooperate when land is taken for roads, rail and electricity and that compensation for taken land becomes significantly higher than today.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly requires that government authorities cooperate when land is taken for roads, rail and electricity and that compensation for taken land becomes significantly higher than today. A unified system for the authorities' handling and monitoring of compensation cost development is the order the plan presupposes. The party programme rejects arbitrary interference with property rights, which speaks against allowing handling to differ between authorities and area-based reviews.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen att statliga myndigheter samverkar när mark tas i anspråk för väg, tåg och el och att ersättningen för ianspråktagen mark blir avsevärt högre än idag. Ett enhetligt system för myndigheternas hantering och uppföljning av ersättningarnas kostnadsutveckling är den ordning planen förutsätter. Partiprogrammet avvisar godtyckliga ingrepp i äganderätten, vilket talar mot att låta hanteringen skilja sig mellan myndigheter och områdesvisa översyner.
- higher compensation for land encroachmentdecisive»Statliga myndigheter måste samverka och arbeta marksnålt när man tar ny mark i anspråk för väg, tåg, el, etc. Likaså ska ersättning för ianspråktagen mark ersättas till avsevärt större belopp än idag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Government authorities must cooperate and work in a land-saving manner when taking new land for roads, rail, electricity, etc. Likewise, compensation for taken land shall be compensated at significantly larger amounts than today.”
- no arbitrary interference»Brott mot äganderätten, med konfiskatoriska och godtyckliga beskattningar och ingrepp, underminerar förtroendet och långsiktigheten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Violations of property rights, with confiscatory and arbitrary taxation and interference, undermine trust and long-term thinking in society.”
- strengthened property rights»Vi vill stärka bland annat äganderätten, diskrimineringsförbudet, minoritetsskyddet och minoritetsspråkens ställning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen, among other things, property rights, the prohibition on discrimination, minority protection and the status of minority languages”
- efficient authority operations»Ledtiderna för handläggning och myndighetsutövning i domstolar och myndigheter måste kortas och tillgången till ombud förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Processing times for court and authority proceedings must be shortened and access to representation improved.”
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 makes property rights and legal security bearing principles and demands that the individual's ability to assert their right against the authorities increases.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes property rights and legal security bearing principles and demands that the individual's ability to assert their right against the authorities increases. A unified system for how the state handles land encroachment and compensation, with monitoring of costs, is in line with the demand for predictable and equivalent authority exercise. The plan does not specifically mention land encroachment, why the conclusion is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör äganderätten och rättssäkerheten till bärande principer och kräver att den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sin rätt mot myndigheterna ökar. Ett enhetligt system för hur staten hanterar markintrång och ersättningar, med uppföljning av kostnaderna, ligger i linje med kravet på förutsägbar och likvärdig myndighetsutövning. Planen nämner inte markintrång särskilt, varför slutsatsen är härledd.
- property rights and legal securitydecisive»slå vakt om äganderätt, konkurrens på lika villkor, rättssäkerhet« (party programme ↗)“protect property rights, competition on equal terms, legal security”
- individuals' rights against authorities»Den enskildes möjligheter att hävda sina rättigheter gentemot myndigheterna måste öka.« (party programme ↗)“The individual's ability to assert their rights against the authorities must increase.”
- property rights in the constitution»Kvinnans rätt att bestämma över sin kropp ska skyddas i grundlagen tillsammans med andra fri- och rättigheter som yttrandefrihet, religionsfrihet och äganderätt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Women's right to decide over her body shall be protected in the constitution together with other freedoms and rights such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion and property rights.”
- strengthened legal security»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal security and protection of civil freedoms and rights need to be strengthened.”
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 considers property rights as a human right and demands a constitutional rule guaranteeing full compensation in restrictions on property rights; forced purchase is seen as a violation that may only occur exceptionally.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan considers property rights as a human right and demands a constitutional rule guaranteeing full compensation in restrictions on property rights; forced purchase is seen as a violation that may only occur exceptionally. The election manifesto moreover warns that property rights over forests are threatened. A uniform system for authorities' handling of land encroachment and compensation, with monitoring of costs, follows from these commitments and the requirement for cost monitoring.
Original (Swedish)
Planen betraktar äganderätten som en mänsklig rättighet och kräver en grundlagsregel som garanterar fullgod ersättning vid inskränkningar i äganderätten; tvångsinlösen ses som en kränkning som bara får ske undantagsvis. Valmanifestet varnar dessutom för att äganderätten över skogen hotas. Ett enhetligt system för myndigheternas hantering av markintrång och ersättningar, med uppföljning av kostnaderna, följer av dessa åtaganden och av kravet på kostnadsuppföljning.
- property rights and full compensationdecisive»Rätten till egendom är en mänsklig rättighet och« (party programme ↗)“Right to property is a human right and”
- restrictive forced purchase»En god framförhållning i samhällsplaneringen minskar behovet av att tvångsinlösa mark.« (party programme ↗)“Good advance planning in society planning reduces the need to forcibly purchase land.”
- protect landowner's right»äganderätten över skogen hotas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“property rights over forests are threatened”
- cost monitoring»medborgarnas intresse. Utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är därför viktiga politiska« (party programme ↗)“citizens' interest. Evaluation, cost monitoring and quality control are therefore important political”
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 speaks directly to what the vote decides: the state may only in exceptional cases take over individuals' property, compensation must be market-based and the state and municipality must never act lightly against individuals' ownership.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme speaks directly to what the vote decides: the state may only in exceptional cases take over individuals' property, compensation must be market-based and the state and municipality must never act lightly against individuals' ownership. To this is added the requirement that all exercise of public authority be guided by equal treatment and predictability. A unified system for how authorities handle land intrusions and follow up on compensation is exactly what these commitments point to. Therefore, the plan supports the requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet talar direkt till vad voteringen avgör: staten får bara i undantagsfall ta över enskildas egendom, ersättningen ska vara marknadsmässig och stat och kommun får aldrig agera lättvindigt mot enskildas ägande. Till det kommer kravet att all offentlig maktutövning ska vägledas av likabehandling och förutsebarhet. Ett enhetligt system för myndigheternas hantering av markintrång och uppföljning av ersättningarna är precis vad dessa åtaganden pekar mot. Därför stöder planen kravet.
- market-based compensation for intrusiondecisive»Ersättningen ska vara marknadsmässig. Stat och kommun får aldrig agera lättvindigt mot enskildas ägande.« (party programme ↗)“Compensation must be market-based. The state and municipality must never act lightly against individuals' ownership.”
- equal treatment and predictability»All offentlig maktutövning ska vara lagstyrd och vägledas av principer om likabehandling och förutsebarhet.« (party programme ↗)“All exercise of public authority must be governed by law and guided by principles of equal treatment and predictability.”
- strengthened property rights»Stärka ägande- och brukanderätten för jordbrukare« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the ownership and land-use rights of farmers”
- the right to own is protected»Människors rätt att äga ska värnas så att skogen kan brukas långsiktigt och hållbart till nytta för klimatet och miljön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“People's right to own must be protected so that forests can be used long-term and sustainably for the benefit of climate and environment.”
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 requires strengthened legal security for landowners, that authorities act in common interest with them and that encroachment on land occurs with good compensation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires strengthened legal security for landowners, that authorities act in common interest with them and that encroachment on land occurs with good compensation. A uniform and predictable system for authorities' handling of land encroachment and compensation, with follow-up of costs, is precisely this in practice. The plan's commitment to strengthen property rights points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver stärkt rättssäkerhet för markägare, att myndigheterna verkar i intressegemenskap med dem och att intrång på mark sker med god ersättning. Ett enhetligt och förutsägbart system för myndigheternas hantering av markintrång och ersättningar, med uppföljning av kostnaderna, är just detta i praktiken. Planens åtagande att stärka äganderätten pekar i samma riktning.
- legal security for landownersdecisive»Rättssäkerheten behöver stärkas för den som bedriver näring inom jord- och skogsbruk och myndigheternas arbete behöver i högre grad anpassas för att verka i intressegemenskap med markägare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Legal security needs to be strengthened for those engaged in agriculture and forestry and the work of authorities needs to be better adapted to act in common interest with landowners.”
- good compensation for encroachment»Avsättning av skog till reservat ska ske på frivillighetens grund och med god ersättning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Setting aside forest as reserve should be done on a voluntary basis and with good compensation.”
- strengthened property rights»Stärka äganderätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen property rights”
- uniform and clear rules»Förenkla regelverken och förbättra rättssäkerheten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Simplify regulations and improve legal security”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:CU24)
- Committee report full text (HB01CU24)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2867 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:106 Riksrevisionens rapport om statens hantering av markintrång av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2023/24:106 — Riksrevisionens rapport om statens hantering av markintrång
Source: The Swedish Parliament