2025-12-102025/26:FöU2 · p.4FöUDefence
Impact on small businesses and organizations
Impact of the cybersecurity law on smaller companies and organisations
What's at stake: Ambiguity about the law's scope risks affecting smaller companies and organisations, for example in green industries, which may either end up subject to requirements too burdensome for their operations, or remain uncertain whether they are covered at all. The decision therefore affects the regulatory burden on smaller actors across society.
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 return with further clarifications on which smaller companies and organisations are covered by the new cybersecurity law, or whether the law's current design and preparatory works are considered sufficiently clear.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee endorses the government's cybersecurity law proposal in its entirety, including how the law's scope is delimited, for the reasons set out in the bill, and therefore rejects motion 2025/26:3838, item 5, calling for further clarification for smaller companies and organisations.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 3 (V, C, MP)
The reservation (V, C, MP) argues that several consultation bodies have pointed out shortcomings in how the law delimits which companies or activities are actually covered, for instance whether only the parts of an operation that affect the security of relevant services should be included. Today's ambiguity risks creating problems for smaller companies and organisations, including in green industries, so the government should come back with clarifications to avoid imposing unreasonable requirements on them.
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 3 by V, C, 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 0/18/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | Yes 92/0/0/14 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/14/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | No 0/19/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | derived |
| L | No | Yes 13/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 61/0/0/11 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motion 2025/26:3838 by Mikael Larsson and Niels Paarup-Petersen (both C) item 5.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2025/26:3838 av Mikael Larsson och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C) yrkande 5.
Riksdag decision: To achieve a high cybersecurity level in society, the government proposes a new cybersecurity law aimed at implementing the so-called NIS 2 directive. The Riksdag approved the government's proposal. The proposal means that public and private operators in certain designated sectors are to take measures to protect their networks and information systems and report significant incidents. The proposal also means that a supervisory authority is to intervene if an operator breaches provisions in the law. The NIS 2 directive was decided by the EU in 2022 and aims to achieve a high common cybersecurity level throughout the union. The Riksdag also approved the government's proposal to amend other laws concerning electronic communications, top-level domains, and confidentiality. The new rules enter into force on 15 January 2026.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to conduct a detailed analysis of financing the implementation of the cybersecurity law to ensure municipalities and regions have economic resources to fulfill their responsibilities. (V, C, MP) — Reservation 3
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 see good conditions for sound businesses and particularly highlights the small entrepreneur's vulnerable position in competition with large corporations.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to see good conditions for sound businesses and particularly highlights the small entrepreneur's vulnerable position in competition with large corporations. A clarification of which activities the cyber security law covers, so that smaller actors are not met with unreasonable demands, does not contradict any commitment in the plan but lies close to that position. The documents say nothing about the law's scope, so the conclusion is weakly supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill se goda villkor för sunda företag och lyfter särskilt småföretagarens utsatta läge i konkurrens med storbolagen. Ett klargörande av vilka verksamheter cybersäkerhetslagen omfattar, så att mindre aktörer inte möts av orimliga krav, strider inte mot något åtagande i planen utan ligger nära den hållningen. Dokumenten säger dock inget om lagens avgränsning, så slutsatsen är svagt underbyggd.
- good conditions for serious businessesdecisive»Vi vill se goda villkor för sunda företag« (party programme ↗)“We want to see good conditions for sound businesses”
- small businesses' conditions»Du som arbetar hårt inom ditt eget småföretag, i konkurrens med storbolag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“You who work hard within your own small business, in competition with large corporations.”
- improved conditions for smaller businesses»investeringar, skärpa konkurrensen och förbättra villkoren för mindre« (party programme ↗)“investments, sharpen competition, and improve conditions for smaller”
The plan says nothing about how a cybersecurity law should be defined, but it commits to security for small business owners and good business conditions, as well as viable Swedish food production.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan says nothing about how a cybersecurity law should be defined, but it commits to security for small business owners and good business conditions, as well as viable Swedish food production. Clarifications that prevent unreasonable demands on smaller companies and green sectors thus lie close to the plan's principles. However, the material is weak and the position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger inget om hur en cybersäkerhetslag ska avgränsas, men den åtar sig trygghet för småföretagare och ett gott företagsklimat, liksom en livskraftig livsmedelsproduktion. Klargöranden som hindrar orimliga krav på mindre företag och gröna näringar ligger därför nära planens principer. Underlaget är dock svagt och ställningstagandet är härlett.
- security for small businessdecisive»Trygghet för småföretagare.« (party programme ↗)“Security for small business owners.”
- good business conditions»Innovationskraft, gott företagsklimat och stark konkurrenskraft för ökad tillväxt.« (party programme ↗)“Innovation power, good business conditions and strong competitiveness for increased growth.”
- viable green sectors»Livskraftig svensk livsmedelsproduktion som stärker landets självförsörjningsförmåga.« (party programme ↗)“Viable Swedish food production that strengthens the country's self-sufficiency.”
- strengthened business conditions»Vi vill satsa på grön teknik, digitalisering och utbildning så att företagsklimatet stärks och kompetensförsörjningen förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to invest in green technology, digitalization and education so that the business climate is strengthened and skills supply is improved.”
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 take a position on the cybersecurity law's scope, but it establishes that enterprises regardless of size need clear rules and that it should be simple to start and operate a business.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not take a position on the cybersecurity law's scope, but it establishes that enterprises regardless of size need clear rules and that it should be simple to start and operate a business. A clarification of which smaller enterprises and organisations are covered follows from that principle. The counter-proposal's requirement is therefore in line with the plan, if albeit derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen tar inte ställning till cybersäkerhetslagens avgränsning, men den slår fast att företag oavsett storlek behöver tydliga spelregler och att det ska vara enkelt att starta och driva företag. Ett klargörande av vilka mindre företag och organisationer som omfattas följer av den principen. Därmed ligger motförslagets krav i linje med planen, om än härlett.
- clear rules for enterprisesdecisive»Företag, oavsett storlek, behöver tydliga spelregler för att potentialen i näringslivets omställning till hållbarhet ska kunna tas till vara.« (party programme ↗)“Enterprises, regardless of size, need clear rules so that the potential in the business sector's transition to sustainability can be realised.”
- simple to operate business»Därför ska det vara enkelt att starta företag, växa och anställa sina första medarbetare.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, it should be simple to start a business, grow and employ your first employees.”
- better conditions for green sectors»Miljöpartiet vill stärka det svenska jordbruket och skapa bättre villkor för fler bönder.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party wants to strengthen Swedish agriculture and create better conditions for more farmers.”
- diversity of business forms»Miljöpartiet vill se en levande mångfald av företagsformer.« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party wants to see a living diversity of business forms.”
A core commitment in the election manifesto is to clear up the regulatory maze for entrepreneurs, large and small, and to remove expensive and cumbersome regulations that lie like a wet blanket over rural areas.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
A core commitment in the election manifesto is to clear up the regulatory maze for entrepreneurs, large and small, and to remove expensive and cumbersome regulations that lie like a wet blanket over rural areas. The counter-proposal precisely wants to avoid unclear and unreasonable requirements on smaller businesses, not least within the green industries, whose competitive strength the party explicitly wants to strengthen. The plan thus speaks in favor of the counter-proposal's requirements for clarifications.
Original (Swedish)
Ett bärande åtagande i valmanifestet är att rensa upp i regelträsket för entreprenörer, stora som små, och att ta bort dyra och krångliga regelverk som lägger sig som en våt filt över landsbygden. Motförslaget vill just undvika otydliga och orimliga krav på mindre företag, inte minst inom de gröna näringarna, vars konkurrenskraft partiet uttryckligen vill stärka. Planen talar därmed för motförslagets krav på klargöranden.
- regulatory simplification for businessdecisive»Rensa upp i regelträsket för entreprenörer, stora som små. Vi vill införa en ny och förenklad företagsform för mikroföretag, så att fler ska våga testa att driva företag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Clear up the regulatory maze for entrepreneurs, large and small. We want to introduce a new and simplified business form for micro-enterprises, so that more dare to try running a business.”
- fewer rules in rural areas»Dyra, krångliga och innovationshämmande regelverk ligger som en våt filt över delar av landsbygden. Vi ska rensa upp bland överflödiga regler och byråkrati.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expensive, cumbersome and innovation-hampering regulations lie like a wet blanket over parts of rural areas. We shall clear up among unnecessary rules and bureaucracy.”
- competitive strength of green industries»Vi vill stärka de gröna näringarnas konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to strengthen the competitive strength of the green industries.”
- good conditions for small business»Goda villkor för entreprenörer, egenföretagare och små företag är därför avgörande för att skapa nya jobb.« (party programme ↗)“Good conditions for entrepreneurs, self-employed and small businesses are therefore crucial to creating new jobs.”
The plan establishes that the regulatory burden for small businesses shall decrease and that public decisions shall be analysed from a small business perspective.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the regulatory burden for small businesses shall decrease and that public decisions shall be analysed from a small business perspective. A requirement to clarify which activities are covered, so that smaller businesses are not met with unreasonable requirements, is precisely such an examination. The plan also wants rules that make it easy to do the right thing in the age of digitalization.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att regelbördan för små företag ska minska och att offentliga beslut ska analyseras ur ett småföretagarperspektiv. Ett krav på klargöranden av vilka verksamheter som omfattas, så att mindre företag inte möts av orimliga krav, är precis en sådan prövning. Planen vill dessutom ha spelregler som gör det lätt att göra rätt i digitaliseringens tid.
- small business perspective on decisionsdecisive»Regelbördan för små företag ska minska, genom ansträngningar på både kommunal, statlig och europeisk nivå, och offentliga beslut analyseras ur småföretagarperspektiv.« (party programme ↗)“The regulatory burden for small businesses shall decrease, through efforts at municipal, state and European levels, and public decisions analysed from a small business perspective.”
- easy to do the right thing»Vi vill ha spelregler som gör det lätt att göra rätt och säkerställer konkurrens på rättvisa villkor även i digitaliseringens och delningsekonomins tid.« (party programme ↗)“We want rules that make it easy to do the right thing and ensure fair competition even in the age of digitalization and the sharing economy.”
- removed obstacles for businesses»Politikens uppgift måste vara att snabbt undanröja hinder för att underlätta för företag och människor att ta vara på de möjligheter som den tekniska utvecklingen skapar.« (party programme ↗)“Politics' task must be to quickly remove obstacles to facilitate businesses and people to take advantage of the opportunities that technological development creates.”
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 requires that bureaucracy and cumbersome rules be countered, that the state's rules for businesses are long-term and that small and medium-sized businesses are at the centre of business policy.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that bureaucracy and cumbersome rules be countered, that the state's rules for businesses are long-term and that small and medium-sized businesses are at the centre of business policy. The election manifesto further promises regulatory changes and cost reductions for agriculture. The counter-proposal's requirements for clarifications of the law's scope, so that smaller businesses within, among others, the green industries are not hit by unreasonable demands, thus follow from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att byråkrati och krångliga regler motverkas, att statens regler för företagen är långsiktiga och att de små och medelstora företagen står i centrum för näringslivspolitiken. Valmanifestet lovar dessutom regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för lantbruket. Motförslagets krav på klargöranden av lagens avgränsning, så att mindre företag inom bland annat de gröna näringarna inte drabbas av orimliga krav, följer av dessa åtaganden.
- counter bureaucracy and red tapedecisive»Byråkrati och krångliga regler ska« (party programme ↗)“Bureaucracy and cumbersome rules shall”
- regulatory relief for agriculture»Regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för svenskt lantbruk för att öka Sveriges självförsörjning och stärka lantbrukets konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Regulatory changes and cost reductions for Swedish agriculture to increase Sweden's self-sufficiency and strengthen agriculture's competitiveness.”
- small businesses in focus»familjeföretag, ska stå i centrum för utformningen av näringslivspolitiken.« (party programme ↗)“family businesses, shall be at the centre of the formulation of business policy.”
- long-term and clear rules»Det är viktigt att de regler staten ställer upp för företagen är långsiktiga.« (party programme ↗)“It is important that the rules the state sets up for businesses are long-term.”
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 commits to removing one-third of businesses' administrative costs and regulatory red tape and to counteracting over-implementation of EU decisions.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to removing one-third of businesses' administrative costs and regulatory red tape and to counteracting over-implementation of EU decisions. Requirements for clarifications so that small businesses and green industries are not hit with unreasonable demands follow directly from that commitment. The plan furthermore particularly wants to reduce the number of rules for farming and observes that bureaucracy puts obstacles in the way of businesses.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och av regelkrånglet och att motverka överimplementering av EU-beslut. Krav på klargöranden så att mindre företag och gröna näringar inte drabbas av orimliga krav följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen vill dessutom särskilt minska antalet regler för jordbruket och konstaterar att byråkrati sätter käppar i hjulet för företagen.
- reduced regulatory red tapedecisive»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”
- no over-implementation»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, among other things by counteracting over-implementation in Sweden of EU decisions - as a main rule EU directives shall be implemented at the minimum level”
- fewer rules for agriculture»Minska antalet regler för jordbruket och korta handläggningstider för miljötillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the number of rules for agriculture and shorten processing times for environmental permits”
- bureaucracy hinders business»Men höga skatter, krångliga tillståndsprocesser och byråkrati sätter käppar i hjulet för innovation och tillväxt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“But high taxes, complicated permit processes and bureaucracy put obstacles in the way of innovation and growth.”
flags: citat_migrerat
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 requires that unnecessary regulations be removed where the costs to companies do not correspond to society's benefit and that the administrative burden on small businesses be eased.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that unnecessary regulations be removed where the costs to companies do not correspond to society's benefit and that the administrative burden on small businesses be eased. The counter-proposal's requirements for clarifications so that smaller companies, including in green industries, are not affected by unreasonable requirements in the cybersecurity law follow directly from that commitment. The plan also wants to simplify regulations and improve legal certainty for agriculture and forestry.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att onödiga regler tas bort där kostnaderna för företagen inte motsvarar nyttan för samhället och att småföretagens administrativa börda lättas. Motförslagets krav på klargöranden så att mindre företag, bland annat inom de gröna näringarna, inte drabbas av orimliga krav i cybersäkerhetslagen följer direkt av det åtagandet. Planen vill också förenkla regelverken och förbättra rättssäkerheten för jord- och skogsbruket.
- rules must be proportionatedecisive»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 regulations where the costs to companies do not correspond to society's benefit.”
- lightened regulatory burden for small businesses»Verka för regelförenkling och avlasta småföretagens administrativa börda« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Work for regulatory simplification and relieve the administrative burden on small businesses”
- protection for smaller players»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 make it often difficult for smaller players to enter the market.”
- simpler rules for green industries»Förenkla regelverken och förbättra rättssäkerheten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Simplify regulations and improve legal certainty”
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:FöU2)
- Committee report full text (HD01FöU2)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:3405 — Ökad civil försvarsförmåga och stärkt krisberedskap av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3556 — Totalförsvarets beredskap av Peter Hultqvist m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3652 — En digital politik som bygger jämlikhet och tillväxt av Aylin Nouri m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2025/26:3834 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:28 Ett starkt skydd för nätverks- och informationssystem - en ny cybersäkerhetslag av Ulf Holm m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2025/26:3838 — med anledning av prop. 2025/26:28 Ett starkt skydd för nätverks- och informationssystem - en ny cybersäkerhetslag av Mikael Larsson och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C)
- Proposition 2025/26:28 — Ett starkt skydd för nätverks- och informationssystem - en ny cybersäkerhetslag
Source: The Swedish Parliament