Sweden struggles on prosperity ladder

Comment | 

Despite good prospects for surviving the finance crisis, Sweden is slipping in the so-called prosperity rankings. One reason is the wrong choice of crisis cure, writes Mr Victor Snellman, economist at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.

EU Budget
and Climate Change

Environment |  Long before the Copenhagen Conference begun, it was obvious that climate change has an inevitable price tag to it. Both when it comes to tackling climate change and handling its effects that will strike us in the future. In order to cope with this price tag without increasing the EU budget, spending on agricultural subsidies need to be cut, writes Birgitta Resvik and Helena Strigård.

CAP and the EU Budget
– expectations and reality

Economy |  The debate on how our joint resources are best spent is heating up as EU comes closer to the inevitable moment of truth on the common budget. A line is drawn between those who claim a cut in CAP expenditures will be necessary to cope with modern and urgent challenges, and those who wish to see this policy area preserved for the sake of food security and ensuring descent income for farmers.

Competitiveness a prerequisite
for pulling EU out of recession

Economy |  In little over two weeks time the European Parliament is supposed to vote on the entire new Commission as presented to them by President Barroso. The vote in plenary in Strasbourg will promise to be a tight one with perhaps one or two heads rolling. Two portfolios of major future impact on the EU’s ability to pull itself out of recession will be competition and industry.

Cost shock for base industries

Comment |  Costs will skyrocket for Sweden’s base industries with a new environmental demand on maritime transport. While Finland has chosen not to follow the new regulations, the Swedish government is ducking the issue.

Stop-go energy politics push up prices

Energy |  – Swedish consumers and Swedish industry are paying a high price for stop-go energy policies that have survived for decades. Top priority is to ensure that planned new legislation on nuclear energy gets through and is long-term. That’s Swedish Enterprise Director General Urban Bäckström’s take on the current energy debate.

Electricity of the future spawns businesses

Electricity net |  For power companies moving into renewable electricity, the future is all about smart grids. This brings a raft of opportunities for businesses big and small.

Absence through illness dropping faster for women

Comment |  In Sweden, female employees’ absence through illness has dropped by 900 thousand work hours per week in the last three years. A new study reveals historically low absence figures.

An electricity system for a ‘wolf winter’

Comment |  The price of electricity is rocketing because of the freeze — it’s a ‘wolf winter’ as Swedes say. This indicates the great need of a robust and cost-effective electricity system.

Different wages from similar treatment

Salaries |  How are wages and salaries set? The question might be odd but salary determination is in the process of change, shifting away from central agreements towards individualized salaries tied to personal professional skills. Advocates claim that not until we treat everyone equally can independent and fair salaries be set.

Unions off-target in opposing manpower agencies

Comment  |  A ban on rented labour when others are in line for re-employment would be a blow against jobs. Businesses would be further enticed to operate without their own employed staffs. Manpower agencies would have to cut back on specialists and significant entry points to employment would disappear. This, in a situation where Sweden’s unemployment is over 8 percent, and 25 for youth.

Social Europe
starts with a job

Economy |  Only through policies which promote growth and competitiveness in general will Europe be able to create real economic sustainability and real jobs for the future.

Sweden’s protectionism stunts service-sector growth

Trade |  Sweden’s international image is that of a free-trade-friendly nation. But that openness does not apply to the service sector, according to a scrutiny of the WTO’s latest free trade rounds.

Commission to follow suit on reporting the true public consultation results?

EU |  Representatives of business, environment, tax payers and science community have jointly sent a letter to the President Barroso, urging the Commission to report the true results of the public consultation on the EU budget.

EU Commission got the business Copenhagen scorecard

Comment |  Many are pinning hopes on the Copenhagen climate change summit, COP15, in December but just as many are wondering what an agreement actually will imply. Business is one of the important stakeholders and is to a huge degree part of the solution and also determined to do its part in tackling the great challenge, writes Mr. Mårten Bergman at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise office in Brussels.

Top marks for Sweden, environmentally

Environment |  Sweden’s environment work is successful, with Europe and the rest of the world lagging, a Swedish Enterprise report claims.

Report debunks myths about youth unemployment

New report |  Myths about youth unemployment abound, including the one that it isn’t caused by the law on security of employment (LAS). A new report blows holes in the myths.

Countdown to Copenhagen

Climate deal |  Much work remains before a climate agreement can be signed in Copenhagen. Cautious optimism was heard from panelists at a recent Brussels seminar, despite the pessimism apparent in the negotiating rounds. The seminar had been organized by the Swedish Society of Politics and Business, SPN, a business and politics network under the Swedish Enterprise umbrella.

Fewer rules = fewer accidents

Rules |  Without traffic rules, total chaos should ensue with more accidents. But experiments in a few German and Belgian towns show the opposite. When traffic regulations were removed, accidents fell drastically.

Getting from ambition to result, greenly

Report  |  | Nationally based measures to limit carbon dioxide emissions can paradoxically increase global emissions, a new Confederation of Swedish Enterprise report says.