Sweden: Reinfeldt wins but fails to gain majority

Sveriges Radio International reports that the centre-right party of prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt gained a historic 30 per cent of the vote in the Swedish parliamentary election. However, the three other parties of the governing Alliance – Liberals, Centre Party and Christian Democrats – lost seats, so the preliminary results point to 172 seats out of 349, three less than an outright majority.

The Social Democrats remained the largest party, with 30.9 per cent of the vote, but losing 4.4 percentage points since 2006.

The nationalistic and xenophobic Sweden Democrats cleared the five [Correction] four per cent hurdle, and get 20 seats in the new parliament (Riksdag).

Reinfeldt has proposed cooperation with the Green Party, which campaigned against the government coalition together with the Social Democrats and the Left Party.

The Pirate Party failed to clear the hurdle.




Ralf Grahn

EU Lisbon Treaty: National parliaments (Sweden)

According to the Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, the limits of EU competences are governed by the principle of conferral. The use of EU competences is governed by the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

Two protocols are relevant for the national parliaments:

• Protocol (No 1) on the role of national parliaments in the European Union; and
• Protocol (No 2) on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.


According to Article 12 TEU, national parliaments contribute actively to the good functioning of the union (OJEU 9.5.2008 C 115):


Article 12 TEU

National Parliaments contribute actively to the good functioning of the Union:

(a) through being informed by the institutions of the Union and having draft legislative acts of the Union forwarded to them in accordance with the Protocol on the role of national Parliaments in the European Union;

(b) by seeing to it that the principle of subsidiarity is respected in accordance with the procedures provided for in the Protocol on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;

(c) by taking part, within the framework of the area of freedom, security and justice, in the evaluation mechanisms for the implementation of the Union policies in that area, in accordance with Article 70 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and through being involved in the political monitoring of Europol and the evaluation of Eurojust's activities in accordance with Articles 88 and 85 of that Treaty;

(d) by taking part in the revision procedures of the Treaties, in accordance with Article 48 of this Treaty;

(e) by being notified of applications for accession to the Union, in accordance with Article 49 of this Treaty;

(f) by taking part in the inter-parliamentary cooperation between national Parliaments and with the European Parliament, in accordance with the Protocol on the role of national Parliaments in the European Union.



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Preparation for the Lisbon Treaty

The national parliaments in 26 EU member states have approved the Treaty of Lisbon. Politically Ireland has secured that every member state keeps a member of the Commission, if the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, as well as assurances on sensitive issues.

On the basis of this “better deal”, the Irish government will propose a new referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, when the details of the guarantees have been finalised at the European Council 18 to 19 June 2009.

This blog has called for the EU institutions to prepare the needed acts and decisions for the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in an open, transparent and interactive manner. Only the European Parliament has acted openly, while the Council and the Commission have either failed to carry on preparatory work or they have kept EU citizens in the dark.

But the possible entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty has implications for national parliaments, as well.

If the Irish vote Yes in the second referendum and the other loose ends are tied up (formal ratification by the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany), the reform treaty enters into force quickly, at the beginning of the month following the deposition of the last ratification instrument. (In addition, approval or rejection in the Åland Islands affects the geographical scope of the reform treaty.)

At the national level, too, the needed preparatory measures have to be prepared in advance.


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Sweden

The Riksdag Board of the Swedish Parliament (riksdagsstyrelsen) has produced a legislative proposal on the application of the Treaty of Lisbon in the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag): Tillämpningen av Lissabonfördraget i riksdagen 2008/09:URF2.



All the consequences of the Lisbon Treaty are studied, including the anticipated increase in the work-load of the Parliament, and the 124 page study contains proposed amendments to the Riksdag Act (riksdagsordningen).

Without going into details here, the proposals are interesting for national parliaments in other EU member states and for researchers.



Ralf Grahn

European Council: Nordic spoilers?

What future lies in store for cultures of official secrecy and judicious leaks to favoured journalists? Those Nordics have realised that most people yawn, when they hear the European Union mentioned.

This afternoon the EU committees of the Danish parliament (Folketinget) and the Swedish parliament (Riksdag) have discussed the agenda of the spring European Council with their prime ministers. The web-tv recordings are available for those who missed the live hearings.

In addition, in both countries the draft conclusions are available to the public.

I have two questions:

Is government (or European Union) business at risk through these revelations?

When and how is the public informed ahead of the EU summits in other member states?


Ralf Grahn

European Union: Activity reports 2008

The Commission of the European Communities and the Swedish government have published their annual reports on the activities of the European Union. They are important sources for journalists, researchers, teachers, students, businesses, politicians, public officials, NGOs and interested citizens.

Has the Swedish example caught on in other EU member states?

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COMMISSION

General Report

On 4 March 2009 the Commission published the General Report on the Activities of the European Union in 2008.

On the about 260 pages of its annual report the Commission describes the main developments during 2008 under seven Chapter headings:

General political and economic framework
Prosperity
Solidarity
Security and freedom
Europe in the world
Life of the institutions, other bodies and agencies
Budget and financial activities

The General Report is available at:
http://europa.eu/generalreport/en/rg2008en.pdf

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Useful

Published in 22 languages, the General Report is a useful tool to get an overview of developments within each policy area of the European Union. The references to sources are helpful in the search for documents.

The General Report is complemented by the monthly Bulletin (provisional and final).


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Treaty basis

The Commission is required to publish a number of (annual) reports, among which the General Report is the centerpiece, based on Article 212 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC); in the consolidated version of the treaties, OJEU 29.12.2006 C 321 E/139:


Article 212 TEC

The Commission shall publish annually, not later than one month before the opening of the session of the European Parliament, a general report on the activities of the Community.


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Lisbon Treaty

In the consolidated Treaty of Lisbon the corresponding provision is Article 249(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), published OJEU 9.5.2008 C 115/157.


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European Parliament

The General Report is addressed to the European Parliament, and Article 200 TEC concerns EP scrutiny (OJEU page 135):


Article 200 TEC

The European Parliament shall discuss in open session the annual general report submitted to it by the Commission.


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Lisbon Treaty

The corresponding provision in the consolidated Treaty of Lisbon is Article 233 TFEU (OJEU page 152).


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SWEDEN

The Swedish government publishes an annual report to the Parliament (Riksdagen) on activities in the European Union (as well as useful reports on the Council of Europe and the OSCE) .

For those who are able to read Swedish the latest EU report (Regeringens skrivelse 2008/09:85 Berättelse on verksamheten i Europeiska unionen) is a valuable resource.

Like the previous reports, the 2008 version published 5 March 2009 offers at least the quantity (374 pages) and quality of the Commission’s General Report.

The Swedish report is available at:

http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/12/25/08/6109a562.pdf


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Duty to publish


The Swedish government’s duty to publish the report is based on the Riksdag Act (1974:153, as amended on 1 July 2007):


Chapter 10. Conduct of European Union business
Government’s obligation to inform the Riksdag of EU work
Art. 1. In accordance with Chapter 10, Article 6 of the Instrument of Government, the Government shall keep the Riksdag continuously informed concerning developments within the framework of European Union cooperation.

The Government shall account to the Riksdag concerning its actions at the European Union and shall submit a written communication annually to the Riksdag reporting activities at the European Union.






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Other national reports?

Dear Reader, do you know how your government reports on EU activities to its parliament and citizens?



Ralf Grahn