About: Sweden
Sweden summons Russian ambassador over sanctions
Sweden summoned Russia's ambassador to Stockholm on Saturday (1 May), denouncing Moscow for sanctioning European Union officials including a Swedish researcher in an escalating row between Russia and the West.
How innovative EU-funded projects prepared us for lockdown challenges
Often described as cumbersome and hard to access, European regional funds, which are designed to decrease disparities between Europe’s regions, are actually at the forefront of funding innovative projects, often able to financially support ideas from which the traditional markets...
Nordic countries set up Sámi reconciliation commissions to investigate indigenous injustices
Colonial era policies in northern Scandinavia continue to affect Sámi life, culture and land use. Meanwhile, truth commissions are being set up and aim to investigate injustices against Indigenous people carried out by the states. There are an estimated 100,000...
EU court rules out unjustified use of dangerous chemicals in paint
The EU illegally allowed dangerous lead substances to be sold in paints despite safer options being available, the European Court of Justice said in a ruling on Thursday (25 February).
Six EU countries warned over border restrictions
The European Commission said Tuesday (23 February) it has formally warned six EU countries that their virus-related border curbs could undermine free movement within the bloc.
EU urges five countries to codify anti-racism law
The European Commission on Thursday (18 February) told five EU countries -- Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Poland and Sweden -- to quickly put a 2008 EU law against racism into their statutes.
Sweden pauses vaccine payments after Pfizer starts charging for sixth dose
Sweden's Health Agency has paused COVID-19 vaccine payments to Pfizer and is seeking clarification over the number of doses available in each vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter reported on Tuesday (26 January).
Norway’s block on EU fishing vessels keeps Danish boats in port
Norway is withholding permits for British and most EU fishing vessels to catch fish in its North Sea waters while post-Brexit talks between Norway, the EU and Britain are ongoing, leaving many Danish fishing vessels moored idly in ports.
Ericsson worried about Chinese retaliation after Huawei ban
The head of Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson, Bjorn Ekholm, is worried about Chinese reprisals after Sweden banned Huawei from taking part in the rollout of 5G networks, he said Monday (4 January).
Seeking end to 5G ban, Huawei says ready to accept terms Sweden may set
Huawei is willing to meet any requirement the Swedish government may set on 5G network equipment and take other measures to mitigate concerns, a senior executive said, after a ban in the country delayed spectrum auctions.
France’s ‘feminist diplomacy’: lots of talk, little action
The term 'feminist diplomacy' used by France since 2018 remains unclear, according to a report by the country's High Council on Gender Equality presented to the government on 18 November. EURACTIV France reports.
Climate-conscious football fans not ready to change their ways, says study
A study carried out as part of the Life Tackle project demonstrates that while football fans attach great importance to the environment, their behaviour is not always "climate-friendly". EURACTIV France reports.
Sweden halts 5G auction after court grants relief to Huawei
Swedish telecoms regulator PTS on Monday (9 November) halted 5G spectrum auctions after a court suspended parts of its decision that had excluded Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei from 5G networks.
UK removes Denmark from travel corridor after coronavirus mutation discovered in minks
The United Kingdom’s Transport Minister Grant Shapps said on Friday (6 November) that people arriving in the country from Denmark will need to self-isolate for 14 days, starting on Saturday, as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. “I...
A carbon neutral Nordic region would need 75% more electricity, study shows
Nordic countries would have to generate another 290 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, an increase of 75% from current levels, to meet the additional demand for power if they become carbon neutral, a study published on Thursday showed.
Sweden bucks trend in refusing to recommend masks
Sweden attracted worldwide attention earlier this year when it famously stayed open throughout the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, and now it is holding out again, this time refusing to recommend the use of masks.
Syrians still finding their way in Sweden, five years on
They arrived in unprecedented numbers, pushing a strained Sweden to shut its borders as anti-immigration sentiment flared. Five years later, Syrians are still trying to integrate, some more successfully than others.
Gas grid operators unveil plan for European hydrogen infrastructure ‘backbone’
A group of eleven European gas infrastructure companies from nine EU member states presented on Friday (17 July) a plan to create a dedicated hydrogen pipeline network of almost 23,000 km by 2040, to be used in parallel to the natural gas grid.
Taming the ‘Frugal Four’: the challenge facing the German Presidency
The European Commission has presented its proposal for a recovery fund as part of the draft EU budget. Now the member states must be convinced, a task that will fall on Berlin when Germany takes over the EU Council Presidency in July, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Coronavirus: Swedes risk being excluded from travelling abroad
With summer approaching, many countries are preparing plans to reopen borders despite the lingering coronavirus pandemic. Sweden, however, could become a pariah because of the COVID-19's ongoing spread. EURACTIV Italia reports.
‘Frugal Four’ working on counter-proposal to Franco-German recovery fund
The €500 billion Franco-German EU recovery plan, presented on Monday (18 May), is too generous, according to the "Frugal Four" countries, who are working on a counter-proposal insisting on loans instead of grants and subsidies, diplomatic circles confirmed to EURACTIV Germany.
As Europe slowly exits lockdown, Sweden hunkers down for long haul
Sweden has taken a soft approach to virus restrictions and although its rules are likely to be in place longer than in other countries, officials are adamant their strategy is a winner in the long term.
Environmental measures in Swedish forests will continue to be strong
In a recent opinion piece, a group of NGOs wrote that Sweden's forest policy is wreaking havoc. Herman Sundqvist argues that this is wrong on several counts and that the country is working to improve environmental measures in the forest.