Areas of responsibility of the Ministry of Defence

The Ministry of Defence seeks to fulfil the objectives the Government and Riksdag (Swedish parliament) have set for defence policy, protection and preparedness against accidents and preparedness for severe peacetime emergencies. The Ministrys areas of responsibility are listed here.

• Defence reform

  The Swedish defence system is undergoing one of the largest military reforms to be undertaken by Sweden in modern times as it is transformed from a defence force against invasion to a mobile, flexible operational defence which can both defend Sweden and take part in international operations.

• The total defence

  In Sweden, the total defence consists of civil and military defence.

• Military defence comprises activities undertaken by the Swedish Armed Forces and parts of the activities carried out by the joint total defence authorities.

• Civil defence embraces the whole of society including all the services that need to function in times of crisis and war. Municipalities, county councils, county administrative boards, central government agencies, many companies and other organisations all have important roles to play in the civil defence sector. Civil defence is not an organisation; it consists of a diverse range of activities conducted by society to strengthen its capacity to deal with heightened alert and war.
  

• Protection and preparation against accidents

  The policy area "Protection against accidents" comprises measures to prevent accidents and to limit the consequences when accidents do occur. The term "accidents" here includes both accidents caused by human agency and natural disasters in which people, property or the environment can come to harm.

• Severe peacetime emergencies

  Severe emergencies can be described as extreme situations of various types, which may originate in an accident, a natural disaster or an act of sabotage, and develop to encompass a number of different areas of society. This situation means that serious disruptions occur in major public services or that fundamental values in society are threatened.

• Security policy in the field of defence

  Sweden works in many different ways to promote peace, secure societies and international cooperation around the Baltic Sea, in Europe and in the world. Swedens security policy aims at preserving Swedens liberty and national independence, contributing to stability and security in our vicinity and strengthening international peace and security.

• Security policy developments in Europe since the end of the cold war have led to substantially increased international contacts in the Ministry of Defences field over the past few years. This applies not only to military and civil defence, but also to other agencies answerable to the Ministry of Defence.

• International operations

  The international commitment is one of the most important tasks of the Swedish total defence. International peace support and humanitarian operations are channels through which we help to make the world a safer place.

• Intelligence issues

  Defence intelligence activities must be undertaken to identify external military threats against this country and to support Swedish foreign, defence and security policy.

• Gender equality and diversity

  Gender equality and diversity help to raise standards in organisations. An employer must attract the most competent staff without excluding women, persons with a foreign background or persons with a particular sexual preference.

• International law: the laws of war

  The Ministry of Defence is responsible for introducing the rules of international humanitarian law in Sweden, i.e. the parts of international law that are applicable in the event of armed conflict.