Divisions
The Ministry of Justice has approximately 320 employees. The Ministry is divided into 18 divisions.
Division for Police Issues, including Public Order and Safety
The division is responsible for the police service, legislation relating to the police, public order and safety, and the Weapons Act and the Passport Act. It is also in charge of matters pertaining to terrorism and administrative matters connected with the Act
concerning Special Controls in respect of Aliens. In addition, the division is responsible for monitoring and developing international police cooperation, especially EU, Schengen and Baltic Sea cooperation against organised crime. The division also handles legislative matters ensuing from Sweden's membership of Europol and Schengen. Another responsibility is dealing with issues relating to international civilian crisis management.
Division for Prosecution Issues
The division is responsible for the prosecution authorities, including the Swedish National Economic Crimes Bureau, the National Board of Forensic Medicine and the Office of the Chancellor of Justice. It is also responsible for the Data Inspection Board, the Election Authority and the Swedish Commission on Security and Integrity Protection. It is answerable for the prosecution authorities, preliminary investigations and coercive measures in criminal cases, as well as young offenders.
Division for Procedural Law and Court Issues
The division is responsible for issues relating to the courts and rent and tenancy tribunals, the National Courts Administration, the National Legal Aid Authority and the Legal Aid Board, the Swedish Gene Technology Advisory Board and the Supervisory Board of Public Accountants. It is answerable for legislation concerning procedures in the public courts and public administrative courts, legal aid, service of documents, etc. In addition, the division is in charge of international civil law cooperation and the associated legislation.
Division for Crime Policy
The Division for Crime Policy has overarching responsibility for criminal policy issues. The division handles issues related to the prison and probation services, crime prevention efforts and victims of crime. The division is responsible for budgetary and operational issues concerning the Prison and Probation Service, the National Council for Crime Prevention and the Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority.
Division for Legal and Linguistic Draft Revision
The Division for Legal and Linguistic Draft Revision is responsible for quality control of legislation from all ministries. It examines legislative proposals, proposals to be submitted to the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament), terms of reference for committees and other decisions. It provides advice, training and other development support to improve the quality of official writing. The division assists the Director-General for Legal Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office, e.g. by supplying manuals and guidelines aimed at promoting coordination and consistency at the Government Offices. In addition, the division administers the Swedish Code of Statutes (SFS) and the legal databases at the Government Offices, and handles contacts between the Government Offices and the Council on Legislation.
Division for Real Estate and Company Law
The division is responsible for issues relating to real estate and company law in the following areas: the Land Code, the Expropriation Act, the Tenant Ownership Act, the
Tenancy Bargaining Act, the Swedish Companies Act, the Cooperative Societies Act, the Partnership and Non-registered Partnership Act, the Accounting Act, the Annual
Reports Act, the Auditing Act, and the Act on the protection of Trade Secrets.
Division for Business and Family Law
The division is responsible for legislation in the areas of family law, compensation law, general property law, consumer law, international civil law, bankruptcy and insolvency law and enforcement law. Important laws handled by the division include the Marriage Code, the Parental Code, the Cohabitees Act and the Registered Partnership Act, the Tort Liability Act, the Insurance Contracts Act, the Consumer Sales Act, the Consumer Services Act, the Rights of Priority Act, the Bankruptcy Act, the Debt Relief Act, the Company Reorganisation Act and the Swedish Enforcement Code.
Division for Intellectual Property and Transport Law
The main responsibility of this division is legislation in the field of intellectual property and transport law. This includes copyright, topographies of integrated circuits, patents, trademarks, trade names, designs, plant breeding, shipping, aviation, rail traffic, road traffic and space. The division is also responsible for negotiations being conducted in these areas, both at EU level and globally.
Division for Penal Law
The division is responsible for legislation relating to central matters of penal law, especially the Penal Code. A large part of the division's activities has to do with international cooperation on penal law matters. The forums in which such matters are treated include the EU, the Council of Europe and the UN.
Pardons Division
The Pardons Division is responsible for preparing Government business relating to pardons in criminal cases and reversals of court decisions ordering expulsion for criminal offences.
Division for Criminal Cases and International Judicial Cooperation
The division is responsible for legislation and negotiations concerning international judicial cooperation in criminal cases, i.e., extradition, the European Arrest Warrant, mutual recognition and enforcement of sanctions and coercive measures, etc. The division is Sweden's Central Authority for international judicial cooperation and assists Swedish and foreign authorities in such undertakings. The Central Authority receives, reviews and forwards requests to and from Sweden inter alia for international legal assistance in criminal matters, extradition and transfer of enforcement of sentence.
Division for Constitutional Law
The division is responsible for legislative matters relating to the Swedish Constitution, the Elections Act, the Secrecy Act, the Personal Data Act and the Administrative Procedure Act, etc. In addition, the division handles EU affairs, other international affairs and administrative business in these areas of legislation.
Division for Migration Law
The division is responsible for legislative and certain other constitutional matters in the field of migration and asylum. The division also assists the Division for Migration and Asylum Policy and the Division for Management of Migration Affairs when preparing administrative business and drawing up contracts and other agreements of a legal nature.
Division for Migration and Asylum Policy
The division is responsible for matters relating to international cooperation on migration policy, refugee policy issues, immigration to Sweden, asylum and other grounds that entitle foreign nationals to reside in Sweden.
Division for Management of Migration Affairs
The division is responsible for the management of migration policy resources and issues concerning the reception of asylum seekers. The division is also responsible for the Swedish Migration Board and for consultations regarding migration activities at Swedish missions abroad.
Division for EU Affairs
The Division for EU Affairs is responsible for coordinating EU issues at the Ministry. Its tasks include preparation for meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council and Coreper. The division is also responsible for following legal developments in the EU and preparing and pursuing the Ministry's business at the Court of Justice. In addition, the division handles a substantial proportion of the other international contacts in the Ministry's sphere of responsibility, including visits abroad by the political executive. Other important components of the division's work are issues related to the EU's external relations and enlargement, and international development cooperation with the accession countries and third countries.
Management Support and Administration
The division is responsible for planning and follow-up, budget coordination, financial administration, information, correspondence, security and contingency measures, and the record office. It is also responsible for financial administration at the Prime Minister's Office.
Human Resources Division
The role of the Human Resources Division is to help the Ministry succeed in attracting personnel and promoting their motivation and development. In partnership with the executive staff, the division is to strive for a sustainable supply of human resources in the short and long term, a consistent personnel and salaries policy of which staff are well-informed, a good work environment, active promotion of gender equality and diversity, and development by senior officials of good leadership qualities in their management of the Ministry.
