Stronger Swedish presence in Mumbai, India
Today, Tuesday 1 April, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling opened the Swedish Trade Council's new office in Mumbai. Mumbai, with more than fifteen million inhabitants, is regarded to be India's finance and entertainment centre.
The Government Sells Vin & Sprit for SEK 55 billion
The Government of Sweden has agreed to sell V&S Vin & Sprit AB (V&S) to Pernod Ricard S.A. (Pernod Ricard), one of the world's leading wine and spirits companies. The total value of the transaction for V&S, owner of the Absolut vodka brand, is equivalent to SEK 55 billion in accordance with the agreement signed on Sunday March 30.
A joint press conference regarding the sale of V&S will be held 31 March at 9.30 am CET. The press conference will be webcasted.
Human rights a key issue in Swedish foreign policy
"Human rights are indivisible and apply to everyone. This year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and I want to underline the importance that this Government attaches to a coherent policy for freedom and against oppression," Today, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson presented the Government's communication to the Riksdag on Human Rights in Swedish Foreign Policy and Sweden's country reports on human rights.
Functional separation for better broadband competition
The Government has now approved the Bill "Functional separation for better broadband competition", which is intended to improve competition in the broadband market.
In the Bill, the Government proposes that the National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) be given more scope to intervene so as to increase competition in the broadband market by ordering functional separation. Such a decision can be taken by the PTS if it turns out that the dominant operator still has an unfair advantage vis-ā-vis other operators in the market, and other operators do not have sufficient insight into the dominant operator's network operations, despite other measures from the PTS.
Sweden renews its Africa policy
Sweden's renewed Africa policy was presented on Wednesday in the "Communication on Africa" submitted by the Government to the Riksdag. The Communication sets out the framework for Swedish policy for cooperation with Africa in the three policy areas of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs: foreign policy, trade and development assistance.
State Visit from Romania
Romanian President Traian Basescu will be making a State Visit to Sweden 11-12 March 2008 at the invitation of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. The programme will include meetings with the Speaker of Parliament Mr Per Westerberg, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and with representatives of the Swedish business sector.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt hands over Sweden's letter of recognition to the Republic of Kosovo
Carl Bildt was the first foreign minister to visit Pristina following Kosovo's declaration of independence. During his visit, Mr Bildt met Kosovo's president Fatmir Sejdiu and handed over Sweden's letter of recognition of the new republic. President Sejdiu accepted the letter of recognition at the Kosovan parliament.
Swedish legislation to be reviewed in search of more effective internal market
Minister for Trade Ewa Björling today appointed Jörgen Hettne as Inquiry Chair to conduct a horizontal review of how Swedish legislation affects the EU internal market for products and services.
Government to present Statement on Trade Policy in the Riksdag
On Tuesday, 4 February, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling presented the Government's Statement on Trade Policy to the Riksdag. It is ten years since the Government last presented such a document.
Sweden recognises the Republic of Kosovo
Today the Government decided to recognise the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state whose independence is supervised for the time being by the international community.
