Government bill on labour immigration
The Government has submitted a bill to the Parliament (Riksdag) proposing new rules for labour immigration to Sweden. The proposal seeks to create more opportunities for labour immigration and to make it easier for employers to recruit from countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The bill is based on an agreement between the Government and the Green Party.
Sweden participated in high-level meeting on support to the Palestinians
On Friday, Sweden took part, for the first time, in a meeting with the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC). Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson represented Sweden at the meeting, which took place in London.
EU foreign ministers to discuss crisis in Zimbabwe
The crisis situation in Zimbabwe, continued sanctions against Burma and the situation in Serbia and Kosovo ahead of the parliamentary election in Serbia on 11 May. These are some of the questions EU foreign ministers will discuss when they meet in the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg on 29 April. Sweden will be represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt.
Secretary-General of the OECD visiting Sweden
Secretary-General of the OECD, Angel Gurría, is visiting Sweden on 22-23 April at the invitation of Minister for Trade Ewa Björling. Dr Björling and Mr Gurría will hold talks about the role of the OECD in the international economic system and trade policy issues of the future, as well as trade and climate change.
Global standardisation - more than straight cucumbers
On Wednesday the Government presented a communication to the Riksdag describing the importance of standardisation in an increasingly globalised world.
"In almost every area, standardisation works very well, and that's something we benefit from on a daily basis in that it gives us safer, cheaper and better products;" says Minister for Trade Ewa Björling.
Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in China and Japan, 12-18 April
After three days in China, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt arrived in Japan Wednesday, where he met with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. During the stay in Japan, Mr Reinfeldt will visit and give a speech at the UN University of Tokyo on the topic "Sustainable Urban Development".
Anders Borg and Gunilla Carlsson to World Bank and IMF meetings in Washington
Minister for Finance Anders Borg and Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will take part in the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings on 12-13 April in Washington D.C.
Swedish election monitors to Serbia and Georgia
The Government decided today to send two election monitors to Serbia ahead of the parliamentary elections on 11 May and three election monitors and 15 election observers to Georgia ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held on 21 May.
Preliminary development assistance statistics for 2007
The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) today published preliminary statistics for official development assistance (ODA) from all member countries. The statistics show that only Sweden and four other countries comfortably exceed the UN goal of an ODA volume amounting to 0.7 per cent of gross national income (GNI).
Sweden to host international UN conference on Iraq
Today Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and made it clear that Sweden will host the first follow-up meeting for the International Compact with Iraq (ICI).
