Documents and laws

The Riksdag website contains over half a million documents relating to the work of the Riksdag. In this section, you can read about and find explanations of the various kinds of documents, such as motions and interpellations. You can use the search function to find specific documents. Most of these documents are only available in Swedish.

Magnifying glass. Illustration.
Illustration: The Riksdag Administration

Search documents and laws

Find the Riksdag's documents and laws via the search function.

Various types of Riksdag documents 

Here you will find all the various Riksdag documents divided up into categories. The categories are arranged according to the Riksdag's decision-making process, from proposal to law. Under each category, you will find different types of documents arranged in alphabetical order.

Inquiries and reports

Before the Government can draw up a legislative proposal, it appoints an inquiry to analyse the matter. The findings of the inquiries appointed by the Government are available in two different series: the Ministry Publications Series (Ds) and the Swedish Government Official Reports series (SOU). The terms of reference describe the assignment of the inquiry and the written communication concerning the work of the commissions of inquiry is an annual account of the inquiries appointed by the Government and their work. The Swedish National Audit Office submits its audit reports to the Riksdag. Reports from the Riksdag are the result of the committees’ follow- up and evaluation of Riksdag decisions.

Ministry Publications Series

The Ministry Publications Series (Ds) is a series of proposals and conclusions submitted to the Government by inquiries conducted within the government ministries.

The Ministry Publications Series is available on the website from the mid-1990s. Certain older documents are also available.

Ministry Publications Series (in Swedish)

 

Explanatory memorandums on EU proposals

An explanatory memorandum is an account from the Government to the Riksdag of a proposal from the European Commission. The memorandum presents what the proposal involves, its possible impact on Swedish regulations and what the Government thinks about the proposal. Explanatory memorandums on EU proposals are available on the website from 2003 onwards.

Explanatory memorandums on EU proposals (in Swedish)

Inquiries from the Riksdag Administration

Inquiries conducted within the Riksdag Administration are included in a series known as Inquiries from the Riksdag Administration (URF). The inquiries are appointed by the Secretary-General of the Riksdag or the Riksdag Board. Inquiries from the Riksdag Administration are available on the website from 2002 onwards.

Inquiries from the Riksdag Administration (in Swedish)

Ministry Publications Series

The Ministry Publications Series (Ds) is a series of proposals and conclusions submitted to the Government by inquiries conducted within the government ministries.

The Ministry Publications Series is available on the website from the mid-1990s. Certain older documents are also available.

Ministry Publications Series (in Swedish)

 

Reports

The Riksdag bodies submit annual reports on their activities during the year to the Riksdag. Examples of Riksdag bodies are the Swedish National Audit Office, the Parliamentary Ombudsmen (JO), the Riksdag Board and the Riksbank. Reports are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Reports (in Swedish)

Reports from the Riksdag

The parliamentary committees follow up and evaluate the Riksdag's decisions. Their findings are published in reports which are published in the Reports from the Riksdag (RFR) series. The reports are normally dealt with at public hearings. Reports from the Riksdag are available on the website from the mid-1990s onwards.

Reports from the Riksdag (in Swedish)

Swedish Government Official Reports

The Swedish National Audit Office is an authority under the Riksdag, with responsibility for financial audits of the Government and central government agencies. The Swedish National Audit Office submits its audit reports directly to the Riksdag. The Swedish National Audit Office's audit reports are available on the website from 2011 onwards.

Swedish Government Official Reports (in Swedish)

Terms of reference

The Government appoints a commission of inquiry to analyse a matter before drawing up a legislative proposal. The terms of reference describe the assignment and set a deadline for the commission of inquiry. Terms of reference are available on the website from the late 1970s onwards. Certain older documents are also available.

Terms of reference (in Swedish)

Written communications concerning the work of commissions of inquiry

Written communications concerning the work of commissions of inquiry appointed by Government decision contain a list of the commissions appointed during a specific year, their work and their members. The written communications concerning the work of commissions of inquiry are available on the website from the early 1990s onwards. Certain older documents are also available.

Written communications concerning the work of commissions of inquiry (in Swedish)

Written communications from the Government

Written communications from the Government to the Riksdag can concern the Government's views on a specific matter, or how it has worked or plans to work with a specific policy area. A written communication does not contain any proposals for a decision by the Riksdag. Written communications are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Written communications from the Government (in Swedish)

Proposals

There are various kinds of proposals to the Riksdag. Private members’ motions are submitted by one or more members of the Riksdag, and government bills are proposals from the Government. Proposals may also be submitted by certain Riksdag bodies. 

Proposals for new EU legislation can come from the EU institutions, normally from the European Commission.

EU initiatives

EU initiatives are documents from the European Commission, “COM documents”. COM documents may, for example, be proposals for new or amended legislation, policy documents or reports. The Government's explanatory memorandums on EU proposals or statements from the parliamentary committees can be based on COM documents. COM documents are available on the website from 2011 onwards.

EU initiatives (in Swedish)

Government bills

A government bill is a proposal from the Government to the Riksdag. Government bills contain legislative or budget proposals. Government bills are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Government bills (in Swedish)

Private members’ motions

Private members’ motions are proposals to the Riksdag from one or more members of the Riksdag. A motion may be independent or it may be a counter-proposal to a government bill. Private members’ motions are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Private members’ motions (in Swedish)

Submissions

Submissions are proposals to the Riksdag from certain Riksdag bodies. Examples of Riksdag bodies are the Swedish National Audit Office, the Parliamentary Ombudsmen (JO), the Riksdag Board and the Riksbank. Submissions are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Submissions (in Swedish)

 

The parliamentary committees and the Committee on EU Affairs

All proposals that are submitted to the Riksdag are first prepared by a parliamentary committee before a decision is taken in the Chamber. The Committee on EU Affairs is a Riksdag body which the Government consults on EU matters. 

Annual reports

The parliamentary committees’ and Committee on EU Affairs’ annual reports contain annual summaries of their activities. Annual reports are available on the website from 2000 onwards. Certain older documents are also available.

Annual reports (in Swedish)

Committee reports and statements

Committee reports contain the parliamentary committees’ proposals for how the Riksdag should decide on various matters. The parliamentary committees submit statements on various EU proposals. Committee reports are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Committee reports and statements (in Swedish)

Notices of meetings and order papers

The parliamentary committees’ and Committee on EU Affairs’ notices of meetings and order papers show when they meet and the matters on the agenda. Notices of meetings and order papers from the parliamentary committees are available on the website from 2000 onwards and from the Committee on EU Affairs from 2005 onwards.

Notices of meetings and order papers (in Swedish)

Records of the Committee on EU Affairs

The records of the Committee on EU Affairs contain an account of what is said at the meetings of the Committee on EU Affairs. The records are published approximately two weeks after the meeting. The records of the Committee on EU Affairs are available on the website from 1999 onwards.

Records of the Committee on EU Affairs (in Swedish)

Special records of the Committee on the Constitution

Records from the Committee on the Constitution’s special meetings during which the Committee considers the scrutiny matters that arise following reports from members of the Riksdag. The Committee on the Constitution’s special records are available on the website from 2003 onwards.

Special records of the Committee on the Constitution (in Swedish)

Statements of opinion

A committee which is responsible for a specific matter can request comments from another committee. The comments are known as statements of opinion. The statement of opinion is included in the committee report which the responsible committee submits ahead of the Riksdag’s decision on the matter. Statements of opinion are available on the website from 1971 onwards.

Statements of opinion (in Swedish)

The Committee on the Constitution’s special notices of meetings and order papers

Special notices of meetings and order papers show when the Committee on the Constitution meets to consider scrutiny matters that arise following reports to the Committee on the Constitution. The documents also specify which matters the Committee on the Constitution will be dealing with. The Committee on the Constitution’s special notices of meetings and order papers are available on the website from 2012 onwards.

The Committee on the Constitution’s special notices of meetings and order papers (in Swedish)

Written consultations of the Committee on EU Affairs

Written consultations are consultations that the Government holds with the Committee on EU Affairs without meeting. These consultations are conducted by e-mail. Written consultations of the Committee on EU Affairs are available on the website for the period 2009–2017.

Written consultations of the Committee on EU Affairs (in Swedish)

Questions and reports to the Committee on the Constitution

The members of the Riksdag examine the work of the Government by means of interpellations, written questions and reports to the Committee on the Constitution.

Answers to written questions

Members of the Riksdag can examine the work of the Government by addressing written questions to government ministers. The ministers answer in writing. Answers to written questions are available on the website from 1997 onwards.

Answers to written questions (in Swedish)

Interpellations

An interpellation is a question from a member of the Riksdag to a government minister. The member puts his or her question – the interpellation – in writing to the minister, but receives the answer both in writing and orally from the minister, who visits the Chamber of the Riksdag. The minister reads his or her answer to the interpellation, after which a debate is held. The debates are documented in the record of proceedings in the Chamber. Interpellations are available on the website from 1999 onwards.

Interpellations (in Swedish)

Reports to the Committee on the Constitution

Members of the Riksdag can report instances of what they consider to be inappropriate behaviour to the Committee on the Constitution, asking the Committee on the Constitution to examine the actions of a government minister more closely. The resulting examinations can be found in the Committee on the Constitution’s scrutiny reports. Reports to the Committee on the Constitution are available on the website from 2002 onwards.

Reports to the Committee on the Constitution (in Swedish)

Written questions

Members of the Riksdag can examine the work of the Government by addressing written questions to government ministers. The ministers answer in writing. Written questions are available on the website from 1998 onwards.

Written questions (in Swedish)

The Chamber

The members of the Riksdag debate and take decisions in the Chamber. The matters that are considered, what is said during debates and what decisions are taken are documented in order papers, records of proceedings and lists of speakers.

Lists of speakers

The lists of speakers show which members have notified their wish to speak at meetings of the Chamber in advance. The lists are updated until 16.30 of the day before the debate. The Chamber’s lists of speakers are available on the website from 2004 onwards.

Lists of speakers (in Swedish)

Order papers

The order papers show which matters are to be considered at meetings of the Chamber. Order papers from the Chamber are available on the website from 2004 onwards.

Order papers (in Swedish)

Records of proceedings in the Chamber

The records of proceedings in the Chamber are written accounts of what has been said and decided in the Chamber. The records also show how the parties have voted. A preliminary record is published approximately six hours after the final debate of the day. The final record is ready after a few weeks. Records of proceedings in the Chamber are available on the website from 1867 onwards.

Records of proceedings in the Chamber (in Swedish)

Votes

When the members of the Riksdag do not agree on a matter, a decision can be taken by means of a vote. The members then vote on the various proposals presented in the committee report. The votes show how all members of the Riksdag have voted in votes where the votes have been counted, that is, where the members have voted by pressing a button. It is the results of the final votes that are shown. The results of preparatory votes can be seen in the records of proceedings in the Chamber. Votes are available on the website from 2002 onwards.

Votes (in Swedish)

Written communications from the Riksdag

Written communications from the Riksdag are formal messages from the Riksdag to the Government or to a Riksdag body specifying what decision the Riksdag has taken. Written communications from the Riksdag are available on the website for the period 1867–1970 and from 2004 onwards.

Written communications from the Riksdag (in Swedish)

Laws and regulations

One of the Riksdag’s most important tasks is to take decisions about the laws that are to apply in Sweden The Government can also decide on rules that everyone in Sweden must comply with. Such rules are known as ordinances. Sweden has four fundamental laws which make up the Constitution: the Instrument of Government, the Act of Succession, the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression. The Riksdag Act is not one of the fundamental laws but occupies a position between fundamental law and ordinary law. Regulations are a form of law, Statutes of the Riksdag Administration.

Statutes of the Riksdag Administration

The Statutes of the Riksdag Administration (RFS) contain regulations adopted by the Riksdag Administration (Riksdag Board or Secretary-General of the Riksdag). The regulations are published in print. The Statutes of the Riksdag Administration also contain regulations adopted by other authorities under the Riksdag.

Statutes of the Riksdag Administration (in Swedish)

Swedish Code of Statutes (SFS)

The Government publishes all new laws and ordinances, and amendments to these, in the Swedish Code of Statutes.

Swedish Code of Statutes (in Swedish)

The Act of Succession

The Instrument of Government sets out that Sweden shall have a King or Queen as head of state. However, it is the Act of Succession that contains the rules on who shall succeed to the throne. The Act of Succession dates from 1810, and is the oldest of Sweden’s four fundamental laws.

The Instrument of Government

The Instrument of Government is the fundamental law that sets out the basic principles of our democracy. It describes how the country is to be governed, our democratic rights and freedoms and how public power is to be divided. The current Instrument of Government came into force in 1975, replacing the Instrument of Government from 1809.

The Freedom of the Press Act

The Freedom of the Press Act, one of Sweden’s fundamental laws, dates from 1949 and regulates the right for everyone to publish books, newspapers and journals as they wish. At the same time as the Freedom of the Press Act gives us the right to express ourselves freely, it also protects us against defamation and insulting language or behaviour. The Freedom of the Press Act also contains the principle of public access to official documents. According to this principle, everyone is entitled to access official documents.

The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression

The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression is from 1991 and regulates, among other things, the right to express oneself freely on the radio, TV and the Internet. It also describes what is not permitted, for example, defaming or publicly insulting another person.

The Riksdag Act

The Riksdag Act contains provisions on the organisation and work of the Riksdag. It occupies an intermediate position between fundamental and ordinary law. The Riksdag Act is divided into main provisions and supplementary provisions. Main provisions can only be amended in the same way as a fundamental law or by qualified majority. Supplementary provisions can be amended in the same way as ordinary law.

Official documents

Most documents on which the Riksdag’s decisions are based, or which are submitted to or drawn up by the Riksdag Administration, are official documents.

The register on the Riksdag website (in Swedish)

Via the Riksdag website, it is possible to search for official documents in the register and request the documents that have been registered from 1 January 2017 onwards.

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