The committees follow up the Riksdag's decisions
The committees are to follow up and evaluate decisions taken by the Riksdag. The idea is that a committee that has prepared a particular decision should evaluate the outcome of the decision. The follow-up procedure consists partly of in-depth follow-up and evaluation, and partly of ongoing follow-up. The committees are assisted in this task by their individual secretariats and by the Riksdag’s Evaluation and Research Secretariat.
In-depth follow-up and evaluation
In in-depth follow-ups, the committees may choose to carry out a more detailed study of a certain subject or to investigate whether the purpose of a particular law has been achieved. The findings are often documented in a report in the series Reports from the Riksdag (RFR) and are usually subsequently considered at a public hearing. The results can also be used by a committee in a committee report, for example in connection with consideration of private members’ motions.
Ongoing follow-up
In the Budget Bill every year, the Government lists the results achieved in various areas of society. The committees adopt positions on the information provided on the results in their work with the Budget Bill. They also consider the results of the reviews carried out by the National Audit Office. In addition, the committees arrange hearings, study visits and information meetings with representatives from the Government and central government agencies.
Research and the future
It is important that the members of the Riksdag are given high-quality detailed information on developments in society to enable them to take decisions. The Riksdag has therefore decided to integrate research and future-related issues into the work of the Riksdag. The committees are assisted in this task by their individual secretariats and by the Riksdag’s Evaluation and Research Secretariat.
The committees maintain contact with the research community in different ways. They can have regular contact with various research institutions, participate in seminars and conferences on current research or arrange seminars of their own. The committees organise public hearings and invite researchers to participate.
Sometimes, the committees carry out research reviews in their particular areas of responsibility. The research reviews often provide an answer to the question of what the research community as a whole has to say on a particular issue. This may for example concern the level of knowledge in the area of health, the environment and climate, infrastructure investments or the economy. Several of the committees' research reviews, technology evaluations and public hearings have been documented in the series Reports from the Riksdag (RFR).
Reports from the Riksdag (in Swedish)
The parliamentary committees and the EU
The parliamentary committees monitor and take positions on EU matters within their respective areas of responsibility. They examine new proposals from the EU and determine which EU matters the Government must consult the committees on. The committees are also obliged to examine certain EU proposals to ensure their compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, that is that decisions about new laws should be taken at the political level at which the decision can be made most effectively – as close to the citizens as possible.
Many of the proposals from the Government and from members of the Riksdag that are considered by the committees also concern the EU. If, for example, the Government submits a proposal on amendments to tax regulations in response to an EU decision, the Government's proposal will be considered by the Committee on Taxation.
The Riksdag also has an official who is based in Brussels who monitors the EU's work and reports back to the committees and other bodies in the Riksdag.
Early examination of EU documents
The Riksdag receives official EU documents of various kinds from the European Commission. The documents that are to be examined by the committees are decided on by the Speaker of the Riksdag in consultation with the party group leaders. These documents are referred to the committee with responsibility for the matter at hand.
The committees may examine strategic documents from the EU, in which the European Commission explains its ideas, thoughts and forthcoming measures. Once a committee has examined a document, it writes a statement on the matter. The committee comments on the issue in its statement and describes the various points of view that may be held by the various parties in the Riksdag. The Chamber then holds a debate and takes a decision on the statement. Thereafter, the Riksdag Administration sends the statement to the European Commission and to the Government Offices.
Scrutiny of compliance with the principle of subsidiarity
The Riksdag is obliged to scrutinise whether completed legislative proposals from the EU fulfil the requirements of the principle of subsidiarity, that is that decisions are to be made at the political level that can take the most effective decision, as close to the citizens as possible. Scrutiny is also carried out as to whether the proposed measures are compatible with the principle of proportionality, that is that they do not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives in the EU treaties.
It is the task of the committees to carry out subsidiarity checks. Their task is to assess whether a particular decision should be taken by the EU or by the various member states themselves. If the committee considers that the proposal conflicts with the principle of subsidiarity, it will write a statement to this effect. If the Chamber agrees with the committee's assessment, the Riksdag sends a statement of opinion to the EU's decision-making institutions.
If a sufficient number of parliaments of the EU member states consider that the EU should not take a decision regarding a specific legislative proposal, the European Commission is sent a warning. The European Commission must then re-examine, that is consider amending, the EU proposal.
The Government informs the committees
The Government is obliged to inform the Riksdag of its views on new documents from the EU which the Government considers important in what are referred to as explanatory memorandums. The committees may also request oral information from the Government regarding EU matters. The responsible minister or state secretary then visits the committee in order to provide information on the matter and give the members of the committee an opportunity to ask questions.
Deliberations with the Government
It is up to the committees to decide which EU issues the Government must deliberate with the committees on. At these deliberations, the parties have the opportunity to tell the Government what they think about the matter in question. Deliberations also make it possible for the Government to find out whether its positions have support in the Riksdag.
The Committee on the Constitution examines the work of the Government
The Committee on the Constitution has a central role in the exercise of parliamentary control, that is, examining how the Government carries out its work. Every year, the Committee also examines how well the Government has succeeded in providing information to and consulting the Riksdag on EU matters. If the Committee identifies shortcomings, it issues criticism and statements on what the Government can do to improve its information etc. The Committee on the Constitution also follows up the Riksdag's examination of proposals from the EU on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity.
Meetings between parliamentary committees from different EU member states
Cooperation between the national parliaments of the EU member states and the European Parliament mainly takes place between the committees of the national parliaments. Several meetings are held every year for this purpose. For example, the chairs of the parliamentary foreign affairs committees meet regularly to discuss foreign policy. The parliament of the EU country currently holding the presidency has a special responsibility for the meetings that are held and their contents.
