The parliamentary committees at work

When the Government submits a proposal – in the form of a government bill – to the Riksdag, it is first referred to a parliamentary committee.  The same applies to proposals in motions submitted by members of the Riksdag.  The committee adopts a position first before it is time for all the members of the Riksdag to take a decision on the Government's or the members' proposals.

Each committee is responsible for the consideration of a number of policy areas. Military issues, for example, are considered by the Committee on Defence, while the Committee on Health and Welfare deals with proposals concerning healthcare.

Elections to the committees

The parliamentary committees must always consist of an odd number of members, but no fewer than 15.  Each committee currently consists of 17 members. The number of members in the committees is determined by the Riksdag after each election.

The composition of members in each committee reflects the distribution of seats in the Riksdag. The largest party in the Riksdag normally also has the most members in each committee.

After an election to the Riksdag, it is the nominations committee that proposes how many members there should be in each committee. The nominations committee also prepares a proposal concerning the members and deputy members for each committee.  The parties may nominate members for the various committees to the nominations committee. The nominations committee is appointed in connection with the roll-call in the Chamber in the autumn after an election to the Riksdag.

A committee must have at least as many substitutes – deputy members – as it does ordinary members. However, the number of deputy members is normally greater. The task of a deputy member is to take the ordinary member's place if necessary.

If a member leaves his or her party, he or she will also leave his committee assignments, but will still retain a seat in the Riksdag and will, for example, still be able to vote. A member may also choose to leave his or her place in a committee, which the Chamber then has to formally approve.

Committee chairs

Each committee has a chair and one or more deputy chairs. The parties in the Riksdag agree on how the posts of chair and deputy chair are to be distributed among the parties in the committees. The members of each committee then decide who is to be chair and deputy chair.  The chairs preside over the committee meetings.

In the event of a tied vote, the chair has the casting vote.  This means that if the votes are evenly divided between two proposals, it is the proposal supported by the committee chair that wins.

Committee meetings

Committee meetings are held behind closed doors, which means that neither the public nor the media can attend.  This allows members to discuss sensitive political issues without outside listeners.  The idea is that this should provide better opportunities for reaching agreements and compromise solutions between the parties.

Everyday political life is very much about "give and take".  Since no party has a majority of its own in the Riksdag, the parties need to be prepared to negotiate with each other.

Officials assist with preparation of written documentation

Each committee has a secretariat with officials who assist the members when it comes to writing the proposals upon which the Riksdag will then decide. These are called committee reports.  The officials also help to write statements on various EU documents which are then debated and decided on in the Chamber.  The officials also assist the members in their follow-up and evaluation of decisions by the Riksdag and their work with issues relating to research and the future.

The officials are party-politically impartial. This means that they help all eight parties in the Riksdag in the same way and are not allowed to favour any particular party.

The committees take a position on proposals

A significant part of the committees' work involves taking a position on various proposals. Most of the proposals are presented in government bills or private members' motions from members of the Riksdag, but a committee can also present proposals of its own.Such proposals are known as committee initiatives. Most of the committees' time is devoted to adopting a position on government bills.  All bills must be considered by a committee before a decision is taken by the Riksdag.  A bill about railways will, for example, be referred to the Committee on Transport and Communications for consideration.

Consultation within the parties

The party groups play an important role in the work of the Riksdag.  A party group consists of all the members of a party in the Riksdag.  A common question at the meetings of the opposition party groups is what position to take on government bills.  Should they say yes to the proposal or present their own alternatives in a follow-up motion?

The committee takes a position

Once the members have read and discussed the proposals with their party colleagues, it is time for a discussion in the committee. The proposal is presented by an official at the committee secretariat. The members then discuss what position they are going to take on the proposal and any follow-up motions to the bill.

Does a majority of the members want the Riksdag to approve the Government's proposals? Is there a committee majority that wants to say yes to any of the follow-up motions?

Sometimes the members adopt a position at their first meeting, but often, they need to meet several times before the committee can present a proposal for a decision by the Riksdag.

Counter-proposals from the opposition parties

The committee's proposal is based on the position held by the majority of the committee's members. Members who do not agree may submit reservations on the matter. In their reservations, the minority give an account of their view of the matter.

When the committee has reached its decision, the report is made public.  The committee reports with proposals for decisions by the Riksdag are, in other words, available for anyone to read.  The report also contains any reservations from the committee minority.

Committee initiatives

A committee may submit proposals to the Riksdag on subjects belonging to its area of responsibility on its own initiative. In this case, the proposal does not come in the form of a bill from the Government or a motion from members of the Riksdag, but from the committee. The committee presents its proposal for a decision by the Riksdag in a committee report.

Debate and decision in the Chamber

Once a committee has presented its proposal for a decision in the Riksdag, the matter is referred to the Chamber. The 349 members of the Riksdag now have to take a position on the report.

After the committee has completed its report, it normally takes one to two weeks before it is time for a debate and decision in the Chamber.

When the debate has finished, a vote is held. Usually, the committee majority's proposal wins the vote in the Chamber.  This is because the committee composition reflects the composition of the Riksdag as a whole.

Public hearings to obtain information

The committees can hold public hearings to obtain more information on a particular subject. The committee invites experts and representatives of various interest groups in society to answer questions from the members.  The Committee on Education may, for example when considering a Government bill on higher education, decide to hold a public hearing attended by representatives of the academic sector.

The public can follow public hearings on location. It is also possible to see them live or on demand, via the Riksdag webcast service.

The committees can organise public hearings within their areas of responsibility where experts are invited to speak and answer questions. The members of the Committee on Industry and Trade at a public hearing on piracy and other infringements of rights on the digital market.  In the forefront sits Hanna Westerén (SocDem). Photo: Melker Dahlstrand

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.

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.