The Riksdag votes in favour of regulatory framework for Sweden's foreign intelligence agency
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Sweden is establishing a new agency to strengthen its intelligence activities. The Riksdag voted in favour of the necessary legislative amendments to enable Sweden's foreign intelligence agency (Und) to launch its operations on 1 January 2027.
The Riksdag has approved a new law on the processing of personal data at the foreign intelligence agency. Processing of personal data at the foreign intelligence agency will ensure that the agency can process personal data in an appropriate manner while protecting the basic rights of natural persons in conjunction with this processing.
The Riksdag has also approved the Government's other proposals for legislative amendments that are necessary to establish the agency.
Similar to what applies to the Swedish Armed Forces today, the Riksdag shares the Government's assessment that the new foreign intelligence agency should be able to grant direct access to foreign intelligence or security services. Direct access is a way of accessing personal data. A body with direct access to someone else's records or databases can independently search for data.
The amendments will come into force on 1 January 2027.