https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/key-legislative-changes-in-sweden-for-2025/

Sweden

Key legislative changes in Sweden for 2025

Published 2 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Montage. Photo: EU-kommissionen/Christophe Licoppe, Tarjei Mo/CC BY-SA 4.0

The Kristersson government is gearing up with a slew of new laws for 2025.

At the turn of the year, several new laws came into force in Sweden. Laws that affect everything from taxes and the environment to legal certainty and digital accessibility. New earned income tax credit, more expensive unsecured loans, anonymous witnesses allowed and lowered limit for free dental care are some examples.

Below is a selection of several important legislative changes in 2025.

Enhanced earned income tax credit and reduced tax for pensioners

The government has introduced an enhanced earned income tax credit that gives everyone with a monthly income of more than SEK 16,000 a tax cut of an average of SEK 2,600 per year. At a monthly salary of SEK 40,000, the effect fades away.

In addition, the phasing out of the earned income tax credit will be removed, reducing the marginal tax rate from 55% to 52%. Pensioners will also benefit from lower taxes, with an average reduction of around SEK 1 400 per year.

Increased income pension

The income pension will be increased by 4%, which means that a pensioner earning SEK 18,000 a month will receive SEK 720 more from January 2025. For guarantee pensioners, this means an increase of 2.6%.

Tax-free basic rate for savings in investment savings accounts (ISK)

A tax-free basic rate will be introduced for savings in ISK and endowment insurance accounts. In 2025, savings up to SEK 150,000 will be tax-free, with a planned increase to SEK 300,000 in 2026.

Reduced tax on petrol and diesel

From 1 January 2025, the tax on petrol and diesel will be reduced compared to previously decided levels. Further reductions will take effect on 1 July 2025, and these tax rates will also apply in 2026.

Housing allowance extended

The temporary additional allowance linked to the housing allowance will be extended until June 2025, but at a level of 25% of the preliminary housing allowance.

Increased tax on electricity

From the beginning of the year, the tax on electricity will be increased – from SEK 0.428 per kilowatt hour to SEK 0.439 per kilowatt hour (almost SEK 0.55 per kilowatt hour including VAT).

Allowing anonymous witnesses

To strengthen witness protection and counter the culture of silence in criminal circles, it will now be possible to testify anonymously in certain cases. This applies to serious crimes with a minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, both during preliminary investigations and in court.

Mandatory textile sorting

From January 1, 2025, it will be mandatory to sort textile waste separately from other waste. This includes clothes, curtains, bags and other textiles. Municipalities will be responsible for the collection and management of textile waste.

Abolition of aviation tax

The previous aviation tax will be abolished on July 1, 2025. This is expected to reduce domestic and intra-European ticket prices by around SEK 80, while travel outside Europe will be around SEK 325 cheaper.

Reduced age limit for free dental care

The age limit for free dental care will be lowered from the beginning of the year. Previously, dental care was free until the year you turned 23; now this only applies until the age of 19. People between the ages of 20 and 23 will instead receive a general dental care allowance of SEK 600 per year.

Requirement for charging points at larger parking lots

After the turn of the year, parking lots with 20 or more spaces must have at least one charging point for electric cars. The requirement applies to almost all parking lots with 20 or more spaces. The exception is certain non-profit organizations, residential buildings and buildings for national defense.

Increased ceiling for rehabilitation grants

The ceiling for rehabilitation grants to employers will be raised from SEK 10,000 to SEK 20,000 per employee per year. The aim is to enable employers to offer employees the necessary rehabilitation.

Strengthened rights for children

Other examples of new laws and regulations to be introduced in 2025 include higher salaries for police trainees, abolition of license requirements for opening hotels or guesthouses, requirements for employers to report maternity and paternity leave to the Swedish Tax Agency, and strengthened rights for children against violence and abuse.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-police-300-shootings-last-year/

Sweden

Swedish police: 300 shootings last year

organized crime

Published 21 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Yazid Nasuha/iStock

The police see a clear decrease in firearms-related violence.

According to a report by the Swedish Police Authority, firearm violence in Sweden decreased in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Last year, 296 confirmed shootings took place – which is almost 20% lower than in 2023.

– Our assessment is that the decrease is due to our increased ability to prevent and avert acts of violence, says Johan Olsson, head of the police’s national operations department, Noa.

However, he stresses that “the level of conflict and demand for violence” remains high and that gangs continue to try to use digital environments to recruit new members and people who can commit acts of violence.

According to the police, they have become better at apprehending suspected killers quickly and the number of identified suspects per shooting has also increased.

– This means that today we achieve broader prosecutions and can target more of those involved than before, Olsson continues.

The police authority states that over the past two years, it has developed the ability to collect and analyze information, both in terms of hunting down perpetrators and the actual investigative work afterwards. In addition, it is claimed that the ability to bring together information available in local police areas, criminal investigation of serious crimes, intelligence and international activities has been strengthened.

Relatives still “legitimate” targets

Last year, 44 people were killed in firearm violence compared to 54 in 2023 – while 66 were injured. There has also been a slight decrease in the number of relatives and innocent people injured or killed in shootings and explosions.

– Our view is that the approach that emerged in 2023, where family members are seen as legitimate targets, unfortunately persists, notes Johan Olsson.

The police also note that the suspected perpetrators are getting younger and that the proportion of suspects under 18 has more than doubled since 2019.

Last year, a quarter of all suspected shooters were minors and some of them were also under 15 years old. For fatal shootings in 2024, around a third of the suspects were under 18 and a dozen were under 15.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-criminologists-no-link-between-immigration-and-violent-crime/

Sweden

Swedish criminologists: No link between immigration and violent crime

Deteriorating safety

Published 20 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: iStock/ovjo12

“The proportion of immigrants does not explain violent crime in a municipality”, according to criminologist Amber Beckley.

– Based on our analysis, we have seen that there is little to no link between the proportion of immigrants in a municipality and reported violent crime, said Amber Beckley, associate professor of criminology and senior lecturer at Örebro University.

The study, conducted by criminologists at five Swedish universities, claims to have compared the 20 municipalities in Sweden with the highest increase in violent crime between 2000 and 2020 with the 20 municipalities with the least negative trend, controlling for the number of immigrants living in these 40 municipalities.

– Most violent crime in a municipality can be explained by other factors, such as the number of people working and education, Beckley further argues in an interview with Swedish public radio SR.

It should be noted that the researchers only looked at people who had immigrated to Sweden and obtained Swedish residence permits or citizenship – not asylum seekers or children of immigrants. According to previous studies, second-generation immigrants have been identified as a group with the highest proportion of criminal suspects.

Violent crime increased in all municipalities

The main author of the report, which has received a lot of attention in the establishment media, is the well-known left-wing activist criminologist Jerzy Sarnecki, and Amber Beckley, who is the report’s second author, also admits to Samnytt that violent crime has increased in almost all of the municipalities analyzed.

– Almost all have increased. There was almost no municipality in these twenty years where violent crime decreased.

– What we have shown was that the proportion of immigrants in the municipalities with the largest increase in violent crime was not that different from the proportion in the municipalities with the smallest increase… The proportion of immigrants does not explain violent crime in a municipality, and it cannot explain the increase in the twenty municipalities, she concludes.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/sweden-sees-rise-in-hazardous-waste-exports/

Sweden

Sweden sees rise in hazardous waste exports

Published 18 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Press Photo: Mette Ottosson/Tullverket

Swedish Customs stopped a record amount of hazardous waste last year. The biggest increase was in the Stockholm area.

More than 1 529 tons of hazardous waste were stopped from being exported from Sweden to countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia in 2024. This is a significant increase compared to the 627 tons stopped in 2023 and a new record. The previous peak was measured in 2022 and was 1 043 tons. Waste exports are linked to organized crime and are estimated to generate around SEK 6.1 billion (€530 million) annually, according to the police.

– We know that waste exports to developing countries are a growing source of income for organized crime. That is why I am particularly pleased that we managed to stop so many exports of hazardous waste in 2024, says Director General of Customs Johan Norrman in a press release.

Six times as many cases

In total, Swedish Customs handled 88 cases of illegal waste exports to countries outside the EU, an increase from 47 cases the year before. The biggest increase was in the Stockholm area, where the amount of waste more than sixfold compared to the previous year.

The most common type of waste exported is still vehicles and vehicle parts. Of the 88 stopped exports, 71 contained either whole vehicles, such as cars, tractors and trucks, or parts, such as tires, engines, gearboxes and rims.

However, few of the cases lead to legal consequences, according to the Swedish Customs. The most common action is to issue an export ban for shipments of environmentally hazardous waste, while serious cases can lead to fines.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/gang-leader-expands-influence-in-sweden-from-abroad/

Sweden

Gang leader expands influence in Sweden – from abroad

Published 17 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Montage. Photo: Police, iStock/image focus

The gang leader Rawa Majid, who is considered the leader of the criminal organization Foxtrot, is expected to once again strengthen his power in Swedish gang crime. According to reports, arms contacts are a core part of his position of power.

Majid has been deemed to be behind a large number of shootings and explosions in Sweden and since 2020 the gang leader has been internationally wanted for serious drug offenses and preparation for murder.

In October 2023, he was arrested in Iran, but in May the following year, the Israeli intelligence service stated that the Swedish crime network Foxtrot and its leader Rawa Majid are now working for Iran, something that the Bonnier newspaper DN reported on with reference to documents they had access to.

At the same time, Majid is once again strengthening his power in Sweden from abroad via Foxtrot, according to sources to the Schibsted newspaper SvD.

– Foxtrot is gaining ground all the time. We see it in signals intelligence, in the conversations between those involved and in the weapons used, the source says.

According to the newspaper, one of Majid’s many factors for success in his criminal activities is contacts for arms smuggling from Bosnia to Sweden.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Polaris of Enlightenment

Polaris of Enlightenment