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The government agencies in Sweden are state-controlled organizations that act independently to carry out the policies of the Government of Sweden. The ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to monitor the agencies and preparing decision and policy papers for the government as a collective body to decide upon.
A Cabinet Minister is explicitly prohibited from interfering with the day-to-day operation in an agency or the outcome in individual cases. The cardinal rule is that Ministers are not allowed to issue orders to agencies in their portfolio personally (with only a few exceptions) as the government agencies are subject to decisions made by the government, although the government cannot even directly overrule an agency in the handling of an individual case.
Other than the executive branch, the Riksdag also has a number of independent agencies.
Some historic government agencies have been merged with other agencies or simply closed down.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is a ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to foreign policy, democracy, human rights, international development cooperation and foreign trade.
The Language Council of Sweden is the primary regulatory body for the advancement and cultivation of the Swedish language. The council is a department of the Swedish government's Institute for Language and Folklore. The council asserts control over the language through the publication of various books with recommendations in spelling and grammar as well as books on linguistics intended for a general audience, the sales of which are used to fund its operation. The council also works with four of the five official minority languages in Sweden: Finnish, Meänkieli, Yiddish, and Romani alongside the Swedish Sign Language.
The Ministry for Rural Affairs, known between 1900 and 2010 as the Ministry of Agriculture, was a ministry within the government of Sweden. The ministry was responsible for matters relating to rural areas, food and land- and water-based industries, regional development, transport and infrastructure, housing, and community planning. The ministry was headed by the minister for rural affairs (2011–2014) and the minister of agriculture (1900–2010). The ministry was disbanded on 31 December 2014, and from 1 January 2015, the matters was handled by the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.
The Ministry of Culture is a ministry within the government of Sweden responsible for culture policy. The ministry is headed by the Minister for Culture, currently Parisa Liljestrand (m).
The Ministry of Defence is a ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to national defence and civil defence.
The Ministry of Finance is a Swedish government ministry responsible for matters relating to economic policy, the central government budget, taxes, banking, security and insurance, international economic work, central, regional and local government.
The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs is a ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to social welfare: social security, social services, medical and health care, public health and the rights of children, the elderly and disabled people.
The Ministry of Education and Research is a government ministry in Sweden responsible for matters relating to schools, universities, colleges, and research.
The Ministry of Climate and Enterprise is a ministry in the Government of Sweden responsible for policies related to the climate, the natural environment, energy, enterprise, innovation, radiation safety, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, outdoor life and circular economy.
The Ministry of Employment is a ministry in the Swedish government responsible for labour market, labour law and the work environment. The Ministry is also responsible for the work of advancing gender equality and human rights at national level. Moreover, the Ministry is responsible for efforts to increase integration, combat segregation, racism and discrimination, and strengthen the rights of children and LGBT people.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency is a Swedish administrative authority, organised under the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for issues concerning civil protection, public safety, emergency management and civil defence. Responsibility refers to measures taken before, during and after an emergency or crisis. MSB work in close cooperation with the municipalities, the county councils, other authorities, organisations and the private sector to achieve increased safety and security at all levels of society. This is done through education, support, training exercises, regulation and supervision.
The Swedish Competition Authority is a Swedish government agency organized under the Ministry of Enterprise tasked to promote and safeguard competition in the private and public sector, to the benefit of all consumers and market participants. The agency ensures that contracting authorities comply with public procurement rules, propose legislative changes to improve competition, disseminates information about the rules that apply, and provides grants for research on competition and procurement.
The Surgeon-General of the Swedish Armed Forces is the highest-ranking medical officer of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Surgeon-General is responsible for the supervision of the Swedish Armed Forces, the Defence Materiel Administration, the Swedish Fortifications Agency and the National Defence Radio Establishment. This includes supervision in the areas of environment, health, nature, sewage, waste and chemicals.
Ernst Åke Kromnow was a Swedish archivist, historian and civil servant. He was National Archivist and head of the National Archives of Sweden from 1965 to 1979.
The National Swedish Board of Health was a Swedish government agency between 1878 and 1968, with responsibility for the health and medical services and the pharmacy services. All the activities in the field of public health in Sweden are either operated or controlled by public authorities. Public health is under the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, the chief of which is a member of the cabinet. The National Swedish Board of Health was the principal instrument of the State for governing, superintending and promoting the activities and the work of the institutions pertaining to this field. The board supervised the medical personnel, the hospitals and the pharmacies and had the direct control of the State Pharmaceutical Laboratory, the State institutions for forensic medicine, a unit for mass radiofluorography etc. The National Swedish Board of Health was dissolved in 1968 and became the National Board of Health and Welfare.
Erik Martin Fehrm was a Swedish engineer and civil servant. Fehrm, after completing his studentexamen, pursued studies at the Royal Institute of Technology, graduating in electrical engineering in 1932. Driven by a passion for radio technology, he joined the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration in 1933. During World War II, Fehrm served as a 3rd degree flight engineer in the Royal Swedish Air Force Materiel Administration, contributing to eco-radio development and investigating advanced military equipment. Post-war, he held significant roles, including heading a department at the Swedish National Defence Research Institute and later serving as its Director General until 1968. Fehrm continued his influential career as the Director General of the National Swedish Board for Technical Development from 1968 to 1971 and contributed to various national research councils and associations until the mid-1980s.
The Ministry of Infrastructure, was a ministry within the Government of Sweden. It operated between 2019 and 2022.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry was a ministry in Sweden, established in 1920 when certain matters were taken over from the Ministry of Finance. The ministry was headed by the minister of commerce and industry. The ministry ceased to exist in 1982 and matters were transferred to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Housing [and Local Government] was a ministry in Sweden established in 1974. The department dealt with matters concerning housing policy: housing supplement for families with children, the housing system, rent regulation and planning and building issues including physical national planning. The ministry was headed by the minister of housing [and local government]. The ministry ceased after the 1991 Swedish general election.
The Ministry of the Budget was a ministry in Sweden established in 1976. The ministry was primarily responsible for budget regulation as well as the general administration and accounting of state funds, the state and municipal tax system. The ministry was headed by the minister for the budget. The ministry ceased to exist in 1982.