Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
SALAR
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions represents the governmental, professional and employer-related interests of Sweden's 290 municipalities and 20 county councils/regions.
ID: 698580322266-37
Lobbying Activity
Response to General revision of the General Block Exemption Regulation
3 Oct 2025
SKR välkomnar möjligheten att lämna synpunkter på vad som ska ingå i översynen av den allmänna gruppundantagsförordningen och hur omfattande den ska vara. Att syftet med översynen är att minska det administrativa krånglet för både företag och medlemsstater samt underlätta det nödvändiga stödet till näringslivet är positivt. SKR delar bedömningen av att det är viktigt med denna översyn, särskilt med tanke på den gröna omställningen men även den digitala omställningen samt mot bakgrund av det säkerhetspolitiska läget. Den rättsliga osäkerheten om vad som gäller är dessvärre betydande och tillgången till vägledning är begränsad. SKR:s medlemmar i form av lokala och regionala myndigheter arbetar med att stärka det lokala och regionala näringslivet. Medlemmarna behöver regler som är förutsebara och användbara. Sverige kännetecknas dock av stora glesbefolkade områden och har en annan struktur på näringslivet än andra EU-länder. Vissa av gruppundantagen är därför svåra att tillämpa på svenska förhållanden. När det lokala och regionala företagsklimatet fungerar skapas arbetstillfällen, kompetensförsörjningen säkras och välfärden och konkurrenskraften kan stärkas. Detta gäller såväl i glesbygd som i storstadsområden. Förhoppningen är att översynen kan bidra till en snabbare process för relevanta stödåtgärder och att det blir lika spelregler för alla i EU. Statsstödsområdet är komplicerat och det är viktigt att balansera flexibilitet i form av enklare regler och mindre administration med tydlighet. Det finns olika traditioner och uppfattningar i vad man anser vara viktigast av dessa två syften i medlemsstaterna, t.ex. vad som anses vara flexibla regler. Erfarenheterna från revideringen av upphandlingsdirektiven som utmynnade i de nuvarande direktiven, som nu är under revidering, visar på denna problematik. Det är inte bara antalet regler i upphandlingsdirektiven som har ökat betydligt; det har även komplexiteten. När nu gällande upphandlingsdirektiv togs fram var ett av syftena att förenkla dem och samtidigt förtydliga reglerna. Det ledde alltså till ökad detaljreglering och behov av förtydliganden i nationella domstolar och i EU-domstolen. Komplexiteten ökade istället för att minska. Det är en utveckling som SKR inte ser positivt på. SKR:s synpunkter lämnas mot bakgrund av ovanstående. Utformningen av reglerna Stödgivande organisationer finns alltså på såväl lokal som regional och statlig nivå. Det är viktigt att reglerna är utformade på ett sätt så att de kan tillämpas av alla dessa grupper och att det sker på ett enhetligt sätt. Utgångspunkten måste vara att det ska vara möjligt att förstå och tillämpa reglerna utan att vara expert med många års erfarenhet av statsstöd. Det ska heller inte behövas en juristutbildning eller omfattande kunskap om andra regler som härrör från EU. Det ska vara lätt att följa reglerna. Tanken med gruppundantagen, dvs. att kunna lämna stöd på ett snabbare och enklare sätt, bör behållas. Gruppundantagen kan vara ett ramverk som utgår från principiella bestämmelser med möjligheter till nationella anpassningar. Strukturen är också viktig. Den behöver vara logisk uppbyggd och begrepp samt definitioner behöver ses över. Ett sätt att minska den administrativa bördan är att låta stöd till lägre belopp undantas såväl registrering som anmälan alternativt att det överlämnas till medlemsstaterna att besluta om. Att höja de olika stödbeloppens maxtak är vidare också något som SKR anser bör övervägas. Vidare bör utgångspunkten att om upphandlingsreglerna är tillämpliga ska det anses vara tillräckligt för att säkerställa att stödet är proportionellt. Några parallella system för konkurrensutsättning t.ex. för sådant som ej omfattas av upphandlingsreglerna bör inte införas. Finns det ett undantag i upphandlingslagstiftningen har lagstiftaren redan tagit ställning till om det är nödvändigt eller lämpligt med konkurrensutsättning. Nya digitala lösningar behöver tas till vara. Det gäller särskilt rapportering och an
Read full response5 May 2025
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) finds the proposed regulation problematic, regarding a lack of technology neutrality and a disregard of the effects of the energy system at large. This concerns how to regard solar energy and how to apply emission factors to individual energy sources. Also the proposed delegated regulation seems to go beyond the mandate of the directive on some points. Make it optional to deduct solar energy from the energy performance increase focus on peak demand Considering solar energy to be part of the buildings energy performance and deducting it from the energy use of the building, is not only a lack of technology neutrality between different renewable energy sources, It disregards the effect on the energy system at large, especially on the peak demand of buildings at winter time. It will result in worse-performing buildings, that apply solar energy in summer time, instead of better insulation and ventilation and heat recovery in winter time. This is of special importance in a northern climate and with an energy system where district heating and cooling and heat pumps are the major sources of heating and cooling, as in Sweden. SALAR suggests that it should be optional for MS to what extent solar energy should be deducted from the energy performance of the building. Increased attention should be given to the peak demand of buildings at winter time. This could be included as a voluntary parameter in the calculation of energy performance and cost optimal levels. Also, sub-hourly modelling for renewable energy generation at building site should be mentioned at top of box on page 15, in accordance with article 3.3 of the draft annex I. Enable the use of emissions calculation from a typical national mix Applying emission factors for individual energy carriers in the calculation of cost optimal levels risks placing higher demands on buildings supplied by district heating than on buildings supplied by electrical heat pumps. This will be the effect of a lower CO2 content from the current national electricity mix than from average district heating. However, it disregards the effect on the energy system at large, and the fact that district heating uses waste resources with fossil components, that can not be recycled, as part of a broader waste management system. It would be more relevant to assign the CO2 to the waste producers, than to the energy production and recovery. We suggest that it should be possible for MS to use a typical national mix of energy carriers for buildings when applying emission factors to the cost optimal method, rather than for individual energy carriers. Some draft proposals seem to go beyond the mandate of the directive Exclusive use of total primary energy (Annex I) The Directive does not prescribe any prioritisation between different energy performance measures. The draft delegated regulation's choice to exclude alternative indicators limits national methodological development and system choices. Obligation to include external costs (Article 3(3) and Annex II) The Directive provides for the possibility of including environmental and health effects. Making this mandatory and specifying exact costs goes beyond the scope. Limitation of national adaptation in future assumptions (Annex II) Although the Directive explicitly allows for the use of national assumptions for energy prices, emission factors and primary energy factors in Annex VII, point 3, the delegated act stipulates that the Commission's future assumptions shall be used. Derogation from the wording of the Directive regarding the 15% threshold (Article 3(2)) The Directive (Article 6(3)) states that Member States "shall ensure" action, but does not specify a specific sanction or measure requirement in the event of a deviation. The delegated act introduces detailed requirements for revision within 24 months, and leaves out the posibilty to justify the deviation.
Read full responseResponse to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy
18 Dec 2020
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions is committed to climate mitigation and adaptation and supports an enabling taxonomy. However, the act needs substantial changes to recognize varying conditions across Europe and not place an undue administrative burden on sustainable projects. Criteria should be technology neutral in relation to GHG-savings and sustainability, e.g. applying LCA similarly to all types of energy and allow sustainable activities in line with other EU-legislation, as the RED and water directives.
Local and regional authorities (LRAs) play a significant role in delivering the UN SDGs and EU climate goals. LRAs are substantial investors in many activities listed in the taxonomy, complying with EU and national legislation, needing long-term, coherent policy. Swedish LRAs already have green loans/bonds of around 10 bn €, also small projects in small LRAs.
We support EU work on sustainable finances and the taxonomy to enable a broad uptake of sustainable activities. Many of the proposed criteria are both ambitious and reasonable, e.g. energy efficiency for new buildings and major renovations. Demands for EIA and adaptation plans are relevant in many cases.
The criteria in many cases place too high demands and a non-proportional administrative burden on projects and actors, especially as a sum total. This is not in line with the stated aims of the delegated act to ”ensure usability and proportionality” and being ”easy for economic operators to use”. It would adversely affect the interest for green projects and investments. The scope would be limited to big actors, big projects, and categories with permissive demands, such as wind, solar and electric transport. It would also result in a substantial need for alternative standards and frameworks on the market.
It is highly questionable that the delegated act contains such far reaching regulation, with substantial changes compared to more widely consulted previous versions, and a consultation time of only four weeks, aiming for adoption early 2021.
Criteria that need to be amended;
Buildings: Demands for adaptation, land use restrictions and EIAs are quite far reaching and should in many aspects instead be addressed through national legislation and local planning, and not on a building level. The demands for LCA and circular design should be implemented only gradually, to develop appropriate systems and experience. Efficiency standards for water appliances should respect the EU energy labelling process and other labeling schemes than UWL. The energy efficiency criteria for acquisition of buildings should not only refer to EPC Class A, for which there is no common EU-standard, but also to NZEB and renovation requirements.
Transport: Vehicles operating on biofuels, fulfilling sustainability and GHG-saving according to the RED, should be accepted.
Water & waste water: Demands on energy use and increased energy efficiency are set too stringently and have to be balanced vs. local conditions (topography, climate) and the primary purpose to enhance water treatment.
Renewable energy: Bio energy fulfilling requirements according to the RED should be classified as a sustainable activity, and not as transitional. It is also a basis for negative emissions (BECCS). Biofuel criteria should follow RED as regards GHG-savings, and the 20 MW-limit not to over-burden small operations. Waste to energy fulfilling BAT-requirements should be included as a transitional activity. Efficient energy recovery is needed from waste that can’t be recycled due to contamination, material fatigue and complex mixtures. Criteria for hydro power should be in line with the water framework directive.
Forest sustainability plans and carbon balance analysis from individual forest holders and climate plans from farmers are non-proportional requirements and should instead be a matter of national forest legislation and carbon balance assessment and the CAP.
Read full responseResponse to Initiative on adequate minimum wages
14 Dec 2020
See attached document.
In summary, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) considers the following.
The proposal for a directive is in conflict with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. The EU lacks the prerequisites to introduce a minimum directive on sufficient minimum wages.
SALAR considers that wage formation is national matter and not an EU competence. Article 153 (5) TFEU (the treaty) clearly states that the provisions of Article 153 shall not apply to wage conditions. The EU thus lacks competence in this area, and therefore there is no legal basis for proposing an EU directive.
SALAR believes that it is neither legally possible nor appropriate to introduce new mandatory regulations through Community law at the EU level concerning minimum wages of the employees, regardless of the exemptions proposed in the draft directive.
It is problematic that the EU influences Swedish wage formation in this way. SALAR encourages the Swedish Parliament and the Government to act as soon as possible and request a subsidiarity check and a reasoned opinion on the proposed directive. SALAR considers that the Swedish parliament and government furthermore should take action to get more allied Member States to request a subsidiarity check. It will continue to be the social partners in Sweden, independent of the state or the EU, who agree on conditions and wages in the Swedish labour market .
As a social partner, SALAR is of the opinion that legislation in the form of a legally binding directive is inappropriate and the wrong instrument to use to achieve the desired purpose. According to SALAR’s assessment, if the directive is adopted, it would mean that the EU exceeds its competence and enters into wage issues, which is a national competence, in a completely new way. Despite the proposed exceptions this constitutes a fundamental change in the Swedish model. If this minimum directive is adopted, it will provide a basis for future acts with unpredictable effects.
Instead of legislating on minimum wages, SALAR believes that the EU should promote wage formation based on collective agreements between social partners in the Member States. To support and develop the social dialogue at European, national and local levels through capacity building of the parties. To the extent that labour law is regulated at Community level, instead of proposing new legislation, it should be done primarily through general principles and recommendations within the framework of the coordinating economic and employment policies at European level, i.e. under the European Semester.
Read full responseResponse to EU Action Plan Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil
29 Oct 2020
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) represents all 290 local and 21 regional governments in Sweden. Our members are affected by EU’s environmental legislation in our roles as service providers (responsible for water and sanitation supply, waste disposal etc), as developer of society (responsible for housing, infrastructure, air quality and community development in general) and as local supervisory authorities.
We fully support the Commission’s ambition to mainstream the zero pollution ambition into all its policy developments to secure clean air, water and soil, healthy ecosystems and a healthy living environment for all Europeans. As rightfully pointed out in the roadmap, guiding principles must be the precautionary principle, an extended responsibility on producers and that pollution must be tackled at source. Source control is not only much more cost efficient than end-of-pipe solutions, but also places costs where they belong.
The risk based approach must be at the heart of the action plan. It must acknowledge the differences between and in member states when it comes to climate, geography, population, soil sensitivity, risk for eutrophication etc. All forthcoming legislation must be flexible enough to accommodate for varying conditions and allow for national and local adaptations. Requirements as well as enforcement actions must focus on where they make most sense and be proportional to risks.
The air quality directive and the urban waste water treatment directive (UWWTD) are two topical examples of EU directives that do not sufficiently accommodate for varying climate conditions as 1) biological treatment of urban waste water is difficult in cold climate and 2) the major cause underlying violations of the PM10 limit value is road dust emissions caused by winter tyres during winter conditions. The action plan towards a zero pollution ambition for air, water and soil must thus set an ambitious framework, but leave sufficient flexibility to ensure that it does not drive unnecessary costs without the corresponding environmental benefit.
Moreover, it is important to ensure policy coherence between legislative acts. The inconsistency between article 4 of the Water Framework Directive and Articles 10, 7 and 2(9) of the UWWTD, for instance, affect Europe's most efficient waste water treatment plants negatively and must be analyzed in more depth. The upcoming revision of the UWWTD must ensure that, as long as the best available technologies to reduce impact from discharge is deployed, UWWTPs must be allowed to start/expand in order to meet the increasing pressure from growing populations.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
8 Sept 2020
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) represents all 290 local and 21 regional governments in Sweden. As both a water and sanitation service providers and supervisory authorities, our members are much affected by the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). We welcome the opportunity to provide feedback on the policy options at this early stage in the legislative process.
The upcoming revision of the almost-thirty-years-old directive is long awaited and necessary to address the societal challenges of today and the decades to come. A revised directive could help deliver on the climate and environmental objectives of the Green Deal and push for a more circular economy. SALAR agrees on the problems identified in the roadmap. In particular, it is important that the renewed directive is better equipped to protect the environment, not the least from eutrophication and contaminants of emerging concern.
The most important issue for our members is to adjust article 4.2 on biological treatment due to low temperature. The UWWTD was adopted in 1991, which was a few years before Sweden joined the EU. Article 4.2 only acknowledges less stringent treatment because of cold climate in high mountain regions (over 1500 m above sea level). But as it gets just as cold in the northern parts of Sweden (at sea level) as it gets in the Alp regions (on high altitudes), biological treatment is just as difficult here. SALAR calls to adjust this article to ensure equal treatment for northern European countries.
Moreover, SALAR welcomes the Commission’s intention to further strengthen control at source and introduce preventative measures. In order to avoid transferring costs for water treatment to the water service providers, and subsequently the citizens via fees or taxes, it is important to introduce an extended producer responsibility (EPR) and to avoid end of pipe solutions. This approach is not only in line with the polluter pays principle, but also much more cost efficient.
SALAR argues that the renewed UWWTD should lay down minimum requirements for collecting and treating waste water across the EU. Member states must have the flexibility to introduce stricter requirements should they see the need. SALAR welcomes the aim to strengthen the risk based approach to allow for of cost-efficient measures. Naturally, the requirements of the directive must correspond to where the risks for the environment as well as for the human health are bigger.
SALAR agrees that storm water overflows from collective systems and untreated surface run off is a problem in urban areas, but does not support the introduction of EU targets in this case due to the varying local conditions, the need for tailor made solutions and the complexity of the matter. Furthermore, the UWWTD should not extend its scope to spatial planning, as this process already is covered by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The WFD environmental objectives (EQS) are legally binding and apply to municipal spatial planning decisions under the Swedish Planning and Building Act and Environmental Code.
There are currently inconsistencies between Article 4 of the Water Framework Directive and Articles 10, 7 and 2(9) of the UWWTD, which affect Europe's most efficient waste water treatment plants. The upcoming revision must ensure that, as long as the best available technologies to reduce impact from discharge is deployed, UWWTPs must be allowed to start/expand in order to meet the increasing pressure from growing populations. The incoherence between the two directives and the consequences for Europe’s most modern UWWTPs must be analyzed in more depth, particularly as it was neglected by the WFD fitness check.
Finally, SALAR welcomes the recognition of energy production in the waste water sector and how district heating networks can utilize heat from sewers to heat homes.
Read full responseResponse to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
3 Mar 2020
RCC I SAMVERKAN delar kommissionens problembeskrivning och välkomnar initiativet med en uppdaterad europeisk cancerplan.
Sveriges sex Regionala cancercentrum (RCC) utgör regionernas organisation för kunskapsstyrning på cancerområdet. RCC I SAMVERKAN är RCC:s nationella samordningsgrupp, som består av de sex RCC-cheferna samt den nationella cancersamordnaren vid Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner (SKR/SALAR). RCC har sitt nationella samordningskansli på SKR.
Med Sveriges nationella cancerstrategi som bas har RCC, tillsammans med landets regioner och med stöd av regeringen, arbetat i tio år för en mer patientfokuserad, tillgänglig och jämlik cancervård.
Utvecklingen går fort inom cancervården och är till stora delar global, särskilt vad gäller läkemedel, diagnostik och medicinsk teknik. Europa och medlemsländerna måste också tänka och agera globalt. Därför är ett ökat europeiskt samarbete viktigt, inte minst vad gäller forskning och innovation.
Sverige delar demografiska och medicinska utmaningar med övriga länder i EU. Patienternas rörlighet kommer att öka. Vi behöver samarbeta och förbereda oss tillsammans och underlätta organisation, juridik och strukturer som stödjer detta.
Sveriges cancervård är i många delar bra men även vi har stora utmaningar att möta, till exempel när det gäller vårdens kompetensförsörjning och långa väntetider. Det senare är delvis en effekt av kompetensbristen inom flera specialitetsområden. Att medlemsländerna inte har samma syn på exempelvis specialisering och utbildning av sjuksköterskor och läkare försvårar rörlighet och rekrytering mellan länderna.
Ska Europa klara den ökande förekomsten av cancer måste förebyggande insatser prioriteras. Tyngdpunkten i den europeiska cancerplanen bör läggas på prevention och forskning på området. Det behövs mer forskning för att öka kunskapen om riskfaktorer och för att få fram evidenta preventiva interventioner. WHOs European Code Against Cancer kan ges större utrymme och uppmärksamhet i planen och det förebyggande arbetet.
Det finns skäl att överväga kraftfullare regleringar inom levnadsvaneområden där det finns evidens för påverkan på förekomsten av cancer, särskilt när det gäller tobaksrökning men även vad gäller alkohol.
Sjukvården i Sverige styrs av 21 självständiga regioner, vilket bland annat gör att cancervården ser olika ut i olika delar av landet. Våra ansträngningar att göra cancervården mer likvärdig i hela landet kan liknas vid den situation och de behov som råder inom Europeiska unionen, med 27 suveräna medlemsländer.
Det tioåriga utvecklingsarbetet enligt nationella cancerstrategin har bidragit till att minska skillnaderna mellan regionerna. Vi har – med hjälp av ett sextiotal nationella arbetsgrupper med professionsföreträdare inom respektive specialitet – tagit fram och infört ett fyrtiotal nationella vårdprogram, ett trettiotal standardiserade vårdförlopp, en nationell webbaserad databas med omkring 500 läkemedelsregimer och en nationell databas för pågående kliniska studier. Data från våra nationella kvalitetsregister på cancerområdet, som RCC administrerar och stöder, visar att utredning och behandling av patienter med cancer har börjat bli mer likvärdig över landet.
Denna modell med samlad kunskapsstyrning baserad på nationella kunskapsstöd kan tjäna som förebild för en liknande lösning på EU-nivå, som kan bidra till att cancerpatienter i andra medlemsländer får en bättre och mer likvärdig tillgång till rätt cancervård.
Idén med att etablera European Cancer Knowledge Centre är intressant och värd att utreda vidare. Med våra erfarenheter av kunskapsstyrd cancervård ser vi att Sverige skulle kunna ha en aktiv roll i att etablera och driva av ett sådant kunskapscentrum.
RCC i samverkan har arbetat fram en plan som redovisar RCCs gemensamma inriktning, ståndpunkter och mål (”Vägen framåt” bil.1). Planen bygger på nationella cancerstrategin och innehållet i regeringens långsiktiga inriktning för det nationella arbetet med cancervården.
Read full responseResponse to Strengthening the principle of equal pay between men and women through pay transparency
3 Feb 2020
Strengthening the principle of equal pay between men and women through pay transparency
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) is an employers' organisation and an organisation that represents and advocates for local government in Sweden. All of Sweden's municipalities and regions are members of SALAR.
Our members are the employers of more than one million people, which make us the largest employer organisation in Sweden. As an employer organisation we work for the interests of our members and offer them support and service. Our role is to sign central collective agreements, make our members stronger in their role as employers and create conditions for local solutions.
SALAR wants to emphasise, with regards to the gender pay gap, that there is a strong European legal framework providing women and men with the right to equal pay for equal work and work of equal value. There is no need to amend the current European legislation or to introduce new instruments. It is better to focus on the full and comprehensive implementation of existing regulation at national level.
SALAR agrees with the Commission that pay should be transparent but wants to underline that all policies that touch upon wage setting are, and must remain national policies and hence a competence of the Member States and the national social partners.
Comparable gender disaggregated statistics is a valuable tool to use to address the gender pay gap since it raises visibility and helps to monitor progress, or regression, with regards to gender equality. More statistics, research and analysis are therefore welcomed.
SALAR would also like to stress that legislation providing for equal pay for equal work or work of equal value is not the sole solution to the complex problem that is the gender pay gap.
The pay gap has multifaceted underlying causes which must be addressed in order to eliminate the barriers facing women with regard to their full and equal participation in the labour market. It is important to tackle the pay gap through specific actions and gender mainstreaming simultaneously, to use the dual approach. One must also look further than just wage setting and acknowledge the interconnection between working and living conditions.
A way forward to meet the gender equality challenges would be to take a holistic approach: tackling gender norms, gender stereotypes, educational, professional and career choices, opportunities for parental leave and the sharing of caring and unpaid domestic activities, access to childcare and other care services are aspects that influence both women’s and men’s situation in the labour market. These aspects must be taken into consideration when analysing, as well as addressing, the gender pay gap.
As one example of good practice, SALAR would like to present our eight-point programme, “Gender Equality from an Employer Perspective”, https://webbutik.skl.se/bilder/artiklar/pdf/7585-517-2.pdf?issuusl=ignore .
The programme has now been developed to a 2.0 programme with nine points. SALAR consider it to be the best way to improve gender equality at municipalities and regions:
1. There must be equal pay for equal work and gender pay gap must be closed
2. The wage spread for female-dominated professions must increase
3. More career paths must be created within female-dominated professions
4. There must be gender equality at the very top
5. Gender perceptions must not limit someone’s study or career choices
6. Full-time work must be norm
7. Equal sharing of parental leave is essential for gender equality at work
8. The manager has a key role to play in preventing sickness absences
9. Harassment, victimization and sex-based violence in working life must stop
Read full responseMeeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and
13 Dec 2019 · Minimum wage, skilling of workforce in digital and green transitions
17 Jan 2019
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) declared at Gothenburg Summit the 17th November 2017 that collective bargaining is at the heart of the Swedish labour market. We have a high level of organization for trade unions and employers’ associations. The social dialogue is built on mutual trust, it is allowed to take time, and the social partners have the capacity and autonomy to conduct negotiations independent from the state.
A strong welfare state and strong autonomous social partners has been key for Sweden, in creating a labour market with one of Europe’s highest employments rates, for both women and men. The social partners and the local and regional level can contribute, given the right conditions and the tools for capacity building and regional development.
SALAR encourages the EU-Commission to strongly support and complement Member States in acting in the field of social policy, without changing the responsibilities of the respective parties. The current EU-Treaty define which areas of social policy that fall under qualified majority and witch areas that fall under unanimity. The current provisions should be kept, to change them could interfere national social systems, national issues and competences.
SALAR therefore opposes the European Commission’s proposal to introduce more qualified majority voting in EU decision-making in fields of social policy.
For SALAR and other Swedish social partners, already the latest legislative proposals in the social area raise issues. See attached letter from Swedish social partners to EU-Commission.
SALAR believes that using the passerelle clause is a matter for discussion on the principle of subsidiarity.
Concerning the future discussion on this topic, SALAR is looking forward to be involved in the exchanges of views with the social partners as envisaged in the roadmap.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Drinking Water Directive
27 Mar 2017
The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) welcomes a revision of the Drinking Water Directive (‘DWD’) and appreciates the opportunity to give feedback on the roadmap.
First of all, SALAR stresses the need for the pre-cautionary principle to remain the leading principle of the revised directive. Indeed, when it comes to water safety it is crucial to be guided by a principle of precaution, especially with regard to emerging substances.
Secondly, SALAR emphasizes the importance of implementing a risk-based approach that provides member states and local authorities with the flexibility to themselves design the methods for risk management that best fit their local conditions. To secure healthy drinking water, it is key to focus on risk assessment as well as risk management throughout the entire chain, from the water source all the way through to the tap. Furthermore, the water supply is organized differently in the EU28, in some member states there are a few big water operators whereas in other countries, such as for instance in Sweden, there are close to 2000 smaller water operators. SALAR certainly support ambitious targets and welcomes guiding limit values, but for this reason, we would like to emphasize the need for flexibility in implementation. The directive must allow for member states to themselves assess both what substances should be made priorities in their national contexts as well as the conditions for exceptions (for example in the case of small water operators in rural areas). Moreover, SALAR argues that local water operators and local authorities are the ones most qualified to decide how water safety best can be ensured in their local areas and hence decide what substances should be given special attention.
Thirdly, the Commission should seek to better harmonize other related legislative acts, such as REACH and the Water Framework Directive (WFD), in order to better support member states in their strides to ensure healthy and safe drinking water.
Fourth, SALAR welcomes regulations on substances as well as materials in contact with drinking water in Article 10 of the revised DWD, but is of the opinion that it should focus on providing support to member states in their work with prioritized substances (such as perfluorated compounds and pesticides), rather than introducing detailed regulation.
Fifth, SALAR supports the current objective and scope of the directive and argues that issues such as benchmarking, water as a human right and costs should be addressed separately from the revision of the directive.
Read full responseMeeting with Paulina Dejmek Hack (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker)
27 Sept 2016 · Priorities of the Commission