22 Apr 15. In the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill for 2015 (2014/15:99), which was presented on 22 April 2015; the Government wrote:
“In its Budget Bill for 2015, the Government considered that the necessary export support in the defence sector can be undertaken within another agency structure, with the same requirements for professionalism and transparency, but with greater cost effectiveness.”
The Government therefore announced the phasing out of the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency, beginning in 2015. The Government’s proposal for the level of the appropriation for 2015 therefore included a reduction of SEK 2m (Govt. Bill 2014/15:1, expenditure area
6, sections 3.4.2 and 3.5.13). The Swedish Parliament (Riksdag), however, did not consider that the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency should be phased out, and decided therefore on an appropriation level that was SEK 2m higher than that proposed by the Government (Committee Report 2014/15:FöU1, Parliamentary Communication 2014/15:63).
The Government continues to consider that the necessary export support should be undertaken in another agency structure as of 1
January 2016. As a result of this change, the Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency should be phased out and cease its activities as an agency on 31 December 2015.
In view of the observations made by the Swedish Agency for Public
Management in its report .Clearer roles and greater transparency – a follow-up of the Swedish Defence and Security Export
Agency” (Swedish Agency for Public Management 2014:30), the Government places particular emphasis on the ability of the new agency structure to deal with its export-supporting task in parallel with other assignments and to maintain and develop transparency and professionalism.
In view of this, the Government considers that appropriation
1.12, Swedish Defence and Security Export Agency, should be reduced by SEK 1m in 2015. After this, the appropriation is expected to be reduced by SEK 20m in 2017 and SEK 30 m as of 2018.
FXM is now waiting for information and decisions to find out about the continued process.
(Source: MPI – Hawk Information)