New government mandate on support for establishment municipalities
Region Norrbotten has long pointed out the unreasonableness of the municipalities' responsibilities and risks in connection with large industrial establishments. We therefore welcome the fact that the government is now giving The Acceleration Office tasked with looking into the issue in more detail.
The office will analyze what incentives exist for municipalities to receive large corporate investments. They will also decide whether the state should make it easier for municipalities to grow and contribute to regional development.
In the wake of a major industrial establishment, needs in a number of areas follow: roads, water and sewage systems, schools, healthcare, public transport and housing. It is a heavy burden to place on a few municipalities. Now the government is showing a willingness to change that.
"When large companies want to establish themselves, it is often the municipalities that have to roll up their sleeves first – with new housing, schools and roads. But they should not be left alone with the risks," says Minister of Economic Affairs Ebba Busch in a press release.
Last year, our report set Industrial transition and its socio-economic effects The report points to the imbalance between benefit and risk. The report estimates that municipalities account for 30 to 50 percent of public investments, while 80 percent of tax revenues go to the state – a completely unreasonable distribution. It is therefore gratifying that the Swedish government understands that this arrangement is unsustainable and harms Swedish competitiveness.
- The fact that the acceleration office is being tasked with investigating the need to help municipalities and regions in the midst of the industrial transition shows that our knowledge-raising work is having an effect. But it must also lead to actual measures. Therefore, we will follow the assignment with great interest, says Anders Öberg (S), chairman of the regional board in Region Norrbotten.
The assignment must be reported no later than May 14, 2026.
At Norra Scen in Almedalen, on June 24, we will discuss the issue during our roundtable discussion The State and the Municipalities - Who Should Take the Risk? Welcome to Fiskargränd 5 at 13.30:15.00 PM-XNUMX:XNUMX PM. Read more about the roundtable discussion here.
