Sweden: Business environment at a glance. Check it out:
(EIU Viewswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) COUNTRY VIEW
FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT
Policy towards private enterprise and competition
2007-08: State's role in the economy will be reduced. Sale of government's stakes in Scandinavian Airlines, Nordea, TeliaSonera and OMX are planned. Product markets (such as healthcare and education) opened up to private-sector competition.
2009-11: Further moves to liberalise areas of the economy under state control. Greater competition between private and public companies to provide local goods and services.
Policy towards foreign investment
2007-08: Increased drive to attract more foreign investment and to prevent the relocation of company headquarters abroad.
2009-11: Sweden will continue to promote itself as an important hub in the dynamic Baltic Sea region.
Foreign trade and exchange controls
2007-08: Reform of EU common agricultural policy (CAP), with agricultural subsidies decoupled from food production. Imports of Chinese textile products to be fully liberalised from 2008.
2009-11: Agricultural protection will continue, but may diminish slightly as a result of reforms to the CAP.
Taxes
2007-08: Skr37bn (US$5bn) package of income tax cuts for low-income earners. Employers' payroll tax to be halved for employees aged 20-25 and abolished for employees aged under 20. Abolition of wealth tax likely. Reform of property tax.
2009-11: Further reform and possible abolition of property tax, to be replaced with local tax and rise in capital gains tax.
Financing
2007-08: Alliance to introduce measures to encourage venture capital and private-equity industries. Swedish institutions will continue to be a driving force in the consolidation of the region's financial markets.
2009-11: Crossborder consolidation continues. Stockmarket expected to gain in importance as a source of capital.
The labour market
2007-08: Reduction in employers' payroll tax to encourage hiring, particularly of younger workers. Abolition of payroll tax in parts of service sector. Cuts in unemployment benefit. Rise in individual contributions to social insurance schemes.
2009-11: Trade unions will continue to oppose any major reforms to Sweden's traditionally restrictive labour laws. Lower spending on government-funded labour market schemes.
Infrastructure
2007-08: Investment in high-quality infrastructure, especially for information technology (IT) and broadband capability.
2009-11: Government investment in research and development to maintain and even increase the lead in IT infrastructure.
Copyright 2006 Economist Intelligence Unit
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