Background information

Sweden is welcoming refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine in accordance with the EU Directive on Temporary Protection 2001/55/EC. In order to provide housing rapidly to those seeking temporary protection in Sweden, the government has decided to grant municipalities exceptions to the requirements in the Planning and Building Act 2010/900 (plan- och bygglagen). Similar exceptions have preciously been made for persons seeking asylum, but not for temporary protection.

Content of measure

Due to the amendment, the government can decide on exemptions from, for example, the requirement for a building permit in order to arrange temporary accommodation for those who are now seeking protection in Sweden under the EU Directive on Temporary Protection 2001/55/EC.

The government has also decided on two regulations that abolish the requirement for building permits and created exemptions from certain other rules in the planning and building regulations when a municipality is to arrange arrival accommodation for refugees, or when state authorities such as the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) are to establish accommodation facilities.

It will be possible to apply the exemptions retroactively to initiatives starting before the exemption measure was entered into force, but 15 March the earliest. The retroactivity means that the municipalities and state authorities concerned can in disregard the obstacle that the current provisions in the Planning and Building Act may pose, even before the exemptions have formally entered into force.

Use of measure

Not available at this stage.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies	Migrants or refugees

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Local / regional government	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Direct consultation outside a formal body	Direct consultation outside a formal body

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Relevant trade unions and employers organisations were consulted by the government and have left a statement regarding the amendment.

Views and reactions

Both the employers organisation the Swedish Construction Federation (Byggföretagen) and the trade union Architects Sweden (Sveriges Arkitekter) saw the measure as necessary and welcomed it, but wanted to underline the need of the exemptions to be of temporary nature.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 21 March 2022: Statement by The Swedish Construction Federation [Byggföretagens yttrande] (www.regeringen.se)
• 21 March 2022: Statement by Architects Sweden (Yttrande från Sveriges Arkitekter) (www.regeringen.se)
• 29 April 2022: Easier to arrange temporary housing for refugees (Enklare att anordna tillfälliga boenden för flyktingar) (www.regeringen.se)