Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sverige och EMU'

This Bachelor thesis analyses whether the Swedish trade has been affected by the in-troduction of the European Monetary Union and the common currency Euro. Com-paring Sweden with Finland and Netherland, two countries with similar economic situation but who chose to adopt the euro as their currency, makes the result clearer.

Using a modified gravity model based on Flam and Nordström’s (2006) and Rose and Glick’s (2002) gravity models has made it possible to see how the Euro has affected trade in the three chosen countries. By using a panel regression the possibility for standard errors have been minimized.

After running a regression for all three countries together the conclusion is that the Euro has had a positive effect on the export. Also when running regressions for each country separately the positive effect of the Euro is clear. How much the Euro itself has affected trade in the chosen countries are hard to tell. There are many reasons for the past years increasing trade and the introduction of the Euro is only one of them. Due to a simplication of the gravity models used in this thesis the full extent of the Euro influence can not be seen here.

The effect of the Euro on Swedens trade is a subject that has been discussed for many years. An introduction of the Euro in Sweden would most likely increase Swedens trade even more, but even without the Euro Swedens trade has increased over the past years.

Denna kandidatuppsats analyserar huruvida den svenska handeln har blivit påverkad av införandet av den Europeiska Monetära Unionen och den gemensamma valutan Euro. Jämföra Sverige med Finland och Nederländerna, två länder med en liknande ekonomisk situation men som valde att införa Euron som sin valuta, gör resultatet klarare.

Användandet av en modifierad gravitations modell baserad på Flam och Nordströms (2006) och Rose och Glicks (2002) gravitations modeller har gjort det möjligt att se hur Euron har påverkat handeln i de tre valda länderna. Genom att använda panel regressioner har risken för standard fel minimiserats.

Efter att ha gjort regressionen för alla tre länder tillsammans är slutsatsen att Euron har haft en positiv effekt på export. Även i regressionerna för de enskilda länderna syns Eurons positiva effekt tydligt. Hur mycket Euron själv har ökat handeln i de valda länderna är svårt att säga. Det finns många anledningar varför handeln ökat de senaste åren och Eurons införande är bara en av dem. På grund av att gravitations modellerna som använts i uppsatsen är förenklade kan inte Eurons fulla effekt ses här.

Effekten av Euron på Svensk handel är ett ämne som har diskuterats i många år. En introduktion av Euro i Sverige skulle troligtvis öka Sveriges handel ytterligare, men även utan Euron har Sveriges handel ökat de senaste åren.

Uppsatsen ämnar besvara vilka aktiebolagsrättsliga skillnader det finns inom EU 25 för att starta och driva ett privat aktiebolag jämfört med den svenska aktiebolagslagens regler. Aktiebolagsrättsliga skillnader som undersöks generellt inom EU 25 är kapitalkrav, bolagsstyrning, aktieägare samt bolagsskatt. Utöver dessa fyra kategorier undersöks även bolagsbildning och bolagsstämma i fem länder som detaljstuderats. Sverige, Frankrike, Storbritannien, Tjeckien och Tyskland.

This study is set out to examine if there is any kind of influence between the EU and Swedish gender policy. More specific the Swedish efforts within the gender policy area, especially in the area of social policy and employment, during the Swedish presidency in the Council of Ministers 2001. And also to examine the impact of Europeanization in Swedish gender policy. We have decided to delimit our study to care of elderly and children when it comes to the area of social policy. We are using a descriptive, examining qualitative method. Our theoretical framework consists of Gösta Esping-Andersen’s welfare state theory, Yvonne Hirdman’s gender theory and the theory of Europeanization.

During the Swedish presidency Sweden choose to focus on putting gender mainstreaming into all policy areas. We found the Swedish presidency being quite effective, concerning gender equality. A lot of discussions about gender equality took place and a few decisions were made. We found some indicators showing that Swedish gender policy and women’s situation has been affected by the EU-membership and Europeanization. But we also found that the EU is not the whole cause of changes in policies affecting women.

The Latvian building company Laval un Partneri Ltd (Laval) posted Latvian construction workers at the rebuilding of a school in Vaxholm in autumn 2004. Because the company refused to sign a collective agreement with Svenska Byggnadsarbetareförbundet (Byggnads), which is the Swedish trade union for constructions workers, Byggnads put the construction site under a boycott. Next Laval sued Byggnads for damages in the Swedish Labour Court (AD) because Laval considers the boycott as well as Byggnad´s demand that Laval signs a collective agreement incompatible with EC Law. AD has now demanded a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ). While waiting for the preliminary ruling from the ECJ, several important questions of principle stand unanswered. Two such questions are whether Lex Britannia and the way in which Sweden har implemented the directive for posted workers (96/71/EC) are compatible with EC Law. In this thesis the author seeks to answer these two questions.

Det lettiska byggbolaget Laval un Partneri Ltd (Laval) utstationerade under hösten 2004 lettiska byggarbetare på ett skolbygge i Vaxholm. Eftersom bolaget vägrade teckna kollektivavtal med Svenska Byggnadsarbetareförbundet (Byggnads) satte Byggnads bygget i blockad. Laval stämde därefter Byggnads i Arbetsdomstolen (AD) och krävde skadestånd eftersom Laval anser att blockaden, liksom Byggnads krav på att Laval skulle teckna kollektivavtal, strider mot EG-rätten. AD har nu begärt ett förhandsavgörande i målet från EG-domstolen. I avvaktan på EG-domstolens avgörande står flera principiellt viktiga frågor i målet obesvarade. Dessa är bl a huruvida Lex Britannia och Sveriges sätt att implementera utstationeringsdirektivet (96/71/EG) är förenliga med EG-rätten. Det är dessa frågor som författaren ämnar besvara i uppsatsen.

This paper addresses how political parties make decisions. Parties often have to choose between conflicting objectives such as influence on policy, control of the government, and support among the voters. This paper examines the behavior of the two Swedish parties on one of their particular policy positions: Swedish withdrawal from the EU. The aim is to describe why the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) and the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) retain this

specific policy position when it on one hand seems damaging to their chances of getting into government, and on the other seems to be an unrealistic policy to realize. I undertake a twocase study of the two Swedish parties, which I assume to represent a population of Nordic parties critical to the EU. I employ a theory based on an analytical framework of three models of party goals and behaviors: office, policy or votes. The analysis seeks to identify the factors

and the motives behind the parties’ stubborn policy. By studying material from two party congresses and interviewing representatives from each party, I conclude that the policy position is important mainly for reasons of principle and symbolism. The structure of the EU represents all that the Left and the Greens dislike and, together with the Swedish critical EU opinion, it becomes almost a duty for the parties to keep their strong aversion towards Swedish membership in the EU. And while the parties do not perceive that the keeping of the policy would be an obstacle for other party goals, it will not be cut out from the party program.

Många av dagens miljöproblem är kopplade till urbana områden. I strävan efter att nå en

ekologisk hållbar utveckling är det av stor vikt att städerna för ett aktivt miljöarbete. Sedan

1970-talet har EU arbetat med miljöfrågor och utarbetat flera strategier för hur en hållbar

stadsmiljö ska uppnås i Europas städer. Under senare år har allt fler av länderna i Europa

anslutit sig till unionen, vilket medfört en stor differentiering mellan medlemsländerna. För

medlemsstater inom den Europeiska unionen som ännu inte har ett välutvecklat miljöarbete

har EU en viktig roll att spela. Genom att unionen ställer krav samt ger riktlinjer och bidrag

för utveckling av miljöarbete sker successiva framsteg inom detta område.

I denna uppsats har vi undersökt hur miljöarbetet i två medelstora städer i Sverige och Polen

ser ut, samt hur det påverkas av EU:s miljödirektiv. Undersökningen utgörs av en komparativ

analys av städernas miljöarbete. Det material som vi främst använt oss av är intervjuer med

personer som arbetar med miljöfrågor inom respektive stads lokala myndigheter. Dessutom

har vi undersökt båda städernas översiktsplaner. Begrepp som är av betydelse i uppsatsen är

hållbar utveckling, ekologisk modernisering samt Polluters Pay Principle. Inom EU:s

miljöpolitik har vi valt att inrikta oss på områden som är relevanta för miljöarbetet i städer. De

områden som innefattas i arbetet är renare luft, avfallshantering, vattenskydd och avlopp samt

energi.

En viktig slutsats vi dragit utifrån det material vi använt är att miljöarbetet i den polska staden

Opole styrs mer av EU:s miljödirektiv än det i Örebro. Detta har att göra med att miljöarbetet

i Örebro ligger långt fram i utvecklingen och EU:s direktiv i flera fall uppfattas som

otillräckliga. Örebro kommuns egna mål innebär alltså i flera avseenden strängare krav än

EU:s direktiv. Ett resultat av detta är att insikten om EU:s miljödirektiv är mycket lägre i

Örebro jämfört med Opole, där större delen av miljöarbetet styrs utifrån direktiven. En annan

betydande slutsats vi kommit fram till är att miljöfrågans omfång ses ur olika perspektiv i

Örebro och Opole. I Örebro finns mer utrymme för en global syn, där klimatfrågan står i

fokus, medan miljöarbetet i Opole har en mer lokal inriktning. I och med Polens inträde i EU

har miljöarbetet i landet tagit fart, inte minst på lokal nivå. Allteftersom de lokala

miljöproblemen i Opole åtgärdas kan fler av skillnaderna mellan städernas miljöarbete

komma att suddas ut. Redan idag, vilket vi kommit fram till i detta arbete, finns trots

skillnaderna även flera likheter i städernas miljöarbete.

Det som undersökningen beskriver är hur EU:s säkerhetsstrategi påverkade de utrikespolitiska målen inför militära insatser i Demokratiska Republiken Kongo 2006, Tchad/Centralafrikanska republiken 2008 och Somalia 2009.

Vår utrikespolitiska vilja och dess utrikespolitiska mål motiverar vårt deltagande i militära insatser utomlands. Dessa mål skall vara vägledande och skall genomsyra insatsens genomförande. Detta generade en problemställning i denna uppsats som lyder:

På vilket sätt har bakomliggande säkerhetspolitiska resonemang till EUs säkerhetsstrategi påverkat utformandet av de nationella svenska motiven till internationella insatser i de EU-ledda militära insatserna i Afrika 2006-2009? Kan incitament och motiv identifieras som inflytelser i propositioner från samma period?

Syftet var att undersöka målsättningarna i dokumentet Ett säkert Europa i en bättre värld, en Europeisk säkerhetsstrategi (ESS), för att se hur dessa målsättningar påverkat de svenska propositionerna inför de EU-ledda insatserna.

Som metod användes en kvalitativ textanalys deduktivt, genom att analysera de utrikespolitiska målen med ett analysverktyg indelat i säkerhets-, välfärds- och idémål.

Resultatet visade att EU:s övergripande säkerhetsstrategi genomsyrade våra motiv i propositionerna men att det fanns sammantaget en avsaknad av EU:s tydlighet med att vara aktiv, preventiv och handlingskraftig i propositionerna. För att få effekt i välfärdsmålsättningar anser EU att detta skall integreras med olika resurser och där även med civil och militär integrering. Denna integrering var inte fullt tydlig i undersökningens studerade propositioner.

Den främsta och prioriterade effekten var att tillgodose de mänskliga rättigheterna vilket gör att signaleffekten var hög både för EU och Sverige i insatserna, både regionalt och strategiskt.

This essay examines how The EU Security Strategy affected the objectives of Swedish foreign politics before launching military operations in The Democratic Republic of Congo 2006, Chad/Central African Republic 2008 and in Somalia 2009. The intentions and goals of foreign politics determine Governmental bills and the objectives for the military operations that are sent overseas. These objectives are to serve as guidelines for the realization of the operations.

This was the basis of the overall problem for my study which asks: How have security policies based on EU reasoning of Security Strategies affected the Swedish national motives for military operations commanded by the EU in Africa 2006-2009? Can they be identified and explained in the Governmental bills from the same era?

The document, A secure Europe in a better world ­ European Security Strategy, (2003) is used in the case study to identify the objectives and to compare how these have been implemented in the Swedish governmental bills before the initiation of the EU commanded military operations. This was achieved by using qualitative text analysis and a deductive method to analyse foreign policies with an analysis tool, divided into security, welfare of the state and ideological objectives.

The outcome of the study identified that the motives for the Governmental bills were permeated by EU’s overall objectives. In the Governmental bills, it was identified that there was generally a lack of the sharpness that the EU policy stands for, regarding being active, preventive and resolute. In order to achieve more effectiveness in the welfare of the state objectives, the EU considers this objective ought to be integrated into all resources as well as into civil and military integration. Additionally, this integration was not emphasized in explicit terms in the examined bills. The main and most prioritised outcome was to consider Human Rights, which resulted in high ranking publicity for the EU and Sweden in the outcome of the operations, both regionally and strategically.

The social dimension in the EU, explored through the document texts of the Treaty of Rome, the Lisbon Strategy, the Social Policy Agenda and the Swedish Strategy Report

This paper explores the social dimension of EU social policy, except the aspects of the economic and labour market. The EU documents reveal an underlying line of thought stemming from the alignment of the six founding countries, spearheaded by France, with the conservative corporatist welfare model. As one of four European welfare models, the conservative corporatist model emphasises labour market issues, corporate social responsibility and the subsidiarity principle in EU social policy. It also influences how the texts define the terms social, social policy and social exclusion. The definitions determine how policymakers combat problems such as social exclusion and identify the policy issues to be included in EU social policy.

The Swedish Strategy shows how the country is responding to the objectives that it has been assigned by the EU and how it plans to attain them. Other key issues include how Sweden defines and plans to address the problem of social exclusion domestically.

The Lisbon Strategy and the Social Policy Agenda of the EU underline the importance of civil trust. Accordingly, I have included Bo Rothstein's theory of social trust, which demonstrates that open dialogue with citizens and written declarations of cooperation in the EU are not enough. Actions that instil trust and impartial universal institutions are also required for the European project to work. Thus, civil trust in the EU requires the existence of such institutions.

Abstract

The aim with this essay has been to investigate if Sweden’s attitude against the European Union has changed expressed in the statement of government policies, during the years 1988-1998. In the prolongation I want to see if the policies can be seen as examples of agenda-setting.

My comprehensive objective is: In which way is the change of the Swedish attitude towards the European Union expressed in the statement of government policies during 1988-1998 shown?

My other objectives are: In which ways describes the statements the integrations process in Europe generally?

In which ways does the integrations process influences Sweden in generally?

In which ways does the integrations process influences Sweden’s relations against the European Union?

I have used qualitative text analysis as method in my essay to find the answers to the questions. I have classified a number of opinions, found in the policies, summarized under my three objectives.

The result of my essay was shown that the changed not can be found in the policies and they are examples of agenda-setting. Decisions and public opinions take places in other ways than in the statements of government policies.

Keywords: The European Union, the statement of government policies, the swedish EU-membership and agenda-setting.

Nyckelord: Den Europeiska Unionen, regeringsdeklarationer, det svenska EU-medlemskapet och “agenda-setting."

The aim of this essay is to give the reader an idea of how the European agricultural policies have developed, in regard of sustainable development, since Sweden became a member in the union 1995. The main aspect that’s been investigated is the issues regarding sustainable development and how the issues regarding the ecological farming methods have been dealt with. My research questions are:

- How has the European environment- and agricultural politics changed since Sweden

joined the union in 1995?

- What consequences have the changes had for ecological farming?

The answers to the stated questions are that there have been several treaties in the field of environmental development of the agricultural policy, starting with the Maastricht treaty and ends up with the European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming. Since there are economical aid to back up the decisions there have been some restructuring of the farming policies in the way that makes it’s possible to produce ecological products even if that’s more expensive than the regular actions.

The aim of this master-thesis is to investigate the emergence of bureaucratic drift in connection with implementation of EU-legislation in Sweden. To narrow it down I have chosen to look at the Swedish implementation of the Working Time Directive, directive 93/104/EG. To be able to fulfil the purpose of this master-thesis I have used two research questions; [1] How did Sweden implement the Working Time Directive into Swedish law? and [2] Why did Sweden omit to correct implement the Working Time Directive? To be able to understand and explain the situation I have used the principal-agent perspective as a theoretical framework. An analysis of motives has been used as analytical method.

The results from the analysis show that Sweden, in order to keep the contractual model used on the labour market, which is a part of the well known Swedish model, shirked while implementing the directive and implemented as to be able to fulfil its own agenda. This gives a new dimension to implementation research, since Sweden and Scandinavia is considered a ‘black hole’ regarding research on implementation in connection with EU-legislation.

Abstract

Växjö University, School of Social Sciences

Bachelor thesis

Title: Varför en rädsla för alternativmedicin? En studie om hur EU’s kosttillskottsdirektiv har implementerats i Sverige.

Author: Annica Blomstrand

Supervisor: Anne Haglund-Morrissey

The aim of this study is to investigate the process of legislation and implementation of the directive of the European Union on the food supplements, focused on member state of Sweden.

There are two questions in this study: What was the process of legislation in the period when the Directive on the food supplements became established? and How does the implementation of EU’s decision on the food supplements works in reality? In order to answer these questions, two different methods were used. One was qualitative analysis of the available text and the other one case-study (qualitative including interviews)

The conclusion is that the implementation has not been successful. The process of legislation has followed its traditional way, which in its turn did not leave so much space to the thorough implementation of the Directive. Unfortunately, this is a process that overlooks citizens and countries with different premises, affected by the decision.

Keywords: EU, kostillskottdirektivet, lagstiftningsprocessen, implementering, organisationsteori, fallstudie