The Government Agencies in Sweden are state controlled organizations who act independently to carry out the policies of the Swedish Government. The Government Ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct orders. A Minister is explicitly prohibited from interfering with the day-to-day operation in an agency or the outcome in individual cases.

Table of contents
1 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Justice
2 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
3 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Defence
4 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
5 Government Agencies reporting to Departments and Divisions of the Ministry of Finance
6 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Education and Science
7 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
8 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Culture
9 Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications
10 Remaining ministries

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Justice

  • Chancellor of Justice, or Justitiekanslern (JK). (Official site) Field of operations: Supervises those who are involved with public operations, it is responsible to the Government for protecting the rights of the State and it provides the Government with advice and surveys in legal matters.
  • Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, or Brottsoffermyndigheten (BrOM). Located in Umeå. (Official site) Field of operations: examines crime victim compensation issues and allocates funds from the Fund for Victims of Crime.
  • Swedish National Economic Crimes Bureau, or Ekobrottsmyndigheten. (Official site)
  • Swedish Election Authority, or Valmyndigheten. Located in Solna. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine, or Rättsmedicinalverket (RMV). (Official site) Field of operations: the central administrative agency for forensic mental care, forensic chemistry, forensic medicine and forensic gene-related operations.
  • Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, or ''Brottsförebyggande rådet, BRÅ (Official site) Field of operations: promotes crime prevention, it is responsible for providing the official statistics for the judicial authorities.
  • Swedish National Courts Administration, or Domstolsverket (DV). Located in Jönköping. (Official site) Field of operations: The National Courts Administration is the central administrative agency for the public courts, the legal courts, the regional tenancy tribunals, the regional rent tribunals and the National Legal Aid Authority.
  • Swedish Legal Aid Authority, or Rättshjälpsmyndigheten Located in Sundsvall. Field of operations: administrates issues concerning legal aid in accordance with the Legal Aid Act.
  • Swedish National Police Board, or Rikspolisstyrelsen, (RPS). (Official site) Field of operations: The National Police Board is the central administrative agency for the police authorities, it is also the principal agency for the National Laboratory of Forensic Science. The Swedish Security Service and the National Criminal Investigation Department – a division which manages the running of police operations are just two parts of the National Police Board.
  • Swedish National Prison and Probation Administration, or Kriminalvårdsstyrelsen (KVS). Located in Norrköping. (Official site) Field of operations: The National Prison and Probation Administration is the central administrative agency for the Swedish Prison and Probation service.
  • Swedish Ombudsman against Discrimination because of Sexual Orientation, or Ombudsmannen mot diskriminering på grund av sexuell lägging. (Official site)
  • Swedish Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination, or Ombudsmannen mot etnisk diskriminering. (Official site)
  • Prosecutor-General of Sweden, or Riksåklagaren (RÅ). Field of operations: The office of Prosecutor-General is the public prosecutor in the Supreme Court, it represents the highest-ranking prosecutor and it is the central administrative agency for the prosecution authorities.
  • Swedish National Supervisory Board of Public Accountants, or Revisorsnämnden. (Official site) Field of operations: The Supervisory Board of Public Accountants deals with issues concerning the approval and authorisation of auditors, as well as the registration of auditing companies.
  • Swedish National Gene Technology Advisory Board, or Gentekniknämnden. Located in Solna. (Official site) Field of operations: The Swedish Gene Technology Advisory Board shall promote an ethically justified and safe usage of gene technology through its advisory operations.
  • Swedish National Integration Board, or Integrationsverket. Located in Norrköping. (Official site) Field of operations: The Swedish Integration Board to ensure that the visions and goals of Sweden’s integration policies have an impact in the various areas of society.

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The Legations and Embassies in foreign countries, are under the direct authority and control of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Defence

  • Swedish Armed Forces, or Försvarsmakten (FM). (Official site) The fundamental task of the Swedish Armed Forces is to prepare in peacetime to defend the country in war against armed attack that threatens its liberty and independence. It must be possible to counter attack from any quarter and to defend the whole country.
  • Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, or Försvarets materielverk (FMV). (Official site)
  • Swedish National Service Administration, or Pliktverket. Located in Karlstad. (Official site) The National Service Administration is responsible for enrolment, enlisting and administering those eligible for national service and supporting training organizers during national service. Each year this involves enrolment of around 50,000 young men and testing a smaller number of women for enlistment.
  • Swedish National Defence College, or Försvarshögskolan (FHS). (Official site) The Swedish National Defence College offers university-level training for career and reserve officers of the Armed Forces in senior wartime and peacetime positions.
  • Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment, or Försvarets radioanstalt (FRA). Located in Bromma.
  • Swedish Defence Research Agency, or Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI). (Official site) The core activities of the Swedish Defence Research Agency are research, method and technology development and studies on behalf of the National Total Defence.
  • Swedish Coast Guard, or Kustbevakningen (KBV). Located in Karlskrona. (Official site) The Swedish Coast Guard performs surveillance and other monitoring and control operations, as well as environmental emergency services at sea. Its tasks are wide-ranging. They include several policy areas for which different authorities are responsible.
  • Swedish Emergency Management Agency, or Krisberedskapsmyndigheten (KBM). (Official site) The Swedish Emergency Management Agency was established on 1 July 2002, with the purpose of coordinating work on the preparedness of society to manage serious crises. When it was formed, SEMA took over some of the tasks of the Swedish Agency for Civil Emergency Planning and the National Board of Psychological Defence.
  • Swedish Rescue Services Agency, or Räddningsverket (SRV). Located in Karlstad. (Official site) The Swedish Rescue Services Agency promotes practice that improves accident prevention and response, and in the event of an accident limits injury and damage. This is achieved by imparting information, by running training courses and exercises, and through supervision etc.
  • Swedish National Board of Psychological Defence, Styrelsen för psykologiskt försvar (SPF). (Official site) National Board of Psychological Defence is a central authority whose task is to provide advice and guidance regarding mass media's contingency planning and their capacity for dealing with critical strains on society in peacetime. SPF also disseminates information about security policies and total defence, and follows trends in opinion that are important to psychological defence.
  • Swedish National Accident Investigation Board, or Statens haverikommission (SHK). (Official site)

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

  • Swedish National Alcoholic Beverages Product Rangeboard, or Alkoholsortimentsnämnden. (Official site) Ensures the state retail monopoly functions in an non-discriminatory manner.
  • Swedish Medical Products Agency, or Läkemedelsverket (LV). (Official site) Responsible for regulatory control of pharmaceuticals, related medical products and drug information.
  • Swedish National Medical Responsibility Board, or Hälso- och sjukvårdens ansvarsnämnd. (Official site) Investigates and rules on cases involving malpractice in the health and medical sector.
  • Swedish National Pharmaceutical Benefits Board, or Läkemedelsförmånsnämnden. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Agency for Special Educational Support, or Statens institut för särskilt utbildningsstöd (Sisus). (Official site) Aims to improve educational opportunities for young people and adults with disabilities.
  • Swedish National Board for Intercountry Adoptions, or Statens nämnd för internationella adoptionsfrågor (NIA). (Official site) Overall responsibility for intercountry adoptions.
  • Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, or Socialstyrelsen. (Official site). Supervises, plans, coordinates and monitors health, medical and social care services.
  • Swedish National Board of Institutional Care, or Statens institutionsstyrelse (SiS). (Official site). Responsible for compulsory care of young offenders and young people with drug and alcohol problems at special treatment homes and institutions.
  • Swedish National Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, or Institutet för psykosocial medicin. (Official site) Investigates and monitors research on psychosocial factors.
  • Swedish National Institute of Public Health, or Folkhälsoinstitutet. (Official site) Monitors, evaluates and disseminates knowledge about methods in the public health sphere. Carries on supervisory activities within the areas alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
  • Swedish National Social Insurance Board, Riksförsäkringsverket (RFV). (Official site) Central administration of the social insurance system.
  • Swedish Ombudsman for Children, or Barnombudsmannen. (Official site) Observes matters affecting the rights and interests of children and young people.
  • Swedish Disability Ombudsman, or Handikappombudsmannen. (Official site) Monitors issues relating to the rights and interests of persons with disabilities
  • Swedish Social Insurance Offices, or Försäkringskassan. Local administration of social insurance.
  • Swedish Federation of Social Insurance Offices, or Försäkringskasseförbundet (Official site)
  • Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, or Forskningsrådet för arbetsliv och socialvetenskap. (Official site) Promotes and supports basic and applied research in the fields of working life, social science and public science.
  • Swedish National Council on Technology Assessment in Health care, or Statens beredning för utvärdering av medicinsk metodik (SBU). (Official site) Appraises the methods used in health care and makes objective assessments of costs, risks and benefits of these methods.
  • Swedish Handicap Institute, or Hjälpmedelsinstitutet. (Official site) Assistive techology (testing, evaluation, research and development, information and training) and accessibility.
  • Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, or Smittskyddsinstitutet (SMI). (Official site) Epidemiological surveillance, reference laboratories and diagnostics.

National Monopolies reporting to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Government Agencies reporting to Departments and Divisions of the Ministry of Finance

Economic Affairs Department of the Ministry of Finance

Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance

Fiscal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Finance

Financial Institutions and Markets Department of the Ministry of Finance

Housing Division of the Ministry of Finance

County Administrative Division of the Ministry of Finance

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Education and Science

Schools, Children and Youth

  • Sami School Board of Sweden, or Sameskolstyrelsen. (Official site) Field of operation: administrative authority for the National Sami schools and other activities belonging to and regulated by the Sami School ordinance. Designed to offer the children of the Samis an education with a Sami focus.
  • Swedish National Agency for Special Schools for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or Specialskolemyndigheten. (Official site) Field of operation: to give the pupils individually adapted education that corresponds as far as possible to a normal compulsory school education.
  • Specialpedagogiska institutet. (Official site) Field of operation: the Institute supports the municipalities to offer special needs education to disabled children and youth.
  • Swedish National Agency for Education, or Statens skolverk. (Official site) Field of operation: work actively to ensure that national objectives for childcare and the school system are achieved. In order to gain insight into the various activities and to contribute to development, the National Agency for Education carries out follow-ups, evaluation, development, research and supervisory work.
  • Swedish Institute for Children's Books, Stiftelsen Svenska barnboksinstitutet. (Official site) Field of operation: a special library open to the public and an information centre for children's and young people's literature. The aim is to promote Swedish children's and young people's literature in Sweden as well as abroad.

Adult Education

  • Swedish National Agency for Education, or Statens skolverk. (Official site) Field of operation: Work actively to ensure that national objectives for adult education are achieved. In order to gain insight into the various activities and to contribute to development, the National Agency for Education carries out follow-ups, evaluation, development, research and supervisory work.
  • Swedish Agency for Flexible Learning, or Nationellt centrum för flexibelt lärande. (Official site) Field of operation: The Swedish Agency for Flexible Learning will promote the development and utilisation of flexible learning in municipal upper secondary education and adult education, liberal adult education and working life.
  • Swedish Agency for Advanced Vocational Education, or Myndigheten för Kvalificerad yrkesutbildning (Official site) Field of operation: The Swedish Agency for Advanced Vocational Education has been directed by the Parliament to administrate and supervise this educational form on the national level. It is the Agency that approves applications and makes grants.
  • Swedish National Council of Adult Education, or Folkbildningsrådet. (Official site) Field of operation: The Council distributes state grants to Study Associations and Folk High Schools, and also follows up and evaluates the activities within popular education organisations.

Higher Education

  • Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, or Högskoleverket (HSV). (Official site) Field of operation: the Agency is in charge of inspecting and promoting higher education sector activities, through follow-up and evalutation of higher education, quality assessment, initiatives for updating teaching methods and assessment of right to award degrees.
  • The Universities in Sweden. (List with contact information) Field of operation: main duty is to organise higher education based on a scientific or artistic orientation and on proven experience and research, artistic and other development work.
  • National board of Appeal for Higher Education, or Överklagandenämnden för högskolan. (Official site) Field of operation: Administration of matters of appeal on some decisions made by intsitutions of higher education (i.e universities).
  • Swedish Net University, or '\'Nätuniversitetet''. (Official site) Field of operation: The Swedish Net University mainly aims at widening the distance education market in Sweden.

Admission and Financial Study Support

  • Swedish National Board of Student Aid, or Centrala studiestödsnämnden (CSN). (Official site) Field of operation: Administration of all matters regarding study support
  • Swedish National Agency for Services to Universities, or Verket för högskoleservice (VHS). (Official site) Field of operation: carry out coordinated admissions policy to study programmes at universities and university colleges.
  • Swedish National Board of Appeal for Student Aid, or Överklagandenämnden för studiestöd. (Official site) Field of operation: Administration of matters of appeal for student aid and study support.

Research

  • Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, or Forskningsrådet för arbetsliv och socialvetenskap. (Official site) Field of operation: promote the accumulation of knowledge in matters relating to working life and the understanding of social conditions and processes.
  • Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, or Forskningsrådet för miljö, areella näringar och samhällsbyggande. (Official site) Field of operation: encourages and supports scientifically significant research related to sustainable development.
  • Swedish Institute of Space Physics, or Institutet för rymdfysik. (Official site) Field of operation: a governmental research institute. The primary task is to carry out basic research, education, and associated observatory activities in space physics.
  • The Royal Library, or Kungliga biblioteket (KB). (Official site) Field of operation: As the National Library, the Royal Library collects, describes, preserves and makes available all Swedish printed materials, and publications with Swedish associations published in other countries. The Royal Library is a central library authority with responsibility for coordinating Sweden's research libraries and for the Library Information System, LIBRIS.
  • Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien (KVA). (Official site) Field of operation: an independent, non-governmental organization whose major aims are to promote research in mathematics and the natural sciences.
  • Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, or Polarforskningssekretariatet. (Official site) Field of operation: to promote and co-ordinate Swedish Polar research. Follow and plan research and development and to organise and lead expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
  • Swedish Council for Research and Development Co-operation in the European Communities, or Rådet för forsknings- och utvecklingssamarbete inom EU. (Official site) Field of operation: promote Swedens participation within the EU Fifth Framework Program.
  • Swedish National Archive of Recorded Sound and Moving Images, or Statens ljud- och bildarkiv (SLAB). (Official site) Field of operation: Archive of recorded sound and moving images.
  • Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, or Stiftelsen Strategisk Forskning. (Official site) Field of operation: promotes a broad use of IT in society, and supports research at Sweden's university colleges and new universities.
  • Swedish Institute for Future Studies, or Stiftelsen Institutet för Framtidsforskning. (Official site) Field of operation: a research foundation that on its own or in collaboration with others carries on future studies, longterm analyses, to stimulate an open and broad discussion on future threats and prospects in the development of the society.
  • Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems, or Verket för innovationssytem. (Official site) Field of operation: The Agency integrates research and development in technology, working life and society.
  • Swedish Research Council, or Vetenskapsrådsrådet. (Official site) Field of operation: support basic, top-quality research, to ensure that Sweden is a leading research nation.

International Co-operation

The Ministry of Education and Science is also principal to a number of smaller agencies, academies and associations that are not listed above.

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries

  • Swedish National Board of Agriculture, or Jordbruksverket. (Official site) Field of operations: agriculture, horticulture and reindeer husbandry.
  • Swedish National Food Administration, or Livsmedelsverket. (Official site) Field of operations: foodstuffs.
  • Swedish National Board of Fisheries, Fiskeriverket. (Official site) Field of operations: fishery.
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sveriges Lantbruksuniveristet. (Official site) Field of operations: universities, research.
  • Swedish National Veterinary Institute, or Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt (SVA). (Official site) Field of operations: diagnoisis and combating contagious animal diseases - research and prevention.
  • Swedish Seed Testing and Certification Institute, or Statens utsädeskontroll. Field of operations: seed testing.
  • Swedish National Plant Variety Board, or Statens växtsortnämnd. (Official site) Field of operations: issues relating to plant breeding and the admission of plants into the different classification lists.
  • Swedish Institute for Food and Agricultural Economics, or Livsmedelekonomiska institutet (SLI). (Official site) Field of operations: qualified socio-economic analyses within the areas of agriculture and foodstuffs.
  • Swedish National Board for Laboratory Animals, or Centrala försöksdjursnämnden (CFN). (Official site) Field of operations: main responsibility for the assessment of animnal research, in terms of ethics, and the allocation of research assistance to alternative research methods.
  • Swedish Veterinary Disciplinary Board, or Veterinära ansvarsnämnden. (Official site) Field of operations: examines matters concerning disciplinary responsibility for veterinary surgeons and also the revoking of veterinary licences.
  • Sami Parliament, or Sametinget. (Official site) Field of operations: The Sami Parliament is both a government agency and an elected parliament whose purpose is to promote the Sami culture.
  • Sami Foundation Board, or Styrelsen för samefonden. Field of operations: the board's funds are to be used to promote reindeer husbandry, Sami culture and Sami organisations.
  • Swedish Consumer Agency, or Konsumentverket. (Official site) Field of operations: works with consumer issues in such fields as advertising, contract terms, consumer information, household finances and the safety, quality and environmental impact of goods.
  • Swedish Market Court, or Marknadsdomstolen. (Official site) Field of operations: special court, whose responsibilites include processing of cases and other legal issues under the Marketing Practices Act and the Competition Act.
  • Swedish National Board for Consumer Complaints, or Allmänna reklamationsnämnden. (Official site) Field of operations: acts as a court, the primary task of which is the impartial examination of disuptes between consumers and companies.
  • Swedish Board of Supervision of Estate Agents, or Fastighetsmäklarnämnden. (Official site) Field of operations: registration and supervision of estate agents.
  • Swedish Travel Guarantees Board, or Resegarantinämnden. Field of operations: responsible for decisions on the size of compensation to which travellers are entitled when package tours have been cancelled or broken off.
  • SIS Ecolabelling, or Miljömärkningen Svanen. (Official site) Field of operations: commissioned by the Government to be responsible for Nordic and European environmental labelling, the Nordic Swan and the Eco-flower.

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Culture

General cultural activities

Archives

Visual arts, design and applied arts

  • Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, or Akademien för de fria konsterna.
  • Visual Art Collecting Society, or Bildkonst Upphovsrätt i Sverige (BUS).
  • Swedish National Handicraft Council, or Nämnden för hemslöjdsfrågor.
  • Swedish National Art Council, or Statens konstråd. (Official site)

Libraries, literature and language

Film, Artists & Heritage

Media

Museums and Exhibitions

Theatre, Dance och Music

Religious Communities

  • Swedish Commission for State Grants to Religious Communities, or Samarbetsnämnden för statsbidrag till trossamfund.

Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications

  • Swedish Work Environment Authority, or Arbetsmiljöverket. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Institute for Working Life, or Arbetslivsinstitutet. (Official site)
  • Swedish Employment Services, Arbetsmarknadsverket, Arbetsmarknadsstyrelsen, or Länsarbetsnämnderna. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Rail Administration, or Banverket. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Electrical Safety Board, or Elsäkerhetsverket. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Rural Development Agency, or Glesbygdsverket. (Official site)
  • Swedish Government Seamen's Service, or Handelsflottans kultur- och fritidsråd (HKF). (Official site)
  • Swedish Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation, or Institutet för arbetsmarknadspolitisk utvärdering. (Official site)
  • Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies, or Institutet för tillväxtpolitiska studier. (Official site)
  • Swedish Ombudsman for Equal Opportunities, or Jämställdhetsombudsmannen (JämO). (Official site)
  • Swedish Competition Authority, or Konkurrensverket. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Mediation Office, or Medlingsinstitutet. (Official site)
  • Swedish Patent and Registration Office, or Patent- och registreringsverket (PRV). (Official site)
  • Swedish National Post and Telecom Agency, or Post- och telestyrelsen (PTS). (Official site)
  • Swedish National Public Transport Agency, or Rikstrafiken. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Space Board, or Rymdstyrelsen. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Board of Forestry, or Skogsvårdsstyrelsen. (Official site)
  • Swedish National Energy Administration, or Statens energimyndighet (STEM). (Official site)
  • Swedish Institute for Transport and Communications Analysis, or Statens institut för kommunikationsanalys (SIKA). (Official site)
  • Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, or Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut (VTI). (Official site)
  • Swedish Geological Survey, or Sveriges geologiska undersökning (SGU). (Official site)
  • Swedish Tourist Authority, or Turistdelegationen. (Official site)
  • Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems, or Verket för innovationssystem (Vinnova). (Official site)
  • Swedish Business Development Agency, or Verket för näringslivsutveckling (NUTEK). (Official site)
  • Swedish National Road Administration, or Vägverket. (Official site)

Enterprises

Courts

Remaining ministries

  • Government Agencies reporting to the Ministry of the Environment

See also:
List of Swedish government enterprises, Government of Sweden