| Type of parliamentary body |
Multifunctional |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
Riksdagen
|
| Date of creation |
1937 |
| Last renewal date |
|
| Mandate |
The Committee on Foreign Affairs prepares matters concerning Sweden's relations and agreements with other states and international organisations, as well as its development assistance to other countries. The Committee also prepares matters concerning foreign trade and international economic cooperation, all insofar as these matters do not fall to any other committee to prepare. |
| Membership |
The Committee of Foreign Affairs has 17 members and 24 alternate members representing the parties in proportion to their relative strength in the Riksdag. Large parties have more members than smaller parties. Committees are appointed at the beginning of each new electoral period, that is to say after an election to the Riksdag. The parties themselves nominate their own representatives, but the Chamber has to approve the nominees. Each member of a committee has a personal mandate, just like a parliamentary mandate. |
| Working methods |
Committee meetings are not open to the public. Special hearings on different matters are open to the media and the general public. The result of the Committee's deliberations are presented in reports in which it takes a position. The Riksdag debates the report and takes decisions at plenary meetings in the Chamber.
As a rule, a special report from the Committee on Foreign Affairs deals with human rights matters in different countries and regions, and about ethnic groups etc. This is based on private motions from the MPs. About 75 private member´s motions were submitted for consideration in relation to this report in 2002. In connection with the Budget Bill 2000, the Riksdag gave an official notice to the Government to present a yearly report to the Riksdag about the Government's work on human rights and democracy issues.
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| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
The Committee on Foreign Affairs has contacts with other committees in the Riksdag, including the Advisory Committee on EU Affairs. Sometimes ad hoc Committees are set up, for example in collaboration with the Committee on the Constitution and the Committee on Defence. Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs can also raise issues of major interest in their party groups before deciding upon a course of action. |
| Relations with external bodies |
While the members of a committee discuss a matter in hand in various groups, the committee secretariat deals with the preparation of committee reports. Government bills and private bills are examined, supplementary information is obtained, likely effects are studied and reactions are obtained from concerned sections of the community.
In order to discuss the matter with all necessary information, committees may ask representatives of ministries and Government agencies to attend a meeting to answer questions, or they may organise a public hearing. Another way of obtaining information is to request written statements of opinion from relevant agencies, organisations, pressure groups, local authorities, etc. Statements may also be solicited from other Riksdag committees. The committee also organises study visits and takes part in conferences.
|
| Subjects dealt with |
The Committee on Foreign Affairs arranged a public hearing in March 2002 when the Parliamentary Commission, Globcom, published a report about Swedish policy for global sustainable development. The report also deals with human rights issues.
A written communication from the Government about a national plan for human rights in Sweden was presented to the Riksdag recently. The Committee on the Constitution has considered the report and published a Committee Report in this matter, which was under debate in the Chamber in April 2002.
The Committee of Health and Welfare which deals with matters about the Convention on the Rights of the Child has also considered during Spring 2002 a written communication from the Government about the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sweden.
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The following standing committees deal also with human rights matters :
" The Committee on Constitutional Affairs discusses human rights matters related to constitutional provisions as well as other constitutional issues. This Committee has considered a written communication from the Government about a national plan for human rights in Sweden which was under debate in the Chamber in April 2002.
" The Committee on Health and Welfare deals among other things with matters concerning the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has also considered (during spring 2002) a written communication from the Government about implementation of the Convention in Sweden.
" The Committee on Social Insurance deals inter alia with questions regarding foreigners (Aliens Act), immigration, refugees and migration policies.
" The Committee on Justice deals among other things with matters regarding conditions in Swedish prisons.
In addition, there is a number of informal groups operating in the Swedish Parliament which deal with human rights. Thus, a large number of Members of the Riksdag participate in various parliamentary friendship groups, networks, associations and other individual organisations for international cooperation and contacts. Among these groups, the following may be mentioned in connection to human rights issues: the Organisation of European Parliamentarians for Southern Africa, AWEPA; Parliamentarians for East Timor (PET); the Swedish Parliamentary Group for Democracy and Human Rights in Iran; the Parliamentary Committee Against Anti-Semitism; the Swedish Parliamentary Network for Western Sahara; the Parliamentary Human Rights Group of the Swedish Riksdag; the Swedish Support Committee for Human Rights in Turkey; the Sweden-Mongolia Contact Committee; and the Tibet Committee.
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
| Main address |
Utrikesutskottet Riksdagen
100 12 STOCKHOLM |
| Phone |
... |
| Fax |
... |
| E-mail |
... |
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|
PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
|
| Name |
Mr. Urban Ahlin |
| Notes |
Deputy Chair |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+46 8 786 47 23 |
| Fax |
... |
| E-mail |
urban.ahlin@riksdagen.se |
| Website |
...
|
| Name |
Mr. Göran Lennmarker |
| Notes |
Chair |
| Address (if different from above) |
|
| Phone |
+46 8 786 46 02
|
| Fax |
... |
| E-mail |
goran.lennmarker@riksdagen.se |
| Website |
...
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SECRETARY
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