Sweden: Operating a Business

Legal Forms of Companies

Types of Companies and Capital (Max/Min)	Number of Partners/Shareholders and Liability
The Aktiebolag (AB) is the equivalent of a public limited company. 100,000 SEK minimum. 500,000 if the company brings in public savings. The capital is fully subscribed and paid-up.	No minimum Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.
The Enskild näringsidkare is an individual company. No minimum	Only one Liability is unlimited.
The Handelsbolag or HB is a partnership. No minimum capital.	2 partners minimum Liability is joint and unlimited regarding third parties.
The Kommanditbolag is a limited partnership. No minimum capital.	2 partners minimum Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed, in agreement with the other partners. However, a shareholder must pledge his unlimited liability.

Enterprises Federation: Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (NUTEK)
Search a Company or a Financial Report: Bolagsverket, Use the Web Service.

Source: Doing Business.

For Further Information: Consult Doing Business Website, to know about procedures to start a Business in Sweden.
Swedish Companies Registration Office – Bolagsverket
The Competent Organization: Swedish Companies Registration Office.

Principle: Any recovery procedure begins with an injunction, by registered post, addressed to the debtor reminding him of his obligation to pay.
The creditor resorts to the accelerated procedure of the injunction to pay (Betalningsföreläggande) conducted by the Office of Seizures and can thus obtain a proof of debt rapidly, within about four months.
For further information, click here.
Insolvency can be declared by the debtor or the creditor. The court declares the insolvency and appoints an administrator. The decision must be published in the Official Gazette and in one or more newspapers circulating in the region.
Companies which appear to be viable in the long term but are in financial difficulty, can be reorganized. The application is made by the company itself and the court appoints an administrator to come to an arrangement with the creditors.
Debt restructuring means that all debts covered by the procedure are reduced or eliminated altogether. The creditors must be given the opportunity to comment on the proposal. The deciding authority will determine the proportion of the debt the debtor must pay and the repayment schedule (generally spread over 5 years).
For further information, consult the European Commission website.
Bankruptcy Laws: Bankruptcy Act (1987:672, Konkurslagen)
Reorganization and Rehabilitation Laws: Company Reorganization Act (1996:764)
Debt Restructuring Act (2006:548)

	2010
Labor Force	4,930,000

Source: CIA - The world factbook

Source: UN - United Nations

Employed Persons, by Occupation (% of Total Labor Force)	2007
Agriculture	2.3%
Industry	23.7%
Services	74.0%

For Further Statistics: Swedish National Agency for Education
Sweden Statistics
For Further Information About the Labor Market: European employment observatory , Functioning of the Swedish job market

Minimum Wage: 13 000 SEK/month full time (1 700 EUR)
Average Wage: 19,150 SEK for men and 17,410 SEK for women.
Other Forms of Pay
Pay For Overtime: It is quite common for overtime to be paid 50% or 100% of the ordinary hourly rate according to when the overtime is worked.

The Areas Covered: Accidents at work, retirement, family allowances, health insurance.
Contributions: Contributions Paid By the Employer: 33 %
Contributions Paid By the Employee: 6.95%
Competent Organization: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
Swedish Social Security (Forsakringskassan)

Method of Recruitment: You find work in Sweden essentially through adverts in the major daily papers, local job centers or through personal contacts.
Recruitment Agencies: Public service for employment: AMS - Arbetsmarknadsstyrelsen and AMV - Arbetsmarknadsverket.
Recruitment agency: Juhlergroup, Sikta.
Recruitment Websites: Recruitment
Monster Sweden
Job adverts in the newspaper The Local
Expat in Sweden

Type of Contract: The work contract is governed by legal measures and to a lesser degree by collective agreements and individual negotiation.
The work contract is generally a permanent contract, but fixed-term contracts may be signed under certain conditions.
For further information, click here.

Breach of Contracts
Retirement: Retirement is usually at 65.
Dismissals: In Sweden, dismissals may be for reasons of repeated negligence, being incapable of doing the job, being incapable of working with others, repeated drunkenness, refusal to take orders, participation in illegal strikes, etc.
Labor Laws: Labor laws in English

Cases of Dispute: Physical violence, moral harassment, sexual harassment, working conditions, etc.
Legal Framework: Certain types of work disputes can be taken directly to the industrial tribunal. In this case, the industrial tribunal has exclusive jurisdiction. For other types of dispute between employer and employee, claims must be presented before the ordinary civil court. If one of the parties is not satisfied with the decision made by the civil court, they can appeal to the industrial tribunal. In either case, the decision of the industrial tribunal is the final decision.
For further information, click here.
Procedure: Click here.

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: Collective agreements are very important in Sweden and they cover most workers. Social dialogue happens only between employers and employees. However, a Commission or a State may be a third party in the negotiations. If the two parties do not come to an agreement, it is the Commission or the State which will decide, and this encourages the parties to find an agreement.
Unionization Rate: 79.2% in 2005.
Unions: LO (Landsorganisationen I Sverige)
TCO (Tjanstemannens Centralorganisation)
Regulation Bodies: Ministry ofEmployment

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