European Institutions and Enterprises in Sweden

Abstract

Sweden is a small export-dependent country on the outskirts of Europe. Countries within the EU have for centuries been important as Swedish markets for exports as well as imports. Sweden has pursued a wait-and-see-policy in relation to European integration, though. The country became a member of the EFTA from the start, but was a non-enthusiastic latecomer in the European Union. It did not become a member until 1995 and was, 10 years later, a member outside the Monetary Union. When Sweden joined the EU, the Swedish economy was not what it used to be. European integration and globalisation — or perhaps rather globalisation and European integration — had meant a rapid transformation of Swedish industry since the time of the Treaty of Rome.

I want to thank Olof Allgårdh for information, informed views and source material. Olof Allgårdh was 1995–2003 heading the Swedish business office in Brussels. I also want to thank Lars Kritz, director at the Federation, for informed information and comments. For helping me out in the archive at the Centrum för Näringslivshistoria I thank Vadim Azbel.