Sweden

The Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure is the lead institution for coordinating rural development in Sweden. It is responsible for matters relating to rural areas, regional development, transport and infrastructure, housing, spatial planning, and food systems. 

The ministry works closely with the Swedish Board of Agriculture, Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (se. Tillväxtverket), and other relevant authorities. It plays a key role in promoting territorial cohesion and ensuring that rural perspectives are integrated across national policy agendas.

In Sweden, responsibility for rural policy is distributed across multiple governance levels, including the national government, self-governing regional and local authorities, and state agencies. The country comprises 21 autonomous regions and 290 municipalities, each with constitutionally protected self-governing status. 

Regions hold the primary responsibility for public healthcare, transport, and regional development, including the formulation and implementation of Regional Development Strategies (se. RUS) and Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). Although municipalities and regions operate independently of one another and of the national government, their policy frameworks must align with broader national objectives.

Additionally the County Administrative Boards (se. Länsstyrelser) serve as regional representatives of the central government. They coordinate the implementation of national policies at the regional level and play a key role in rural development, particularly in areas such as environmental protection, agricultural policy, and the administration of EU-funded rural programmes. 

Several municipalities – including Västervik, Lidköping, Växjö and Umeå – and regions – including Västerbotten and Jämtland Härjedalen – have developed dedicated rural strategies or established rural advisory bodies to better incorporate rural perspectives into policy planning and service delivery.

In July 2024, the Swedish government launched a national inquiry to prepare a coordinated strategy for cohesive rural and regional development. The inquiry, known as SVESAM (se. Samordnad utvecklingsstrategi för en sammanhållen regional- och landsbygdspolitik), is carried out by a government-appointed commissioner and falls within the responsibility of the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure. 

The aim of the inquiry is to outline the shape and coordination of Sweden’s future rural and regional policies, with a focus on long-term, sustainable territorial development. The process involves extensive consultation with national agencies, regional authorities, municipalities, the Sami Parliament (se. Sametinget), and rural civil society organisations such as Hela Sverige ska leva. The final proposal is expected by mid-2026.

The inquiry builds on the existing rural policy framework set out in the 2018 government bill ’A Coherent Policy for Sweden’s Countryside – for a Sweden that Holds Together’ (se. En sammanhållen politik för Sveriges landsbygder – för ett Sverige som håller ihop). 

The Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure is responsible for coordinating rural development policy across sectors at national level. It works to ensure that rural concerns are addressed across areas such as infrastructure, regional development and spatial planning. 

The Ministry plays a key coordinating role in national-level policymaking and serves as the formal ministry responsible for guiding the SVESAM inquiry (se. Samordnad utvecklingsstrategi för en sammanhållen regional- och landsbygdspolitik) into a cohesive rural and regional development strategy.

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (se. Tillväxtverket) supports national coordination by working directly with regional councils and municipalities. It plays a key role in translating national objectives into regional strategies, and in promoting policy coherence across levels.

The agency also facilitates structured exchange, offers strategic guidance, supports implementation by working with regions and municipalities, and follows up on national rural policies. 

The Government Network for Regional Development and Rural Policy (se. Myndighetsnätverk för regional utveckling och landsbygdspolitik) is a coordination platform led by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket). It brings together around a dozen national agencies and representatives from Sweden’s county boards to strengthen horizontal coordination on regional and rural development.

The network fosters strategic dialogue, promotes knowledge exchange, and supports joint efforts to align national agency work with territorial development goals.

Sweden’s 21 County Administrative Boards (se. Länsstyrelser) act as regional representatives of the national government. They are tasked with coordinating the implementation of national policy across sectors at regional level. 

In rural development, they ensure that central government goals are adapted to local realities, acting as an interface between ministries and municipalities and contributing to policy consistency.

The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR – se. Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner, SKR) represents all 290 municipalities and 21 regions. It acts as a central platform for dialogue between local, regional and national levels of government. 

SALAR contributes to territorial policy coordination by representing shared local interests, engaging in consultations with the government, and supporting coherent policy positions. It also provides data, policy analysis and good practices that inform rural and regional development efforts.

The Forum for Sustainable Regional Development (se. Forum för hållbar regional utveckling) is a national coordination platform that promotes structured dialogue between national and regional levels on regional development policy, including rural development. It brings together national ministers and state secretaries, regional politicians, municipal representatives, and senior civil servants, including all 21 Regional Development Directors, and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. 

The Forum is managed by the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth which supports its organisation and contributes expert input. The Forum convenes regularly to align sectoral policies with territorial needs and ensure that rural and regional perspectives are integrated into national decision-making.

The Regional Development Collaboration Platform (Reglab) is a national learning and collaboration network involving regions, national agencies, and researchers. It contributes to governance coordination by facilitating shared methods, evaluations, and peer exchange around regional and rural development. 

Reglab plays a bridging role by aligning policy learning across regions and contributing to national processes such as the inquiry for a coordinated strategy on cohesive rural and regional development (se. SVESAM).

The Swedish Board of Agriculture (se. Jordbruksverket) is the managing authority for rural development funding under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including LEADER and other measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) . 

The Board ensures that funding is coordinated with national objectives. It works in partnership with the County Administrative Boards (se. Länsstyrelserna) which act as regional intermediaries to align local implementation with strategic goals, and with the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth to ensure coherence in the allocation of funding. 

The Board supports synergies by providing technical guidance, monitoring systems, and shared planning tools for rural funding streams. 

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (se. Tillväxtverket) is the managing authority of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Just Transition Fund (JTF) programmes.  It plays a key role in aligning these instruments with Sweden’s broader rural and regional development agenda. 

Through shared programming and consultation with other managing authorities, such as the Swedish Board of Agriculture, and the Swedish ESF Council (managing authority of the European Social Fund Plus),  the agency works to maximise complementarity between rural, regional and social investments.

The national inquiry to prepare a coordinated strategy for cohesive rural and regional development  (se. Samordnad utvecklingsstrategi för en sammanhållen regional- och landsbygdspolitik - SVESAM), is a government-led process running from 2024 to 2026. It examines ways of better integrating rural impact assessments and territorial analyses into national policymaking. 

The national inquiry is expected to set out concrete mechanisms for rural proofing by 2026, contributing to a more systematic approach to assessing policy effects across territories.

The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (se. Tillväxtverket) contributes to evidence-based policymaking by producing regional data, conducting policy evaluations, and supporting territorial foresight. 

Through tools such as the Regional Analysis and Forecast System (RAPS), the agency provides socio-economic analyses across regions to assess developmental trends in areas such as employment, business conditions, and demographic change. These insights support regional and municipal authorities in adapting national strategies to local needs and inform the design of regionally tailored development policies.

The agency also manages the Government Network for Regional Development and Rural Policy which brings together national agencies to share knowledge, align strategies, and improve institutional capacity on rural issues. These efforts fall under the broader initiative Viable Rural Areas (se. Livskraftiga landsbygder) which supports more inclusive and balanced territorial development.

Statistics Sweden (se. Statistiska centralbyrån, SCB) is the national statistical agency responsible for producing data used in policy design and monitoring. It maintains disaggregated regional and municipal-level indicators on demographics, labour markets, education, services, infrastructure, and environmental outcomes. This statistical basis is essential for identifying rural development trends and spatial disparities.

The Swedish Rural Parliament (se. Landsbygdsriksdagen) is a national forum for rural communities, policymakers, researchers, and civil society, organised biennially by the Swedish Village Action Movement (se. Hela Sverige ska leva) since 1989. 

The event brings together several hundred participants to debate rural challenges, share experiences, and co-develop policy proposals. Its recommendations are shared with government bodies and often feed into regional and national agendas. The Parliament is a recognised platform for bottom-up input into rural policy.

In several counties (e.g. Kristianstad, Norrtälje, and Växjö), rural councils (se. landsbygdsråd) are working to promote dialogue between local communities, regional authorities, and government agencies. These councils serve as advisory bodies to ensure that rural voices are considered in regional development planning. 

The composition, mandate, and activities of these councils vary by county, but they typically include representatives from civil society, local businesses, and municipal governments.

Rural Week (se. Landsbygdsveckan) is an annual event launched in 2023 as a joint initiative of the Swedish Rural Network (se. Landsbygdsnätverket), Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (se. Tillväxtverket), and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (se. Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet – SLU). 

It consists of a nationwide series of workshops, exhibitions, seminars, and village meetings designed to highlight rural challenges and opportunities. The Rural Week initiative fosters collaboration between citizens, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share knowledge and enhance the visibility of rural perspectives in public debate.

Local Development Sweden (se. Lokal Utveckling Sverige, LUS) is a national platform supporting community-led rural development through the LEADER approach. It coordinates and strengthens the work of Local Action Groups (LAGs), promotes mutual learning and capacity building, and represents local development interests at national and EU levels. 

LUS acts as an interface between grassroots actors and institutional stakeholders, helping to ensure that bottom-up initiatives are integrated into broader rural development strategies. 

The Swedish Rural Network (se. Landsbygdsnätverket), also known as Swedish's CAP Network, coordinated by the Swedish Board of Agriculture, fosters knowledge exchange, capacity building, and innovation in rural development. It brings together over 120 organisations from public, private, and civil society sectors, and coordinates thematic working groups, training activities, and peer learning sessions. 

The network supports the implementation of the CAP Strategic Plan and promotes collaboration between rural stakeholders at national and regional levels.

The Swedish Community Centre Federation (se. Bygdegårdarnas Riksförbund) coordinates over 1 400 rural community centres (se. bygdegårdar) that act as hubs for civic activity, learning, and cultural events. These centres host workshops, digital inclusion programmes, and local meetings, providing essential infrastructure for rural networking and capacity development.

Local Development Sweden (se. Lokal Utveckling Sverige, LUS) is a national umbrella organisation representing Swedish LEADER groups. It supports Local Action Groups (LAGs), through coordination, advocacy, and knowledge sharing. It strengthens rural networks by facilitating mutual learning and collecting good practices. 

The Swedish Village Action Movement (se. Hela Sverige ska leva) is a national civil society organisation that supports over 4 500 village associations and local development groups across the country through training, tools, peer-to-peer learning, and national campaigns. It promotes community-led development and acts as a rural voice in national policy debates. 

The movement supports local initiatives, facilitates networking and advocacy, and engages with national authorities to ensure rural perspectives are integrated into policymaking. It represents Sweden in the European Rural Parliament, coordinates national input to the Rural Pact process, and plays a central role in strengthening grassroots capacity for sustainable rural development.

The Swedish Archipelago Association (se. Skärgårdarnas Riksförbund, SRF) is a national umbrella organisation that brings together local archipelago associations from across Sweden. It serves as a platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and collective advocacy among island and coastal communities. 

As a member of the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN), the Swedish Archipelago Association facilitates knowledge exchange and dialogue between Swedish island communities and their counterparts across Europe. This includes participation in joint projects, sharing of best practices, and collaborative policy advocacy on issues relevant to small islands.