Vinge Dude Diligence – for improved gender equality

Proposed EU regulation prohibiting forced labour

On 14 September 2022, the European Commission proposed a EU new regulation which bans products made with forced labour (COM (2022) 453).

Private Funds – Vinge forms new practice group for fund formation in Sweden

Historically, private equity firms have often managed their funds from abroad. More recently, there has been a clear reversal of this trend in favour of repatriating the management of funds and establishing funds as Swedish limited companies. Vinge has formed a new Private Funds practice group in order to be in a better position to advise in conjunction with Swedish fund formations.

Proposal for a European Media Freedom Act

The European Commission has presented a proposal for new legislation which aims to protect journalists and media companies and combat disinformation.

The European Commission proposes a new Single Market Emergency Instrument

On 19 September 2022, the Commission adopted a proposal for a new regulation on an emergency instrument for the Single Market. Following the Covid-19 pandemic and other crises in the last years, the Union has seen internal entry restrictions, unpredictable rules and supply disruptions which, according to the Commission, have highlighted that there are structural shortcomings in the EU legal framework on the Single Market. The proposed emergency instrument aims to preserve the free movement of goods, services and persons and to ensure the availability of essential goods and services in the event of future emergencies.

New partners and counsels appointed at Vinge’s Gothenburg office

Ninos Aho has been appointed partner at Vinge’s Gothenburg office, as of 1 January 2023. In addition, advokat Petronella Hallberg and advokat Martin E Svanberg have been appointed as counsels, also as of 1 January 2023.

Helena Rosén Andersson joins Vinge

Today we welcome former Justice of the Supreme Administrative Court in Sweden, Helena Rosén Andersson, to Vinge. We thereby strengthen our services within public procurement, administrative and public law, constitutional law, state aid and dispute resolution.

Vinge’s experts provide an insight into Swedish maritime law in the latest edition of International Comparative Legal Guide – Shipping Law 2022

Vinge’s experts in martime and transport law have again contributed to the Swedish chapter on maritime law in the International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG).

Sanctions update 22 July

Further to our previous sanctions updates of 25 February, 3 March, 11 March, 16 March , 14 April and June 8, we herewith provide a further update of recent sanctions developments following Russia’s war against Ukraine:

A new EU instrument for international procurement (IPI)

On 17 June 2022, the Council adopted a regulation on a new instrument for international procurement (“IPI”), following the formal adoption of the IPI at the European Parliament plenary session on 9 June 2022. The general objective of the IPI is to create reciprocity in the access to international public procurement markets by enabling the Commission to undertake investigations and adopt measures to open and improve access to third-country public procurement and concession markets.

Vinge top ranked within intellectual property law

Vinge’s IP practice group is once again top ranked in IAM’s annual ranking Patent 1000. Håkan Borgenhäll, Malin Malm Waerme and Stojan Arnerstål also receive individual recommendations.

New Regulation on foreign subsidies – the Council and the EP has reached an agreement

On 30 June, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on a new Foreign Subsidies Regulation, based on a proposal by the Commission of 5 May 2021.

Updates in labour migration regulation

In February 2022, the Government presented the bill designated as "Tightened and improved rules on labour immigration 2021/22:134". Pursuant to this bill, the Government proposes new rules aimed to discourage the exploitation of labour migrants but also at retaining international expertise in Sweden.

Part-time firefighters have priority right to a higher employment rate AD 2022 No 29

Four firefighters on standby employed according to the so-called RiB agreement, notified their employer - a civil protection union - that they wanted a higher employment rate according to section 25a of the Employment Protection Act. The employer subsequently employed 16 full-time firefighters without offering the firefighters on standby a higher employment rate. The parties agreed that the four firefighters had sufficient qualifications for the full-time vacancies. The Labour Court found that the four firefighters on standby were part-time employees within the meaning of section 25a of the Employment Protection Act and that the employer breached the provision by not offering them any of the vacant full-time jobs.

The Labour Court: Unlawful blockade warning against Russian-linked ships made by Swedish Dockworkers Union AD 2022 No 33

On two occasions, the Swedish Dockworkers Union has warned of a blockade against ships to and from Russia and against Russian-flagged, Russian-owned and Russian-controlled ships that are currently not sailing in Russian ports. The Swedish Dockworkers Union argued that the blockade should be regarded as a lawful industrial action as it was primarily an act of sympathy and in solidarity with, among others, Ukrainian dockworkers. Secondly, the blockade should be considered as a form of legitimate political industrial action. However, the Ports of Sweden disagreed, which the union is bound by a collective bargaining agreement with. Following an application for an interim decision on the matter, the Labour Court found that the Swedish Dockworkers Union had failed to show that it was likely that there was a primary trade union conflict in Ukraine. The blockade could not be regarded as a lawful sympathy act. Furthermore, the Labour Court found that the blockade could not be considered as a form of lawful political industrial action as the blockade lacked the character of a protest and demonstration action due to the period of time the blockade would last and the not insignificant impact it would have on the business management rights for the Ports of Sweden’s member companies.

Changes to the Swedish Employment Protection Act and other labour laws

In recent years, the modernisation and reform of Swedish labour law has been a constant topic in the political debate. Earlier this year, Government Bill 2021/22:176, entitled "Flexibility, adaptability and security in the labour market", was presented. The bill, which is based on an agreement between the social partners, proposes legislative changes to a total of 21 labour laws. On 8 June 2022, the Swedish Parliament voted through the proposal, which will bring major changes to Swedish labour law. The majority of the proposed changes will enter into force on 30 June 2022 and will apply for the first time on 1 October 2022. In this detailed analysis, we will outline the most important changes to the Employment Protection Act (1982:80) ("EPA") and the Agency Work Act (2012:854).