Communication and media
Listed below are the latest news articles published on the Swedish NAO website. Previous news related to our reports and review results can be accessed from our reports page or by using the website search in the page header.
News articles
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Stockholm conference for young auditors in Europe
On 12–15 September, the Swedish National Audit Office is hosting the Young EUROSAI Conference (YES). The conference is directed to young auditors from audit agencies linked to the regional organisation EUROSAI.
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Substantial shortcomings in documentation for more than one in two reforms
The majority of the largest reforms in Sweden in the 2000s have been based on documentation with considerable shortcomings. Among the reforms that it has been possible to evaluate, only half have achieved their set goals or expected impact, according to the Swedish NAO’s audit.
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National guidelines for sick-listing at digital medical consultations
Digital medical consultations have become more common in health and medical care — and are expected to increase further. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) recommends that the Government develop national guidelines for what applies to sick-listing at digital medical consultations.
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Automatic savings requirements for central government agencies achieve the desired result
The model used by the State to increase agencies’ appropriations means continuous savings of approximately SEK 1 billion per year. It forces efficiency improvements without the agencies finding it significantly more difficult to fulfil their remit, according to the Swedish National Audit Office’s (Swedish NAO) audit.
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Rapid emergency support for sport and culture, but lack of efficacy and transparency
The economic conditions for sport and culture deteriorated sharply during the pandemic. The audit carried out by the Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) shows that central government emergency support was appropriately designed, but that the urgency led to shortcomings in its efficacy.
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Slow processing of asylum cases
The handling of asylum cases by migration courts is characterised by long processing times and large regional differences. Lack of resources is the main reason, according to the Swedish National Audit Office’s (Swedish NAO) audit.
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Inadequate control of public counsel in migration cases
People who risk refusal of entry or expulsion may have the right to public counsel. It is the responsibility of the State to check that the counsel are suitable. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) audit shows that people have been able to continue working as counsel even though they have been convicted of serious crime or excluded from the Swedish Bar Association.
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Clear indications of abuse of the State wage guarantee scheme
The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) audit suggests that the expenditure for abuse of the wage guarantee scheme in bankruptcy amounts to SEK 100-150 million per year. The Swedish NAO recommends that the Government review the entire wage guarantee scheme.
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Property formation at Lantmäteriet is slow, with high and unpredictable fees
The Lantmäteriet property formation activities are ineffective, with long processing times and high, unpredictable fees. The Swedish National Audit Office recommends a review of the entire regulatory framework and the current fee model.
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Swedish NAO extends cooperation with GAC Liberia
The Swedish National Audit Office has decided to extend the cooperation with the General Auditing Commission of Liberia (GAC). The purpose is to further improve the possibilities of conducting audits in accordance with international standards.
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Prize for best performance audit report awarded to the supreme audit institution of Ghana
The supreme audit institution of Ghana, Ghana Audit Service, had been awarded the prize for the best performance audit report in the AFROSAI-E region, the African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions.
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Swedish National Audit Office to host conference for young European auditors
The Swedish National Audit Office is inviting young auditors from almost 50 countries to participate in a conference in Stockholm in September. The purpose is to share new ideas and solutions to challenges that supreme audit institutions face today and in the future.
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More difficult for municipalities with a small population to access targeted government grants
Sweden’s municipalities are partially financed by targeted government grants and the municipal property charge, which is a state tax. The Swedish NAO now recommends the Government to make it easier for municipalities with a small population to access all grants and to clarify the purpose of the property charge.
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Unclear objectives for Government aid to multilateral organisations
The Swedish Government annually decides on more than SEK 16 billion in so-called core support to multilateral organisations. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) audit shows that the aid lacks clear objectives, and that there are shortcomings in preparation and follow-up. Sida, which also supports multilateral organisations, has a more appropriate approach.
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The Swedish National Audit Office supports island nations in the Pacific region
The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) has initiated a development project to strengthen Supreme Audit Institutions in the Pacific region. The project is in partnership with the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI).
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Ineffective efforts to strengthen army forces
Work to strengthen the operational capacity of the Swedish army is slower than planned. Weaknesses exist in planning, analysis, governance and implementation. Misjudgement of the baseline situation and underfunding have delayed and hampered the work, according to an audit by the Swedish National Audit Office’(Swedish NAO).
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Shortcomings in the work of the Police Authority to provide information to victims of crime
The work of the Police Authority to provide information to victims of crime has several shortcomings that may lead to crime victims not receiving the information they have a right to. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) is now calling for a number of improvements
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Preventive tools are not used to prevent sick leave
The Swedish Social Insurance Agency can approve benefits for preventive measures against ill health and long-term sick leave. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) audit shows that these benefits are relatively unknown and are rarely used preventively. In addition, the Government’s remit to the Social Insurance Agency is unclearly formulated.
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Make it easier for actors in the sharing economy to comply with tax legislation
It is unusually difficult for the actors in the sharing economy to follow the tax rules. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) is now calling for improved information and pre-printed data in the income tax return.
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Large and systematic cost increases in government infrastructure investments
The Swedish Transport Administration systematically underestimates the costs of new infrastructure. However, despite the fact that the cost increases are very large, the Government rarely reconsiders its investment decisions, and neither the Government nor the Swedish Transport Administration report on how much costs change, according to an audit by the Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO).
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Energy performance certificates for single-family houses continue to be ineffective
The energy performance certificate system was to lead to energy-efficient buildings. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) audit shows that it has had only minor effects on buyers‘ house choices and owners’ willingness to improve energy efficiency. However, lack of follow-up makes it impossible to see if energy consumption has been affected.
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Appropriate sustainability work at the AP Funds, but more should be done
The state-owned AP Funds conduct appropriate sustainability work in relation to their objectives’, but the Funds should do more to ensure that pension capital contributes to Sweden’s sustainable development goals. The Government should also take measures, according to the Swedish National Audit Office’ (Swedish NAO) audit
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Little benefit from extensive information gathering from municipal social services
Municipalities provide large amounts of information to the system of ‘public performance reports’ in social services. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) notes that only a small part of this information contributes to higher quality, and recommends that the National Board of Health and Welfare review the system.
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Major shortcomings when central government invested billions in public transport in exchange for new housing
In the National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure, central government invested SEK 20 billion on regional public transport in exchange for increased housing construction. The Swedish National Audit Office (Swedish NAO) notes that the reference data for costs and the economy had major deficiencies and that the follow-up of the projects has been insufficient. In addition, new homes built as a result of the investments are probably few in number.
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Need to improve cost-effectiveness in the use of medicines
In 2020, the cost of medicines within the pharmaceutical benefits scheme amounted to approximately SEK 34.3 billion, including patient fees. The Government and the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV) can do more to get the most possible health for the tax money that the public sector spends on medicines, according to the Swedish National Audit Office’s (Swedish NAO) audit
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