Sweden

Operating a business

Different types of companies	Number of partners/shareholders	Maximum and/or minimum capital	Liabilities	Registration fees
The Aktiebolag (AB) is the equivalent of a public limited company.	no minimum	100 000 SEK minimum. 500 000 if the company brings in public savings. The capital is fully subscribed and paid-up.	Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed.
The Enskild näringsidkare is an individual company.	1	No minimum	Liability is unlimited.
The Handelsbolag or HB is a partnership.	2 partners minimum	No minimum capital.	Liability is joint and unlimited regarding third parties.
The Kommanditbolag is a limited partnership.	1 or several partners	No minimum capital.	Liability is limited to the amount of capital contributed, in agreement with the other partners. However, a shareholder must pledge his unlimited liability.

Business setup procedures: Registration procedures only concern the AB. Articles of Association must be drawn up in Swedish. They are composed of the Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association.
Registering a company requires the production of the minutes of the constitutive meeting and the certificate of the Swedish bank attesting the deposit of the minimum amount of share capital. Filing the Articles of Association and registration must take place at the Companies Register (Patent och Registreringsverkert, PRV Bolag).
Subsidiaries of foreign companies must also be registered with the Companies Register. Documents to be presented are certified copies of the Articles of Association of the foreign company and a document attesting the identities of the directors.
The competent organization: Patent och Registreringsverkert, PRV Bolag

Legal weekly duration: 35 or 40 hours
Retirement age: 65
Working contracts: 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.
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Minimum wage: 13 000 SEK/month full time (1 700 EUR)
Average wage: 19 150 SEK for men and 17 410 SEK for women (2002).
Social contributions: Social security contributions paid by employers: 33 %
Social security contributions paid by employees: 6.95%

Bargaining power: 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.
Unions: LO (Landsorganisationen I Sverige)
TCO (Tjanstemannens Centralorganisation)
Unionization rate: 79.2% in 2005.
Labor regulation bodies: Ministry of Employment