Guidance

Sweden: providing services and travelling for business

Guidance for UK businesses on rules for selling services to Sweden.

• From: Department for Business and Trade, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Department for International Trade and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
• Published: 4 March 2019
• Last updated: 21 June 2021 — See all updates

Read this page in combination with the guidance for the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The authoritative source for Swedish market regulations is the Swedish government. This guidance links to official Swedish sources wherever possible.

Trade and services regulations in Sweden

If you are a UK business providing services in Sweden, you need to follow regulations about:

• getting an authorisation or a licence to provide a service
• complying with local business regulations
• EEA nationality requirements which could prevent you from providing services in some sectors

The Sweden e-government portal for service providers can help you to:

• find out what you need to know about providing services in Sweden
• understand local regulations
• complete the relevant administrative procedures online

Consider appointing an English-speaking lawyer in Sweden to help you comply with specific regulations.

To find out if EEA nationality requirements apply to you, contact the appropriate competent authority.

Trade reservations

To sell or provide services to customers in Sweden, you must follow local laws. If in doubt, you should get professional advice.

Reservations are part of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. They reserve the right of each party to keep or make new laws restricting investment, or the sale of services, in ways that would otherwise breach the rules in the agreement.

Check which reservations apply to the sale of services from the UK to Sweden. This includes an interactive tool to find reservations that are already in place.

VAT on sales of digital services

To use the UK’s VAT Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS) to declare sales of digital services to EU consumers, businesses need to register for MOSS in an EU member state.

Find out more about paying VAT on sales of digital services.

Ownership of companies registered in Sweden

If you have a UK business, you might face restrictions on your ability to own, manage or direct a company registered in Sweden.

For information about setting up and running a business in Sweden, visit:

• the e-government portal for service providers
• the Swedish Tax Agency

See our guidance relating to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Ownership of legal firms in Sweden

If you are a UK legal professional who has investments in law firms in Sweden, you should contact the Swedish Bar Association for further information on the implications for your investment.

Business travel and entry requirements

UK business travellers and service providers may need a visa, work permit or other documentation.

Check our travel to Sweden for work guide for detailed information on:

• types of visa and work permit routes available
• exemptions that may apply to you or the activity you are planning to undertake

The Swedish Migration Agency and Swedish Work Environment Authority websites have more information about:

• visas including intra-corporate transfers
• work and residence permits
• supporting documentation
• other conditions

Check which actions travellers visiting Europe need to take.

Social security payments for employees

Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Sweden.

Recognition of professional qualifications

To check what you need to do in Sweden, read our guidance on professional qualifications in the EEA and Switzerland.

If you need to take action to secure the recognition of your professional qualification in Sweden, these sources can help you:

• Swedish NARIC, the information centre for the recognition of qualifications
• Sweden Point of Single Contact

UK statutory auditors working in Sweden

For UK statutory auditors, the Swedish Inspectorate of Auditors should be able to provide further information.

UK lawyers working in Sweden

If you are a UK-qualified lawyer working in Sweden, using a Swedish or UK professional title, you should contact the local Bar association in the region in which you are working or the Swedish Bar Association (site in Swedish) for specific advice.

Data transfer and GDPR

On 28 June 2021, the EU formally adopted ‘adequacy decisions’ for the UK, delivered through:

• Article 45 of the GDPR
• Article 36 of the Law Enforcement Directive

‘Adequacy decisions’ allow for the ongoing free flow of personal data from the EU/EEA to the UK.

Read guidance on using data in your personal business or other organisation.

Published 4 March 2019
Last updated 21 June 2021 + show all updates

1. 21 June 2021

   Removed 'Movement of goods and living in Sweden' section

2. 11 June 2021

   Added 'Trade reservations' guidance. Updated 'Recognition of professional qualifications' with new UK contact point.

3. 5 May 2021

   Updated the Business travel and entry requirements section to include a link to guidance on travelling to Sweden for work.

4. 28 December 2020

   Updated the following sections to reflect the changes created by the UK and EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: overview, trade regulations, VAT on sales of digital services, business travel and entry requirements, social security payments for employees, recognition of professional qualifications, and data transfer and GDPR.

5. 30 November 2020

   Guidance for ‘Business travel and entry requirements’, ‘Social security payments for employees’ and ‘Recognition of professional qualifications’ updated.

6. 14 October 2019

   Change to title to include travelling for business

7. 10 October 2019

   Update to 'Business travel and entry requirements' section

8. 4 March 2019

   First published.