Sweden's EU Bill Soars - Up 16 Billion Kronor in Two Years
Sweden will pay 61.6 billion kronor to the EU next year, up from 45.7 billion in 2025, according to the 2027 budget bill. After defence, the EU fee is the fastest-growing item in the entire state budget.
STOCKHOLM - Swedish taxpayers are about to send even more money to Brussels.
Sweden will pay 61.6 billion kronor - roughly 5.5 billion euros - in fees to the EU next year, according to the caretaker government's budget bill for 2027, presented to parliament on Thursday.
That is almost 4 billion kronor more than the government itself forecast just a year ago, and nearly 16 billion more than the 45.7 billion Sweden paid in 2025. This year's bill is expected to land at 53.4 billion.
Compared with the 2026 budget frame, the EU fee rises by 7.4 billion kronor - the second-largest increase of any spending area. Only defence grows more. Total state spending rises by 29.9 billion, meaning about a quarter of the increase goes to the EU.
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Why the bill is exploding
The biggest part of the fee is based on gross national income and fills whatever gap remains in the EU budget. Next year it is estimated at 43.4 billion kronor. The more the EU spends, the more Sweden pays.
According to the government, the jump is mainly because EU payouts in the 2021-2027 budget period started late and are now accelerating - above all regional cohesion funds, which rose by around 55 percent this year compared with 2025.
Sweden voted against the EU's 2026 annual budget, as did Finland, the Netherlands and Austria. It was adopted anyway by qualified majority - unanimity for annual budgets was scrapped by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.
No choice for Stockholm
Because no new government has taken office, the budget was drawn up by a caretaker government that may not introduce new policy. The EU fee is one of the exceptions: it is set by EU law, so the increase is automatic.
The figure may still change as negotiations on the EU's 2027 budget continue. The government forecasts the fee rising to 62.2 billion in 2028 and 64.4 billion in 2029 - before counting the Commission's proposed 2028-2034 long-term budget, which would mean a substantial further increase and the end of Sweden's rebate.
Samnytt News Desk · Stockholm Newsroom
The Samnytt Newsroom in Stockholm reports on Swedish courts, migration, energy policy, and Nordic affairs under Responsible Publisher Simon Kristoffersson, Senior Columnist Mats Dagerlind, and Executive Director Kent Ekeroth.
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