18. The Policy Watch

The Policy Watch is a weekly update which aims to provide concise insights into the current policy landscape. Tailored for our members and individuals interested in international affairs, this update offers a brief yet comprehensive summary of key developments affecting policy decisions and political trends in the UK, Sweden, and the EU.

GAME, SET, MATCH ON THE RWANDA BILL

The UK government’s efforts to address illegal migration took a significant step forward on Monday as the Safety of Rwanda Bill completed its passage through Parliament. The bill’s final passage came after months of wrangling back and forth between the Houses, hence its ping-pong metaphor.

The legislation deems Rwanda a safe country for relocation purposes, preventing legal challenges that could delay or halt a person’s removal to Rwanda. The bill’s approval allows the government to enter the final phase of operational planning to initiate flights to Rwanda, introducing a new response to the global challenge of illegal migration, with the first flight expected within 10-12 weeks and more to follow.

IRELAND PLANS TO SEND ASYLUM SEEKERS BACK TO UK AMID RISING ARRIVALS CAUSED BY THE RWANDA BILL

Ireland is set to introduce emergency legislation to return asylum seekers to the UK, aiming to address increasing irregular arrivals via Northern Ireland.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee announced plans to present emergency legislation to Cabinet, stating it would ensure effective returns to the UK, with discussions scheduled with British Home Secretary James Cleverly. The move follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s claim that the rising asylum seeker numbers in Ireland validate the success of the Rwanda Bill and the Conservatives’ plan to deter arrivals.

However, the UK Government have stated that they will refuse to take back asylum seekers until France does the same for those who have crossed the British Channel.

HUMZA YOUSAF RESIGNS AS SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER AMID POLITICAL TURMOIL

Humza Yousaf resigned as Scotland’s First Minister on Monday 29 April, adding to the political uncertainty facing the nation and its pro-Scottish independence movement. Yousaf, who faced pressure after ending a power-sharing agreement between his Scottish National Party and the left-wing Scottish Greens, stated in a press conference in Edinburgh that he believed repairing ties with opposition parties required new leadership.

Although intending to continue as First Minister until a successor is elected, Yousaf announced he would vacate the post after a leadership election within the SNP, marking the party’s second leadership challenge in two years.

UK ANNOUNCES £500 MILLION MILITARY AID BOOST FOR UKRAINE

The UK has pledged an additional £500 million in military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total UK military aid for Ukraine this financial year to £3 billion. The funding will be used to rapidly deliver urgently needed ammunition, air defence, drones, and engineering support, with a focus on scaling up domestic defence supply chains. The aid package includes 60 boats, more than 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, over 400 vehicles, and nearly 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition, aimed at supporting Ukraine in pushing back the Russian invasion on land, sea, and air.

BRITAIN TO INCREASE DEFENCE SPENDING TO 2.5% OF NATIONAL OUTPUT BY 2030

Britain is set to increase its defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, with PM Rishi Sunak pledging to bolster the UK’s arms industry in response to global threats. The plan, aimed at addressing what the prime minister described as an “increasingly dangerous” world, will steadily raise defence spending to £87 billion a year by 2030.

The announcement follows months of pressure from Conservative MPs, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, to boost military spending in order to counter growing threats.

TRAIN DRIVERS TO STAGE SERIES OF 24-HOUR STRIKES IN EARLY MAY

Train drivers across Great Britain are set to stage a series of rolling 24-hour strikes starting from 7th May, which will bring many services to a halt. The strikes, called by the Aslef union, are part of a long-running pay dispute, with some drivers having gone five years without a pay increase.

The industrial action will affect all national rail operators contracted to the Department for Transport (DfT), disrupting services across the country. Aslef members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue industrial action, with the union citing dissatisfaction with the offers made by train companies.

SWEDEN’S NATIONAL DEBT DECREASE MORE THAN MOST EU MEMBERS

According to figures released from Eurostat on Monday, Sweden’s national debt has decreased from 40.2% of GDP in 2020 to 31.2% in 2023, compared to the EU national debt average of 81.7% in 2023. This places Sweden at the fifth lowest national debt level in the EU, with a decrease of 22%, more than twice the EU’s average debt decrease of 9%

Additionally, Sweden’s state budget deficit reduced from -2.8% of GDP in 2020 to just -0.6% of GDP in 2023, compared to the EU average of -6.7% of GDP in 2020, which decreased to -3.5% last year.

PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION PRESENTS INTERIM REPORT TO FINANCE MINISTER

Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson received the interim report from the Productivity Commission on Monday, which proposes measures to boost productivity in the Swedish economy. The report addresses key areas deemed essential for productivity growth, including regulatory simplification, housing and construction, permit processes, transport infrastructure, education, and taxation. The commission suggests various measures such as enhanced support for regulatory simplification, a review of housing policy, and improvements to permit processes to make them faster and more efficient. Additionally, the report recommends shifting taxation from income-related bases to less volatile bases like property to increase socio-economic efficiency and stimulate growth.

BELGIAN PRESIDENCY ACTIVATES COUNCIL’S IPCR TO TACKLE FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

The Belgian Presidency of the Council has activated the Council’s IPCR (Integrated Political Crisis Response) arrangements to share information regarding foreign interference in the European elections. This decision aims to enhance cooperation between member states and EU institutions, facilitating the exchange of information to ensure preparedness and a coordinated response at the EU level to combat disinformation and foreign information manipulation.

PARLIAMENT ENDORSES SEVERAL PROVISIONAL AGREEMENTS DURING PLENARY SESSION

During the plenary session on 22-25 April, the European Parliament formally endorsed several legislations, all of which now await formal adoption by the Council before being published in the EU Official Journal. The provisional agreements endorsed were:

• • the Net-Zero Industry Act to bolster EU production of technologies needed for decarbonisation,
  • revision of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) to ease EU farmers’ administrative burden,
  • the Platform Work Directive aiming to improve the working conditions of platform workers,
  • the new Due Diligence Directive, obliging firms to mitigate their negative impact on human rights and the environment,
  • revision of the EU Air Quality Rules to reduce air pollution,
  • new rules for Sustainable packaging to make packaging more re-useable and reduce packaging waste,
  • new Anti-Money Laundering laws to combat money laundering and terror financing,
  • updated plans for the Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T),
  • The extended temporary trade liberalisation measures for Ukraine, including protection for EU farmers,
  • and a ban on products made from forced labour in the EU Single Market.

AFD AIDE ARRESTED IN GERMANY OVER ALLEGED CHINESE ESPIONAGE

German police have arrested an aide of a top European lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, accusing him of spying for China. The staffer, identified as Jian G., is employed by MEP Maximilian Krah, the AfD’s lead candidate for the upcoming European Parliament election in June. The arrest has prompted calls for tighter security measures amid concerns over Chinese and Russian influence on EU democracy.