| |
Sweden is highly dependent on foreign trade. Export and import of
goods and services represent about one third of the Gross National
Product and imports per capita are among the highest in the world.
Trade Policy
The aim of Sweden’s trade policy has been the universal elimination
of customs duties and other trade barriers. Its tariff levels for
finished goods rank lowest in the world.
Exports and Imports
In an economy with a high degree of international dependency, export
performance is vital for the economic growth and welfare of the people.
Over the years, the export product mix has increasingly shifted from
raw material to finished goods.
The engineering industry accounts for half of Sweden’s exports.
Export of services is also becoming more and more important. More
than one third of the volume of Swedish exports consists of imported
material, semi-finished goods and components.
Imports too have been increasing faster than total production. Import
of goods increased by 39% in
volume terms between 1980 and 1990. Sweden’s imports consistently
show a higher degree of diversification
than exports. There is a shift away from foodstuff, raw materials
and semi manufactured goods and towards finished goods.
| |
| Sweden's
Imports and Exports |
| Commodities |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
| Quantity 100 T |
|
|
|
|
| Imports |
55,002 |
60,840 |
64,170 |
-------- |
| Exports |
60,432 |
63,469 |
67,883 |
-------- |
| Value in mn. SEK |
|
|
|
|
| Imports |
334,257 |
399,152 |
459,045 |
444,300 |
| Exports |
388,290 |
471,602 |
564,330 |
505,800 |
| Net |
+54,033 |
+72,450 |
+105,285 |
+121,500 |
Trading Partners
Sweden has close ties with Nordic countries in a number of areas.
Together these countries amount for 20% of Swedish exports and imports.
In 1994, a common labour market was established between these countries.
Although Sweden gained EU membership recently, the economy was always
very closely integrated with these European countries in terms of
both trade and direct investment. Sweden has now joined the decision-making
bodies of the EU and has adopted the common trade policy as well as
the Union’s agricultural policy. Sweden has close trade relations
with Germany, United States and the United Kingdom.
| |
| Sweden’s
Main Trading Partners in 1996 |
| |
Imports
Mill SEK |
Percent
of total Imports |
Exports
Mill SEK |
Percent
of total Exports |
| Germany |
83,818 |
18.8 |
66,284 |
11.7 |
| United
Kingdom |
44,621 |
10.0 |
53,659 |
9.5 |
| Norway |
34,828 |
7.8 |
47,910 |
8.5 |
| USA |
25,800 |
5.8 |
46,982 |
8.3 |
| Denmark |
33,422 |
7.5 |
34,783 |
6.1 |
| Netherlands |
33,483 |
7.5 |
31,331 |
5.5 |
| Finland |
25,183 |
5.6 |
28,865 |
5.1 |
| France |
25,014 |
5.6 |
26,313 |
4.6 |
| Belgium Luxembourg |
16,268 |
3.6 |
25,033 |
4.4 |
| Italy |
14,312 |
3.2 |
18,304 |
3.2 |
| Japan |
10,550 |
2.4 |
18,167 |
3.2 |
| Switzerland |
8,407 |
1.9 |
10,051 |
1.8 |
| Spain |
5,752 |
1.3 |
11,716 |
2.1 |
| China |
2,993 |
0.7 |
9,329 |
1.6 |
Principal Imports
Aircraft, non-electrical and electrical machinery, appliances, telecommunication
equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles,
plastics, computers, medical equipment and optical goods.
Principal Exports
Steel, electrical and non-electrical machinery, forest products, passenger
automobiles, chemicals and instruments.
Swedish Imports from Developing Countries
The developing countries whose industry has developed and attained
a comparatively high level is in the Swedish market. Within certain
categories of goods, developing countries have relatively prominent
position in the Swedish market, i.e, fresh fruit at 44% of the total
fruit imports, leather products at 38%, shoes at 21% and textile and
clothing at 15%. Coffee, tea, spices and certain metals and minerals
are among the traditional imports from developing countries. Imports
from Asia (excluding Japan) continued to increase during the 1990’s.
The major sources of imports from Asian countries include Taiwan,
Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore.
Trade with Sri Lanka
 |
| Sweden’s
Main Trading Partners in 1996 |
| Year |
Exports |
Imports |
Trade Balance |
| 1991 |
565.28 |
815.43 |
-250.00 |
| 1992 |
850.91 |
904.19 |
-54.00 |
| 1993 |
792.45 |
1,170.08 |
-377.00 |
| 1994 |
947.26 |
1,202.80 |
-255.54 |
| 1995 |
1,201.25 |
1,904.04 |
-702.78 |
| 1996 |
1,306.76 |
3,258.37 |
-1951.61 |
| 1997 |
1,006.26 |
3,176.97 |
-2170.71 |
(Jan. Sept)
| |
| Major
Export Products from Sri Lanka to Sweden |
| |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
| Garments |
399.08 |
439.64 |
445.24 |
256.56 |
50.35 |
46.41 |
35.30 |
19.63 |
| Rubber tyres and tubes |
14.59 |
26.11 |
113.39 |
220.76 |
1.84 |
2.76 |
|
|
| Mechanical,
electrical and electronics |
71.94 |
77.94 |
211.32 |
137.43 |
9.08 |
8.23 |
16.75 |
10.52 |
| Tea |
56.18 |
44.75 |
84.03 |
128.98 |
7.09 |
4.72 |
6.66 |
9.87 |
| Gems |
61.61 |
97.05 |
76.55 |
108.80 |
7.78 |
10.25 |
6.07 |
8.33 |
| Articles of unhardened rubber |
23.29 |
30.26 |
45.56 |
47.36 |
2.94 |
3.19 |
3.61 |
3.62 |
| Leather
footwear |
0.58 |
1.21 |
0.74 |
33.30 |
0.07 |
0.13 |
0.06 |
2.55 |
| Toys, games and sports requisites |
3.49 |
7.21 |
35.27 |
30.27 |
.044 |
0.76 |
2.80 |
2.32 |
| Articles
of textiles |
2.07 |
2.06 |
3.88 |
24.93 |
0.26 |
0.22 |
0.31 |
1.91 |
| Wooden craft items |
46.23 |
67.54 |
75.73 |
23.95 |
5.83 |
7.13 |
6.00 |
1.83 |
| Desiccated
coconut |
4.85 |
2.34 |
8.08 |
19.93 |
0.61 |
0.25 |
0.64 |
1.53 |
| Activated carbon |
21.03 |
16.09 |
11.52 |
14.29 |
2.65 |
1.70 |
0.91 |
1.09 |
| Ceramic
and porcelain products |
6.85 |
9.25 |
10.28 |
14.24 |
0.86 |
0.98 |
0.82 |
1.09 |
| Clothing accessories of leather
|
7.26 |
18.75 |
8.73 |
10.94 |
0.92 |
1.98 |
0.69 |
0.84 |
| Steel
furniture and moulded articles |
10.72 |
24.51 |
20.06 |
6.14 |
1.35 |
2.59 |
1.59 |
0.47 |
| Leather, travel goods and bags |
8.13 |
9.71 |
7.71 |
4.83 |
1.03 |
1.03 |
0.61 |
0.37 |
| Aquarium
fish |
0.96 |
1.87 |
3.61 |
4.81 |
0.12 |
0.20 |
0.29 |
0.37 |
| Other |
53.59 |
70.97 |
99.56 |
219.24 |
6.76 |
7.49 |
7.89 |
16.78 |
| Total |
792.46 |
947.20 |
1261.26 |
1307.5 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
| |
| Major
Imports from Sweden (1997) |
| |
Product |
Value Rs. |
| 1. |
Sound recorders and record parts |
632,647,065 |
| 2. |
Transmission apparatus |
301,061,764 |
| 3. |
Insulated wire, cable |
283,314,634 |
| 4. |
Paper, paper board articles, newsprints
in rolls or sheets |
195,826,205 |
| 5. |
Single or multi corded wire or cables |
157,995,501 |
| 6. |
Paper and paper board coated on
both sides with Kaolin |
152,811,882 |
| 7. |
Machinery and mechanical appliances |
88,499,327 |
| 8. |
Electric apparatus for line telephones
or line telegraphy |
126,323,359 |
| 9. |
Telegraphic or telegraphic switching
apparatus |
55,030,373 |
| 10. |
Optical fibre cables |
47,192,944 |
Past Development Activities carried out by Sri Lanka
Trade promotion activities have been carried out in the form of mini
exhibitions in the Nordic Region. |
