The former National Police Commissioner Stefan Strömberg has now submitted the investigation into how the work against the criminal economy is to be strengthened.
It was the government that appointed the investigation in June 2023. This included reviewing the Economic Crime Authority, its role and construction.
In recent days, speculation has been intense and the media have reported that the investigation will propose that the authority be closed down. This proposal is also made by Strömberg.
Goes against the investigator
But now the government is announcing that they will not proceed with the plans.
Now we have chosen a path. We will not proceed with the concrete proposal to let the Economic Crime Authority cease and be transferred to the police and prosecutors' regular activities, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer.
It is very unusual for the government to say how they want to proceed with an investigation before it has been referred.
Strömberg's proposal meant that police officers, investigators and IT forensic experts would be transferred to the Police Authority and prosecutors to the Prosecution Authority, similar to how it was before 1998 when the Economic Crime Authority was established.
When the information about a closure leaked out in October last year, it led to great concern among employees and union representatives.
The fact that the issue is on the table, of course, creates uncertainty in the system. This is a way to create clarity. I hope that the employees see it as a recognition of their important work, says Strömmer.
"Great need for change"
The investigation is not completely thrown in the trash, but other parts, such as the Economic Crime Authority and the police getting greater access to registers and the possibilities for distraint at a distance being extended, the government will take further.
We see a great need for change when it comes to the fight against the criminal economy, says Strömmer.
The National Audit Office has pointed out several deficiencies in the Economic Crime Authority's work, which was the very origin of the investigation being appointed. The criticism was that the fight against economic crime is not conducted effectively, partly because the government has not given the Economic Crime Authority the right conditions.
Gunnar Strömmer says that there is no alternative to the authorities' work continuing as it has done before, therefore, a mission is being prepared on how the Economic Crime Authority, the Police Authority and the Prosecution Authority in the short term will improve their work against economic crime.
The Economic Crime Authority (EBM) was established in 1998 as a prosecution authority with the task of combating economic crime. They investigate, for example, suspicions of tax crimes, accounting crimes and money laundering. The authority has over 800 employees, including prosecutors, police officers, investigators and administrators. The operational activities consist of ten economic crime chambers, a financial market chamber, six police operational units and a crime prevention office. The appropriation for 2025 amounts to just over 1.1 billion kronor.
Source: Economic Crime Authority
