SWEDEN Law and Practice Contributed by: Peter Dyer, Alexandra Thörnroos and Jonna Sjöström, Wåhlin Advokater AB
and metals list and all necessary for the production of electric cars, solar panels, battery parks and other assets needed for the green transition. With its vast deposits of minerals and metals critical for innovation and with the greatly heightened European interest in such deposits, Sweden is set to play an important role in the ongoing climate transition and the efforts of the EU to reduce its dependency on imported criti - cal minerals. Another major development is the Swedish parlia - ment’s vote on 5 November 2025 in favour of the gov - ernment’s proposal on the re-introduction of uranium mining in Sweden. The decision means that the explo - ration and mining of uranium will be allowed again and that uranium is to be classed as a concession min - eral – ie, a mineral that is especially useful for society. The decision also means that activities in which small amounts of uranium are handled will not be subject to a local municipal veto (ie, the right for municipalities to determine whether or not to allow such activities in the municipality, by means of a local political decision).
The exploration of uranium was outlawed by a centre- left coalition government in 2018 on the grounds of environmental and health concerns, but the current nuclear-friendly conservative-led government has repeatedly stated its intention to lift the ban on ura - nium prospecting and mining. More than a quarter of Europe’s known uranium resources are found in Swe - den’s bedrock. Uranium often occurs together with other metals and currently needs to be separated and managed as waste. The changes in the Minerals Act and the Environmen - tal Code legalising uranium prospecting and mining came into effect on 1 January 2026. Market expecta - tions have already led to increased exploration activity related to polymetallic deposits that include uranium, and interest in Swedish uranium is expected to grow further as a result of the reform.
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