Renewed Strategic Partnership Between Sweden and France

France's President Emmanuel Macron is in Sweden these days at the invitation of HM the King. Today, the President and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) signed a renewed strategic innovation partnership between the countries. Sweden and France signed the first partnership for innovation and green solutions in 2017, which was last renewed in 2019. 

The renewed partnership means that the countries' cooperation deepens in a range of areas. The aim is to promote competitiveness and innovation and contribute to creating sustainable, digital, and resilient societies. Additionally, the partnership is broadened to include three entirely new areas; forestry, nuclear power, and security, writes the Government Offices in a press release.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes on X/Twitter that: "Sweden's and France's already strong defense cooperation is deepening. By developing our defense industry, including ammunition manufacturing, we strengthen our countries' capability and resilience." They continue to write that "Sweden's space cooperation with France is key to innovation."

Yesterday, Macron and Kristersson published a joint op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, in which they write, among other things, that:

"Renewed threats on the European continent lead Sweden and France to take concrete measures to strengthen our defense relations. Both through our countries' strong defense industries and by becoming NATO allies as soon as possible." "Economic and industrial cooperation between Sweden and France can strengthen our competitiveness. Our companies operate in strategic sectors where the EU needs to reduce its dependence on others – in space, defense industry, critical raw materials, and pharmaceuticals."

In a joint statement, published on the Government Offices' website, they describe in more detail which areas the partnership covers. They include, among other things:

– Sustainable societal transition

In point 4, they write that "Sweden and France will increase their cooperation on sustainable transport by building on significant mutual investments and cutting-edge research in areas that are of central importance for the green and digital transition". Macron and Kristersson continue to write that "the two countries will continue to collaborate on batteries and begin cooperation on fuel cells." They clarify that the cooperation "includes battery and fuel cell technology that can be used both in the defense and security field as well as in the civilian sector." 

- Digitalization, innovation, and research

Point 6 establishes that Sweden and France will work for a Europe that is more digitally competitive and equipped with advanced infrastructure and technology. Sweden and France "will facilitate cooperation in the areas of artificial intelligence, high-speed connectivity, implementation of 5G/6G, digital twins, cybersecurity (especially for critical telecommunications), and advanced digital skills in all parts of society."

They continue to announce, among other things, that cooperation in the satellite sector will be strengthened, especially regarding the new communication constellations in low Earth orbit based on 5G standards.

In point 14, the heads of state and government announce that "Sweden and France will further deepen cooperation between their respective arms industries, including in the defense and security industry's production and main supply chains, for example in terms of ammunition, propellants, and explosives." They emphasize that "[t]his ambition is supported by the declaration of intent on bilateral defense cooperation that Sweden's and France's defense ministers signed in Stockholm on September 24, 2021."

They mention, among other things, the framework agreement signed in Stockholm in April 2023, which Defense Sector News previously reported on. They write that "[t]he development of joint equipment will also benefit the tactical cooperation between our operational ground forces."