The legislative council referral released on February 15 has some key changes from the State Public Inquiry (SOU 2023:35) and they are:
Timeline:
Large companies and conglomerates with over 500 employees will apply the new rules for the first time from the fiscal year starting closest to June 2024. This means they report under CSRD from the fiscal year 2025 instead of 2024.
Monetary Values:
The legislative council referral establishes monetary values in MSEK to define company sizes based on employees, turnover, and balance sheet total.
Exception for Company Forms:
Clearer exceptions are made for certain company forms, such as limited partnerships and pension service companies. Special funds, AIFs, and securities funds are not covered, while investment companies and fund managers will report under CSRD.
Next Steps The referral is just a proposal and not final legislation. The legislative council is reviewing the proposal to ensure compliance with other laws, including EU regulations. After this step, the government will continue shaping the legislative proposal to present a motion in parliament. If the majority supports the motion, the new reporting requirements will come into effect on July 1, 2024.
It’s also important to note that the legislative referral doesn’t affect the EU Taxonomy. Those falling under the EU Taxonomy Regulation will continue reporting according to this regulation for 2024.