Global Daily Tax News, Sweden Proposes Tonnage Tax Law Amendments, (Apr 15, 2026)

Sweden has tabled draft legislation to implement improvements to the Swedish tonnage tax system.

The proposals include, among other things, that the Swedish tonnage taxation system be expanded to include certain activities within special shipping. Further, a lower requirement is proposed for gross tonnage for vessels within special shipping. In addition, flexibility would be introduced regarding access to tonnage tax relief for taxpayers renting out qualified vessels without crew.

Eligibility conditions will also be relaxed, including the replacement of the requirement that the taxpayer must be engaged in international trade, with a requirement instead that vessels must be used in traffic that is exposed to international competition in the shipping market. In addition, more generous excess depreciation fund rules will be introduced.

Finally, Sweden intends to make certain clarifications and adjustments to the regulatory framework to better align it with the European Commission's guidelines on state aid for maritime transport and the Commission's decision-making practice on other member states' tonnage taxation systems, to take into account developments since the introduction of Sweden's regime.

The Government is proposing that the legislation would enter into force on July 20, 2026, and that the changes would apply for the first time for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.