How Sweden and Denmark could actually make life easier for cross-border workers
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I'm a big fan of the Öresund bridge. I literally wrote an article about how much it means to me in The Local a few weeks ago.
For those of us here in southern Sweden, it really has connected Sweden and Denmark. A trip to Copenhagen feels less like visiting a foreign country to me than a trip to Stockholm (maybe I've been living in Skåne for too long).
Despite this, I am constantly frustrated by the barriers that are still associated with the bridge thanks to the Swedish and Danish governments, whether that's the high cost of crossing it or the border checks on the Swedish side.
I'm glad to see the leaders of both countries pledging to do something about this – although the declaration they made seems vague and not legally binding, so I don't have high hopes.
So, Ulf Kristersson and Mette Frederiksen, here are some concrete tips for what you could do to improve things for those of us who actually use the bridge.
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Make it cheaper
Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan revealed last month that the Öresund bridge is the most expensive bridge crossing per kilometre in the world.
The current price for a single crossing in a private car is 510 Danish kroner or 750 Swedish kronor, making it the most expensive bridge toll by some distance.
Even train crossings are expensive, with a return ticket from Malmö to Copenhagen costing 300 Swedish kronor (200 Danish kroner) for an adult. A day trip from Malmö to Louisiana for a family with two adults and two children will set you back just shy of 1,000 Swedish kronor (670 Danish kroner), and that's just the cost of transport.
The bridge isn't owned by some private company looking to make a quick buck, but it's co-owned by the Danish and Swedish governments who are ultimately responsible for setting the ticket prices. For the past 25 years the argument for the high prices is simple – the bridge was financed by a loan which needs to be paid off. The loan was due to be repaid in 2030, but the two countries have agreed to extend the repayment time to 2050, keep the price high and use the profit from the bridge to finance other infrastructure projects.
Another argument for keeping the price high is legal constraints – when the bridge was built, the two sides agreed that they would keep prices competitive with the Helsingborg-Helsingør ferry connection so as not to undercut them.
The ferry crossing costs under 100 Swedish kronor (66 kroner) each way for a pedestrian (off-peak prices are as low as 69 kronor/45 kroner) and under 500 kronor (340 kroner) for a car. Surely they could lower the bridge fee to match these, which would still be a significant discount?
Create permits for cross-border workers
Denmark is crying out for foreign labour, and Skåne has high unemployment – you don't need to be a genius to realise that there's an opportunity to be had by increasing the number of cross-border workers.
EU and Nordic citizens can freely work on both sides of the border, living in one country and working in the other. But those of us who are not from the EU who want to work in Denmark and live in Sweden don't just need a residence permit for Sweden, but a work permit for Denmark, too. Even if you already have a work permit in one country you can't just move with it to the other one.
Why is this? Cross-border workers are nothing but good news for the country they work in, where they pay tax and contribute to the economy without using any public services. Their kids go to school in their country of residence and they use healthcare there, unlike workers who live and work in the same country.
Would it really be so hard to create some form of cross-border permit allowing people to work freely between the two countries on the same terms as EU citizens? Or in any case, better terms than they do currently?
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Simplify bureaucracy between both countries
Bureaucracy isn't just an issue for non-EU people looking to make the most of the proximity to another country. Nordic and EU workers travelling between Sweden and Denmark struggle with issues like accessing eID services in both countries, and until recently rules around both countries' instant payment services Mobilepay and Swish meant that these services were unavailable to cross-border workers.
Working across a border means navigating two countries' rules when carrying out basic life admin, including issues like pensions, unions, unemployment insurance and parental leave.
Especially on the Swedish side, it often feels like cross-border workers are an afterthought for Swedish politicians who don't understand just how much of a benefit the Öresund connection could be if they made the most of it.
Get rid of border checks
Do you know what else celebrates an anniversary this year? The border checks in Hyllie, the first stop in Sweden, which were introduced for six months back in 2015. Since then, the six month periods have been renewed by successive Swedish governments.
These border checks – which nine times out of ten don't even take place – lengthen the travel time of anyone getting the train from Denmark to Sweden by around ten minutes as timetables are set to allow enough time for police to move through the train checking passports.
This is a journey that usually takes less than an hour. How would Stockholmers react if the government set up an arbitrary border control stopping the train for ten minutes every time they pass Slussen* that does nothing but delay their commute each morning?
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Develop even more infrastructure to connect the two countries
The Öresund bridge is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, but the situation for commuters is still the same as it was back in 2000 (if anything, it's worse, as prices have risen even with inflation taken into account).
There's clear local interest in Helsingør and Helsingborg for a tunnel connecting the two countries between those cities, and a potential metro line between Malmö and Copenhagen is also under discussion. However, political discussions over who is paying for what have stalled those projects for years.
Another Öresund connection wouldn't just increase collaboration and integration across both sides of the Öresund, but it would also protect the connection between the two countries so that trains, cars and pedestrians would all still be able to cross over if the Öresund bridge was damaged or closed for whatever reason.
If Kristersson and Frederiksen are so keen on increased integration between their two countries, that would be a good place to start.
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