<p>The intention of this study is to perform a content analysis based on a theoretical framework founded on multi-level governance, MLG. The thesis examines the formal changes within employment politics between 1999 and 2004 (Sweden´s action plan for employment) and 1998 and 2007 (the spring budget proposition). I will investigate how multi-level governance has effected the Swedish employment politics. Furthermore, the purpose of the thesis and the questions under consideration are: How have the formal structures within Swedish employment politics changed since Sweden’s admission to the European union, particularly during the periods 1997-2008 and 1999-2004? And: How do the changes in Sweden, together with the European union directive concerning employment, coincide in the so-called employment strategy?</p><p>While performing the analysis I have focused on multi-level governance. The method used is quantitative content analysis in order to explain the co-variation between Swedish employment politics and the employment politics of the European union - the employment strategy. The conclusions from the research are that there is a clear influence by the EU in Sweden, and between the two groups of documents is Sweden´s action plan for employment, which is more influenced than the spring budget propositions.</p>

The process of European integration affects different areas of the European structure differently, where some areas are more integrated than others. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find a balance between how the EU functions and the existing structures within the Member States. The Swedish labour market has been largely independent throughout the 20th century, something that has gone through some changes since Sweden’s accession into the EU. This study aims to examine what laws are made in relation to labour law since Sweden’s accession into the EU, and then examine the results through a Marxist perspective. The study is a comparative one, conducted through comparing tree different years, 1995 – the year Sweden joined the EU, 2006, and 2019, in order to properly view the progression of the integration of labour law at the European level, as well as examining the impact the Amsterdam and Lisbon Treaties and the support for legislation through the treaties has had on legislation. The study found that there has been a trend toward further integration, helped in part by the introduction of the European employment strategy in 1997 which outlined guidelines to, among other things, increase employment and protections of workers. The Marxist analysis found that the EU is an example of how the capitalist system expands through larger territories and movement of decision-making benefits European elites in the long run. Integration is integral to the survival of capitalism, therefore it is of interest to those who benefit from capitalism to keep this trend up, so they can stay in power and continue making decisions that benefit them.

The intention of this study is to perform a content analysis based on a theoretical framework founded on multi-level governance, MLG. The thesis examines the formal changes within employment politics between 1999 and 2004 (Sweden´s action plan for employment) and 1998 and 2007 (the spring budget proposition). I will investigate how multi-level governance has effected the Swedish employment politics. Furthermore, the purpose of the thesis and the questions under consideration are: How have the formal structures within Swedish employment politics changed since Sweden’s admission to the European union, particularly during the periods 1997-2008 and 1999-2004? And: How do the changes in Sweden, together with the European union directive concerning employment, coincide in the so-called employment strategy? While performing the analysis I have focused on multi-level governance. The method used is quantitative content analysis in order to explain the co-variation between Swedish employment politics and the employment politics of the European union - the employment strategy. The conclusions from the research are that there is a clear influence by the EU in Sweden, and between the two groups of documents is Sweden´s action plan for employment, which is more influenced than the spring budget propositions.