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Foreign controlled enterprises

The aim of the study Foreign controlled enterprises is to examine the scope and changes in foreign control of enterprises, branches and local establishments in Sweden. The statistics are presented in an annual report with variables such as number of employees by industry and country of origin as well as by mode of entry.

Definition of foreign controlled enterprises

Foreign controlled enterprises are those where more than half the voting rights are controlled by foreign owners. An enterprise that is part of an enterprise group is considered foreign controlled if the group head in Sweden is foreign controlled. The nationality of a group is determined by that of the ultimate controlling institutional unit, i.e. a unit which itself is not controlled by any other owner with more than 50 per cent of the voting rights.

When two or more foreign owners with different nationalities together control shares with voting rights exceeding 50 per cent, they are reported in a separate category, shared control. Enterprises where 50 per cent or more of the voting rights are controlled by a Swedish enterprise are regarded as Swedish controlled and are not covered in this study. The questionnaire is addressed to all group heads, subsidiaries and branches in Sweden which according to the register or other information are foreign controlled in terms of the definition.