(Under)Mining Interests? : A framing analysis of national interests in Swedish mining policy under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines current Swedish mining policy and its process of balancing national interests (riksintressen), where conflicts arise over which interests are granted legitimacy and priority within mining projects. At the same time, EU initiatives such as the 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) have increased the political importance of strategic minerals by linking mining to the green transition, supply security, and competitiveness. Previous research shows that Swedish mining governance often prioritises mineral extraction, while Sámi reindeer herding risks being marginalised. Building on this research and on perspectives of Europeanisation, the thesis uses policy framing analysis to address how different interests are framed and justified within current mining projects, and how EU objectives are invoked in these framings. The findings show that mineral interests are consistently prioritised in current projects, supported by a strong EU strategic framing promoted by authorities and the Swedish government. Environmental protection and Sámi reindeer herding are acknowledged as legitimate national interests but are primarily addressed through mitigation, compensation, legal thresholds, or deferred assessment. The findings demonstrate how the prioritisation of mineral extraction within Swedish mining governance is reinforced through both national and EU-level strategic framings, with implications for competing national interests.