How we prepare Sweden during and after the corona crisis
At the meeting, we had the opportunity to present the industry's proposals for a package of measures in response to the current coronavirus pandemic that has hit us and the rest of the world so hard. The measures we see needing to be taken include additional short-term investments and the broadening of existing policy measures to mitigate the most acute crisis. While there are parts of our sector that are doing well, our industry is also in an extremely worrying situation. Many companies are now suffering greatly. The IT market is expected to lose SEK 15 - 20 billion in 2020, which is a 12% decline in the IT market in 2020 with a recovery in 2021 of 6% and then 4-5% per year. This means that the Swedish IT market will not reach pre-COVID-19 levels until 2023, but this will require a stronger recovery than during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The National Institute of Economic Research's barometer for April was also presented yesterday. It shows a historic fall. It is lower than the lowest level during the financial crisis. The report shows that all sectors of the economy have contributed to the fall and even usually strong industries like ours have been affected.
While extra crisis measures are needed here and now, we also see that we need to look a little further ahead and see what Sweden needs to do in the slightly longer term in order, based on a new normal situation, to reduce the vulnerability of society and the business sector while promoting sustainable development.In addition to managing the acute situation, we now also need to invest in a transition for the future, where the new jobs and growth are, and to manage welfare. Recently, the digital transition has been faster than ever before. We need to maintain this pace and use the momentum that now exists in society to really change and equip people and businesses for the future. Actively leading the way towards the future also gives us hope in these tough times.
Because if I were to venture to try to see a small bright spot in this crisis, it is that we as individuals, businesses and the public sector have changed our habitual patterns and taken advantage of the digital tools available at a faster pace than before. In addition, we as an industry have so clearly demonstrated that we are socially responsible and have been able to cope with the increased load on the networks and meet the increased demand for certain types of digital services in a commendable way. It is also gratifying to see the new interactions that are now taking place between different actors, not infrequently between public actors and us as an industry. In the framework of our initiative #vitecherupp initiative, we are pleased and proud to see all the great efforts being made to make a concrete contribution to this crisis.
We had a good dialog with the Minister yesterday and our hope is to be able to follow up the various proposals with constructive discussions with both the government and other relevant parties, in order to get a hearing and action on the measures that we as an industry see must be taken in order to equip Sweden for the future.