Having received several complaints against the Lantmäteriet (the Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority) about the slow processing of applications for permits for the dissemination of geographical data, the Parliamentary Ombudsman decided to examine the matter in an own-initiative case.

According to the Lantmäteriet, the number of applications for dissemination permits had increased sharply in recent years and the authority had then taken several measures to streamline processing and reallocated resources internally. It became necessary, according to the Lantmäteriet, to give lower priority to the granting of dissemination permits, which meant that cases could no longer be processed within a reasonable time. From the beginning of May 2022 until the middle of January 2023, the processing time increased from 5 to 71 working days.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman states that it is essential that applications for dissemination permits are processed in a satisfactory manner, and recalls that cases must be examined both thoroughly and efficiently and without compromising legal certainty. As the processing times for the applications (made in the second half of 2022/beginning of 2023) at issue in these complaints were not reasonable, the Parliamentary Ombudsman finds that the Lantmäteriet cannot escape criticism.