The Swedish government is moving to get rid of permits needed for dancing
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s center-right coalition government wants to cut red tape when it comes to dancing by scrapping a decade-old requirement for restaurants, nightclubs and other venues to obtain permits before letting patrons float and sway.
The proposal put forward on Thursday means that venues would no longer need a permit to organize dances. Instead, as a general rule, they would only have to report to the police, which can be done orally and costs nothing.
Applying for a permit entails a fee of at least 700 kroner ($67) for the establishment. As it stands, owners can lose their liquor and business licenses if police come by and find out a venue doesn’t have a license to let patrons dance.
– It is not reasonable for the state to regulate folk dancing, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer in a government statement. “By removing the dance permit requirement, we also reduce red tape and costs for business owners and others who organize dances.”
Swedish media welcomed the initiative to abolish dance permits, which have been called outdated and moralistic.
The government proposed that the change would come into effect on July 1, although it requires parliamentary approval.
In 2016, Sweden’s Riksdag voted unanimously to abolish the permits, but the requirement is still in law and enforced. SVT said that for the past 20 years, lawmakers from all parties except the Social Democrats have advocated that the permits be abolished.