Service contracts when the service is not research
The university may provide services for fees. This provided that there is a mandate for the university to charge for the service, i.e. a fee regulation. Hence, it is not possible to provide services in the absence of a fee regulation covering the service, beyond what follows from the general service obligation of a Swedish public body.
The fee regulation for commissioned research is to be found in the regulation letter for the university, together with some other fee regulations (e.g. commissioned education and student fees).
In addition, there is a separate ordinance for fees from research infrastructures.
Beyond those sector specific fee regulations, there are a general fee regulations for Swedish public bodies (such as the university) in avgiftsförordningen 4 §. See below for content of 4 § in whole (in Swedish).
Please note that fees according to avgiftsförordningen 4 § assumes that:
- The operation that is to be covered by the fee is compatible with the university’s tasks according to legislation, instruction or ordinance;
- The operation is covered by any of the areas of practice i the paragraph;
- The operation is of temporary nature or of lesser extent; and
- The fee is correct in amount, normally corresponding to full cost coverage for the performance of the service at the university (direct and indirect costs)
- Att avgiften är korrekt i storlek, normalt motsvarande full kostnadstäckning för utförande av
The assessment in accordance with above bullets are to be documented at the section at the University performing the service.
For services (not being research service) contracts are to be concluded, which does not have to be in line with the university template for commissioned research.
Avgiftsförordningen 4 §
Avgiftsförordningen 4 § (for convenience only, the bullet points has been translated to English within brackets)
En myndighet får, om det är förenligt med myndighetens uppgift enligt lag, instruktion eller annan förordning, mot avgift tillhandahålla
1. tidskrifter och andra publikationer [journals and other publications],
2. informations- och kursmaterial [information and course material],
3. konferenser och kurser [conferences and courses],
4. rådgivning och annan liknande service [advice and other similar service],
5. lokaler [premises],
6. Utrustning [equipment],
7. offentlig inköps- och resurssamordning [public purchase and resource co-ordination],
8. automatisk databehandlingsinformation i annan form än utskrift [automatic data processing information other than printing],
9. upplysningar per telefon, om denna service går utöver myndighetens serviceskyldighet enligt offentlighets- och sekretesslagen (2009:400) och förvaltningslagen (2017:900) [information over phone, provided the service goes beyond the general service obligation of the public body according to the Public and Secrecy Act and the Public Administration Act], och
10. Tjänsteexport [service export].
Varor och tjänster enligt första stycket får tillhandahållas bara om verksamheten är av tillfällig natur eller av mindre omfattning.
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority (ESV)
The Swedish National Financial Management Authority (ESV) has published a guidance on how to charge according to avgiftsförordningen (“Att ta betalt med 4 § avgiftsförordningen”). The guidance among other touch upon what operations are covered by the bullet points in 4 §. See www.esv.se or "Handledning, att ta betalt med 4 § avgiftsförordningen"
The ordinance förordning (2022:1378) om avgifter för forskningsinfrastrukturer
The ordinance förordning (2022:1378) om avgifter för forskningsinfrastrukturer contain regulations for fee collection by governmental higher education institution’s infrastructures. Notably, research data is to be made available free or fees.
According to the ordinance, higher education institutions may charge fees from external users if
- the infrastructure is wholly or partly under the control of the higher education institution,
- the higher education institution has established and documented criteria for accessibility,
- the infrastructure is provided within the scope of the higher educations institution’s tasks.
The fee is to correspond to full cost coverage. However, if necessary to avoid distortion of competition in the market, the fee shall be determined on market grounds. Fee income that exceeds full cost coverage must be reported against income capital.
Contact
- Contact the Legal Affairs Division
- juravd@uu.se