It was in November 2019 that a letter came to the Government Offices demanding $ 1.8 billion in compensation. The claim came from the Australian exploration company Aura Energy, which for many years has been exploring and drilling for uranium in Oviken in Jämtland County.

The reason for the requirement was that Sweden in the summer of 2018 decided to ban uranium exploration and uranium mining in the country.

"No legal right"

But Sweden does not intend to pay a penny in compensation to Aura Energy, it is clear since lawyers have examined Aura's claims.

- Aura Energy has no legal right to claim compensation, says Johan Sidklev, one of the lawyers who represented Sweden on the matter.

Johan Sidklev, one of the lawyers who represented Sweden against Aura Energy

The reason, says Sidklev, is that Australia has not ratified the Energy Charter Treaty, the treaty to which Aura Energy refers in its claim.

- Australia has certainly signed the treaty, but the country has not ratified it, says Johan Sidklev to SVT.

Seeked settlement

Discussions have been held between the parties in January and February with the aim of partly finding out what Aura Energy more precisely believes that Sweden has done wrong. Partly to see if there are conditions for a settlement.

- After conducting an in-depth review of the legislative process that led to the ban on uranium exploration and uranium mining, and after discussing the matter with Aura Energy's representative, it is clear that there is no basis for a settlement, says Johan Sidklev. Sweden has not violated any treaties or laws by banning uranium exploration and mining.

Aura Energy now has the opportunity to take the matter to an international arbitration process under the Energy Statute Treaty, or alternatively sue Sweden in public court.

SVT Jämtland has been seeking representatives of Aura Energy for a long time, but without getting any response.