2024-06-122023/24:MJU17 · p.16MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Waste trade
International trade in waste and critical raw materials
What's at stake: The decision concerns the extent to which international rules allow waste containing critical raw materials to be moved between countries to extract valuable material, weighed against the risk that simplified trade increases illegal dumping of waste in third countries.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the international regulatory framework for trade in waste, including the Basel Convention and OECD rules, should be reformed to make it easier to move waste between countries in order to extract critical raw materials, or whether the current regulation should remain unchanged.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motion. The committee holds that questions of international waste regulation, including trade in waste containing critical raw materials, are best handled through the established cooperation within the Basel Convention, the OECD and the EU, and currently sees no reason to advocate a change to the international regulatory framework.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 21 (SD)
The reservation (SD) calls for reforming the international waste regulatory framework to make it easier to move waste between countries, in order to meet the needs of new technology for extracting critical raw materials from waste. The reasoning is that the Basel Convention and various OECD frameworks currently hamper trade in potentially valuable waste streams, while the risk of illegal dumping in third countries should be minimised in an appropriate way.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 21 by SD.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | Yes 19/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| S | Yes | Yes 90/0/0/16 | follows the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | No 0/63/0/9 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motion 2023/24:373 by Martin Kinnunen et al. (SD) point 11.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2023/24:373 av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD) yrkande 11.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has dealt with a letter from the government concerning the Swedish National Audit Office's report on the management of spent solar cell panels and wind turbine blades. The Swedish National Audit Office's overall conclusion is that the government, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Energy Agency have not ensured that spent solar cell panels and wind turbine blades can be managed in a non-toxic and circular manner. The Swedish National Audit Office's recommendations to the government include, among other things, reviewing the need for policy instruments to promote such management. In its letter, the government agrees with the Swedish National Audit Office's findings and at the same time points to measures that have been taken, including that the government has tasked the Swedish Energy Agency with investigating how solar cell panels and wind turbine blades for wind power plants to a greater extent can be managed in accordance with the so-called waste hierarchy. The Riksdag believes that the measures the government presents partly correspond to what the Swedish National Audit Office is requesting. At the same time, the Riksdag emphasizes that the work needs to be intensified to achieve sustainable management of these products. With this, the committee proposes that the Riksdag places the government's letter on file, that is, closes the matter. The Riksdag also said no to approximately 180 proposals on circular and non-toxic economy in motions from the general motion period in 2023, partly with reference to ongoing work. The motions concern, among other things, sustainable design, consumption and production, reuse and recycling, waste, circular food issues, plastic issues and chemical issues.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the EU to introduce a quota requirement for including recycled phosphorus and nitrogen in mineral fertilizers. (SD) — Reservation 21
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan describes how capital has outsourced environmentally harmful production to subordinate countries instead of investing in technological shifts that solve the problems, and wants international law and binding interstate minimum standards to be defended.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan describes how capital has outsourced environmentally harmful production to subordinate countries instead of investing in technological shifts that solve the problems, and wants international law and binding interstate minimum standards to be defended. The counter-proposal instead requires that the international waste regulation framework be loosened so that waste can more easily be moved between countries. The plan's position is that material recycling shall occur through a domestic shift to circular economy, not through easier waste trade.
Original (Swedish)
Planen beskriver hur kapitalet förlagt miljöskadlig produktion till underordnade länder i stället för att investera i teknikskiften som löser problemen, och vill att folkrätten och bindande mellanstatliga minimiregler försvaras. Motförslaget kräver tvärtom att det internationella avfallsregelverket luckras upp så att avfall lättare kan flyttas mellan länder. Planens linje är att materialåtervinningen ska ske genom ett inhemskt skifte till cirkulär ekonomi, inte genom lättare avfallshandel.
- do not export environmentally harmful handlingdecisive»Det har kunnat förlägga tungt arbete och miljöskadlig produktion där,« (party programme ↗)“It has been able to outsource heavy labour and environmentally harmful production there,”
- defend international law»Folkrätten behöver försvaras och« (party programme ↗)“International law needs to be defended and”
- binding interstate minimum standards»samarbeten är mellanstatligt överenskomna minimiregler vanligtvis« (party programme ↗)“agreements, interstate agreed minimum standards typically”
- domestic circular economy»Det är en nyckeldel i ett bredare skifte till cirkulär ekonomi och« (party programme ↗)“It is a key part of a broader shift to circular economy and”
The counter-proposal wants to relax the international waste regulation framework to make it easier to move waste between countries.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to relax the international waste regulation framework to make it easier to move waste between countries. The party programme holds firm that trade agreements must not become tools against poor countries and that trade rules must be consistent with international environmental agreements, which speaks against making cross-border waste transports easier. The plan's requirement for more efficient resource use pulls in the opposite direction, but protection against dumping in third countries weighs heavier. The position is inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill luckra upp det internationella avfallsregelverket för att lättare flytta avfall mellan länder. Partiprogrammet håller fast vid att handelsavtal inte får bli verktyg mot fattiga länder och att handelsreglerna ska stämma överens med de internationella miljöavtalen, vilket talar mot att göra gränsöverskridande avfallstransporter enklare. Planens krav på effektivare resursanvändning drar i motsatt riktning, men skyddet mot dumpning i tredjeländer väger tyngre. Ställningstagandet är härlett.
- trade must not exploit poor countriesdecisive»Handelsavtalen får inte bli verktyg för starka kapitalintressen gentemot fattiga länder« (party programme ↗)“Trade agreements must not become tools for strong capital interests against poor countries”
- trade subordinated to environmental agreements»De internationella handelsavtalen måste stämma överens med de internationella« (party programme ↗)“International trade agreements must be consistent with the international”
- more efficient resource use»Naturtillgångarna måste användas mer effektivt och energiproduktionen ställas om.« (party programme ↗)“Natural resources must be used more efficiently and energy production transformed.”
- free and fair trade»Vi står upp för en öppen, fri och rättvis handel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We stand up for open, free and fair trade.”
The plan establishes that the goal of just and sustainable global development must take precedence over short-term economic interests and that Sweden must take responsibility for the effects of its production and consumption also in other countries.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the goal of just and sustainable global development must take precedence over short-term economic interests and that Sweden must take responsibility for the effects of its production and consumption also in other countries. Loosening the international waste regulation framework to facilitate waste trade runs counter to this and the precautionary principle. The plan therefore does not support the counter-proposal's requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att målet om en rättvis och hållbar global utveckling måste gå före kortsiktiga ekonomiska intressen och att Sverige måste ta ansvar för sin produktions och konsumtions effekter också i andra länder. Att luckra upp det internationella avfallsregelverket för att underlätta handel med avfall går emot detta och emot försiktighetsprincipen. Planen stöder därför inte motförslagets krav.
- sustainability before economic interestsdecisive»Målet om en rättvis och hållbar global utveckling måste gå före kortsiktiga ekonomiska intressen.« (party programme ↗)“The goal of just and sustainable global development must take precedence over short-term economic interests.”
- responsibility for effects in other countries»Sverige måste ta ansvar för de effekter vår produktion och konsumtion har på de ekologiska systemen, både här och i andra länder.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden must take responsibility for the effects our production and consumption have on ecological systems, both here and in other countries.”
- international environmental regulation»Vi ser gärna överstatliga beslut angående miljöskyddande åtgärder så som hantering av gränsöverskridande miljöföroreningar« (party programme ↗)“We welcome supranational decisions regarding environmental protection measures such as management of transboundary environmental pollution”
- the precautionary principle»För att skydda miljön ska försiktighetsprincipen tillämpas så långt det är möjligt.« (party programme ↗)“To protect the environment the precautionary principle shall be applied as far as possible.”
The manifesto wants Sweden to become the world's most resource-efficient country and that critical materials are recycled with the right support and regulatory simplifications, and the party programme sees trade barriers as something that limits both producers and consumers.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The manifesto wants Sweden to become the world's most resource-efficient country and that critical materials are recycled with the right support and regulatory simplifications, and the party programme sees trade barriers as something that limits both producers and consumers. A reformed international waste framework that makes it easier to move waste to facilities that can extract critical raw materials aligns with both commitments. The requirement to simultaneously minimize illegal dumping aligns with the precautionary principle.
Original (Swedish)
Manifestet vill att Sverige blir världens mest resurseffektiva land och att kritiska material återvinns med rätt stöd och regelförenklingar, och partiprogrammet ser handelshinder som något som begränsar både producenter och konsumenter. Ett reformerat internationellt avfallsregelverk som gör det lättare att flytta avfall till anläggningar som kan utvinna kritiska råvaror ligger i linje med båda åtagandena. Kravet att samtidigt minimera illegal dumpning stämmer med försiktighetsprincipen.
- regulatory simplification for recyclingdecisive»Med rätt stöd och regelförenklingar kan vi återvinna och återbruka allt från kläder till mineral och metaller.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“With the right support and regulatory simplifications, we can recycle and reuse everything from clothes to minerals and metals.”
- opposition to trade barriers»Tullar och handelshinder begränsar konsumenters och producenters val.« (party programme ↗)“Tariffs and trade barriers limit consumers' and producers' choices.”
- free trade and open markets»Sverige klarar sig inte utan frihandel. Öppna upp fler marknader för svenska varor och tjänster.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden cannot manage without free trade. Open more markets for Swedish goods and services.”
- use raw material resources»För att klara den gröna omställningen måste vi ta vara på Sveriges naturresurser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To achieve the green transition, we must make use of Sweden's natural resources.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan makes Sweden a strong voice for free trade and wants trading barriers torn down, while the goal is that basic raw materials shall circulate in the production system and that technological development is central to solving environmental problems.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes Sweden a strong voice for free trade and wants trading barriers torn down, while the goal is that basic raw materials shall circulate in the production system and that technological development is central to solving environmental problems. The counter-proposal's demand for a reformed international waste regulatory framework that makes it easier to move waste where the technology exists responds to both these commitments. The plan simultaneously establishes that spread of hazardous substances must be prevented, which corresponds to the requirement to minimize illegal dumping.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör Sverige till en stark röst för frihandel och vill att handelshinder rivs, samtidigt som målet är att grundläggande råvaror ska cirkulera i produktionssystemet och att teknisk utveckling är central för att lösa miljöproblemen. Motförslagets krav på ett reformerat internationellt avfallsregelverk som gör det lättare att flytta avfall dit tekniken finns svarar mot båda dessa åtaganden. Planen slår samtidigt fast att spridning av farliga ämnen måste förhindras, vilket motsvarar kravet på att minimera illegal dumpning.
- free trade as main linedecisive»Sverige ska vara en stark röst för frihandel, i första hand genom globala avtal men annars genom« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall be a strong voice for free trade, primarily through global agreements but otherwise through”
- circular raw material flows»grundläggande råvaror, såsom växtnäring och mineraler, ska cirkulera i produktionssystemet« (party programme ↗)“basic raw materials, such as plant nutrients and minerals, shall circulate in the production system”
- technology as environmental solution»Teknisk utveckling är en central del av lösningen på dagens miljöproblem.« (party programme ↗)“Technological development is a central part of the solution to today's environmental problems.”
- prevent spread of hazardous substances»Avfallspolitiken måste förebygga och förhindra att tungmetaller, läkemedelsrester och andra« (party programme ↗)“Waste policy must prevent and stop heavy metals, medicine residues and other”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan combines freer world trade with prioritizing reuse and material recycling, which suggests that the regulatory framework should not hinder flows where critical raw materials can be extracted.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan combines freer world trade with prioritizing reuse and material recycling, which suggests that the regulatory framework should not hinder flows where critical raw materials can be extracted. At the same time, the plan establishes that high-income countries are responsible for ensuring that resource use is not shifted to countries with weak regulation, which makes the support conditional on preventing dumping. Overall, the requirement is weakly supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen förenar en friare världshandel med att återanvändning och materialåtervinning ska prioriteras, vilket talar för att regelverket inte ska hindra flöden där kritiska råvaror kan utvinnas. Samtidigt slår planen fast höginkomstländers ansvar för att resursutnyttjandet inte flyttas till länder med svag reglering, vilket gör stödet villkorat av att dumpning motverkas. Sammantaget stöds kravet svagt.
- freer world tradedecisive»En friare världshandel med rättvisare spelregler är en förutsättning för att klyftorna ska kunna minska.« (party programme ↗)“Freer world trade with fairer ground rules is a prerequisite for reducing inequality.”
- recycling is prioritized»återanvändning och materialåtervinning« (party programme ↗)“reuse and material recycling”
- responsibility for relocated resource extraction»Höginkomstländer som efterfrågar varor och produkter har ett ansvar att hantera denna situation« (party programme ↗)“High-income countries that demand goods and products have a responsibility to manage this situation”
- cross-border environmental cooperation»Därför är ett samarbete över nationsgränserna« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, cooperation across national borders is”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants Sweden's rich mineral resources to be extracted responsibly, the internal market to be deepened and red tape and bureaucracy to be reduced.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants Sweden's rich mineral resources to be extracted responsibly, the internal market to be deepened and red tape and bureaucracy to be reduced. The counter-proposal requires a reformed international waste framework so waste can more easily be moved for extraction of critical raw materials. That aligns with the plan's trade and red-tape-reduction line, while at the same time the plan wants to toughen sentences for environmental crimes, which meets the risk of illegal dumping.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att Sveriges rika mineraltillgångar utvinns ansvarsfullt, att den inre marknaden fördjupas och att regelkrångel och byråkrati minskar. Motförslaget kräver ett reformerat internationellt avfallsregelverk så att avfall lättare kan flyttas för utvinning av kritiska råvaror. Det ligger i linje med planens handels- och regelförenklingslinje, samtidigt som planen vill skärpa straffen för miljöbrott, vilket möter risken för illegal dumpning.
- access to critical raw materialsdecisive»Våra rika mineraltillgångar ska kunna utvinnas ansvarsfullt och långsiktigt hållbart.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Our rich mineral resources should be able to be extracted responsibly and long-term sustainably.”
- deepened internal market»Fördjupa den inre marknaden, inte minst för tjänster och digitala produkter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Deepen the internal market, not least for services and digital products”
- reduced red tape»Minska regelkrånglet och onödig byråkrati« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy”
- tougher enforcement against environmental crimes»Skärpa straffen för miljöbrott och nedskräpning och ge ordningsvakter befogenhet att dela ut böter för småskräp« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Toughen sentences for environmental crimes and littering and give regulatory officers authority to issue fines for minor litter”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan is fundamentally positive to free trade and wants to make it simpler and faster to obtain the minerals that industry needs, while environmental measures shall be chosen according to greatest benefit.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is fundamentally positive to free trade and wants to make it simpler and faster to obtain the minerals that industry needs, while environmental measures shall be chosen according to greatest benefit. Reforming the international waste regulations so that waste containing critical raw materials can be transported to facilities that can extract them follows that line, provided that illegal dumping is prevented.
Original (Swedish)
Planen är i grunden positiv till frihandel och vill göra det enklare och snabbare att få fram de mineraler som industrin behöver, samtidigt som miljöinsatser ska väljas efter största nytta. Att reformera det internationella avfallsregelverket så att avfall med kritiska råvaror kan föras till anläggningar som kan utvinna dem följer den linjen, förutsatt att illegal dumpning motverkas.
- free trade as starting pointdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna är i grunden positiva till frihandel, men menar samtidigt att« (party programme ↗)“Sweden Democrats are fundamentally positive to free trade, but argue at the same time that”
- access to critical minerals»Det behöver också bli enklare och gå snabbare att öppna gruvor för de mineraler som behövs för exempelvis tillverkning av batterier.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It also needs to become simpler and faster to open mines for the minerals needed for, for example, battery manufacturing.”
- environmental efficiency»Sträva efter miljöeffektivitet och hitta de åtgärder som ger mest miljö per krona« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strive for environmental efficiency and find the measures that provide most environment per kronor”
- efficient licensing processes»Effektivisera och öka förutsägbarheten i tillståndsprocesserna för gruvnäring, elnätsutbyggnad och industri« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Streamline and increase predictability in licensing processes for mining, electricity grid expansion and industry”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:MJU17)
- Committee report full text (HB01MJU17)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1067 — Importkontroll av skinn av Helén Pettersson och Åsa Karlsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:107 — Återvinning av solceller av Margareta Cederfelt (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1096 — Ökad användning av avfall och restprodukter av Markus Wiechel och Victoria Tiblom (båda SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1133 — Pant på batterier av Jan Ericson (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1205 — Minskad plastanvändning och främjande av återvinningsinitiativ av Serkan Köse (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1253 — Ekonomiska garantier för avfallsplatser av Martina Johansson och Malin Björk (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:1263 — Matsvinn i livsmedelshandeln av Anders Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1375 — Konsumenternas valfrihet när det gäller säkra produkter av Larry Söder (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1400 — Gemensamt ansvar för rena stränder av Ann-Sofie Alm (M)
- Motion 2023/24:1519 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1520 — Minskad användning av plast och förenklad återvinning av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1521 — Ett robust och modernt va-system av Katarina Luhr m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1633 — Sveriges 13 sämsta lagar av Rickard Nordin och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:1759 — Pant på saftflaskor - en stor miljövinst av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1768 — Införande av pantsystem för färgpatroner av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1770 — Obligatoriskt mottagande av importburkar och flaskor av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1784 — Fritidsbåtar av Rickard Nordin (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1808 — Olagliga komposter av Rickard Nordin (C)
- Motion 2023/24:1873 — För havets och människans framtid av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1996 — Förbud mot PFAS i Sverige, EU och världen av Magnus Manhammar (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament