2024-06-122023/24:MJU17 · p.26MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Review of the EU's chemical legislation
Tighter EU chemicals legislation and the review of REACH
What's at stake: The decision concerns how quickly hazardous chemicals, including the combined effects of multiple substances, are regulated and phased out within the EU, which is of particular importance for children's health and for places where children spend time daily, while also being weighed against the competitiveness of EU industry.
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 Sweden should actively push for a faster and more far-reaching review of EU chemicals legislation, including expanded group-based regulation of chemicals and a particular focus on children's health, or whether it is enough to wait for the ongoing EU process and the priorities of the next Commission.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions. The committee notes that Sweden has for several years already been pushing for a higher level of ambition in harmonised chemicals legislation, including on group-based regulation, and points to the ongoing review of the REACH regulation and the Commission's "One substance, one assessment" legislative package for harmonised risk assessments. Although the current Commission is not expected to have time to put forward a proposal for a revised REACH regulation during its term, the committee expresses hope that the next Commission will prioritise the work. Against that background, the committee considers the motions currently give no reason for action.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 34 (S, V, MP)
The reservation (S, V, MP) calls for Sweden to take the lead and push considerably faster and more ambitiously for the EU's review of the REACH regulation, with tighter requirements in several areas - including putting children's health first and making places where children spend time daily toxin-free, having the legislation address the so-called cocktail effect of combined chemicals, and applying group-based regulation and phase-out of substances with similar properties or chemical structure to a much greater extent. The reasoning is that the EU's chemicals strategy needs to be translated into legislation as soon as possible, that the decision processes for authorisation and restrictions are moving too slowly compared with the number of new substances reaching the market, and that an update of REACH has already been delayed for a long time.
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 34 by S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 170–126Ja 158–138
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/19/0/5 | match | confidence: high | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/91/0/15 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 12/0/0/4 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:897 by Emma Nohrén et al. (MP) demand 2, 2023/24:991 by Andrea Andersson Tay et al. (V) demands 2 and 4 and 2023/24:2629 by Anna-Caren Sätherberg et al. (S) demand 35.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:897 av Emma Nohrén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2, 2023/24:991 av Andrea Andersson Tay m.fl. (V) yrkandena 2 och 4 samt 2023/24:2629 av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S) yrkande 35.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has addressed a letter from the Government regarding the Swedish National Audit Office's report on the handling of spent solar panels and wind turbine blades. The Swedish National Audit Office's overarching conclusion is that the Government, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Energy Agency have not ensured that spent solar panels and wind turbine blades can be handled in a non-toxic and circular manner. The Swedish National Audit Office's recommendations to the Government include reviewing the need for policy instruments to promote such handling. 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 panels and turbine blades for wind power plants to a greater extent can be handled in accordance with the so-called waste hierarchy. The Riksdag considers that the measures that the Government presents partly correspond to what the Swedish National Audit Office is calling for. At the same time, the Riksdag emphasizes that the work needs to be intensified to achieve sustainable handling of these products. With this, the committee proposes that the Riksdag tables the Government's letter, that is, closes the matter. The Riksdag also said no to approximately 180 proposals on circular and non-toxic economy in motions from the ordinary motion period 2023, partly with reference to ongoing work. The motions deal with sustainable design, consumption and production, reuse and recycling, waste, circular food issues, plastic issues and chemical issues.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to adopt a target of at least 75 percent reduction in material footprint. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 34
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 wants to see ambitious environmental targets that are monitored with strict legislation and deliberate, comprehensive work for people and ecosystems, and it holds to the principle that in every instance the best interests of the child be considered.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to see ambitious environmental targets that are monitored with strict legislation and deliberate, comprehensive work for people and ecosystems, and it holds to the principle that in every instance the best interests of the child be considered. The counter-proposal's demand for faster and more ambitious tightening of chemical legislation, with children's health foremost, consideration of combination effects and expanded phase-out by product group, aligns directly with that line. The plan also wants to defend and build on EU environmental regulations.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill se ambitiösa miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och ett medvetet, heltäckande arbete för människor och ekosystem, och den håller fast vid principen att i varje läge se till barnets bästa. Motförslagets krav på snabbare och mer ambitiös skärpning av kemikalielagstiftningen, med barns hälsa främst, hänsyn till kombinationseffekter och utökad gruppvis utfasning, ligger direkt i den linjen. Planen vill dessutom försvara och bygga vidare på EU:s miljöregleringar.
- ambitious environmental targets with strict legislationdecisive»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental targets that are monitored with strict legislation and practical work.”
- best interests of the child in every instance»liga barnkonventionen och principen att i varje läge se till barnets« (party programme ↗)“the Child Convention and the principle that in every instance the best interests of the child”
- comprehensive work for health and nature»Sverige behöver också ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete med att« (party programme ↗)“Sweden also needs deliberate and comprehensive work to”
- build on EU environmental regulations»utbyte mellan länder och vissa klimat- och miljöregleringar.« (party programme ↗)“exchange between countries and certain climate and environmental regulations.”
The party programme requires that EU environmental policy is developed further with tightened requirements on environmentally damaging emissions and that environmental consideration is built into production processes from the beginning.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that EU environmental policy is developed further with tightened requirements on environmentally damaging emissions and that environmental consideration is built into production processes from the beginning. Driving towards faster and more ambitious chemical legislation with group-wise regulation and consideration of combination effects is an application of that commitment. That children's health is put first follows from the principle that children's best interests must be considered in all decisions. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att EU:s miljöpolitik utvecklas ytterligare med skärpta krav på miljöpåverkande utsläpp och att miljöhänsyn byggs in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början. Att driva på en snabbare och mer ambitiös kemikalielagstiftning med gruppvis reglering och hänsyn till kombinationseffekter är en tillämpning av det åtagandet. Att barns hälsa sätts främst följer av att barnens bästa ska beaktas vid alla beslut. Planen talar därför för motförslagets krav.
- tightened EU environmental policydecisive»EU:s miljöpolitik ytterligare utvecklas« (party programme ↗)“EU environmental policy is developed further”
- environmental requirements in production»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“Environmental consideration must be built into production processes from the beginning.”
- the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as foundation»Alla barn ska ha rätt till en trygg uppväxt i enlighet med FN:s barnkonvention.« (party programme ↗)“All children shall have the right to a safe upbringing in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
- go ahead on environmental matters»Medlemsländerna ska också kunna gå före« (party programme ↗)“Member states should also be able to go ahead”
The election manifesto commits to phasing out toxic substances immediately and particularly from products for children, which is the core of the counter-proposal's requirement for stricter and faster EU chemical legislation with children's health first.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto commits to phasing out toxic substances immediately and particularly from products for children, which is the core of the counter-proposal's requirement for stricter and faster EU chemical legislation with children's health first. The party programme moreover explicitly requires that special attention be given to combined effects of different chemicals and that scrutiny in EU chemical policy shall be strict. The precautionary principle also supports the requirement for group-based regulation of substances with similar properties.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet åtar sig att fasa ut giftiga ämnen omgående och särskilt från produkter för barn, vilket är kärnan i motförslagets krav på skärpt och snabbare EU-kemikalielagstiftning med barns hälsa främst. Partiprogrammet kräver dessutom uttryckligen att särskild hänsyn tas till kombinationseffekter av olika kemikalier och att prövningen inom EU:s kemikaliepolitik ska vara skarp. Försiktighetsprincipen bär också kravet på gruppvis reglering av ämnen med likartade egenskaper.
- immediate phase-out of toxinsdecisive»fasa ut giftiga ämnen omgående, speciellt från produkter för barn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“phase out toxic substances immediately, especially from products for children.”
- combined effects considered»Särskild hänsyn måste tas till riskerna förknippade med kombinationer av olika kemikalier.« (party programme ↗)“Special attention must be given to the risks associated with combinations of different chemicals.”
- children's environments toxin-free»Barn är särskilt känsliga för många miljögifter, och de produkter och miljöer som barn använder och vistas i måste värnas särskilt.« (party programme ↗)“Children are particularly sensitive to many environmental toxins, and the products and environments that children use and spend time in must be particularly protected.”
- strict EU chemical policy»Prövningen och kontrollen, såväl nationellt som inom EU:s kemikaliepolitik, måste vara skarp.« (party programme ↗)“Scrutiny and control, both nationally and in EU chemical policy, must be strict.”
The election manifesto requires that Sweden's waters are saved so that children can bathe without being exposed to poisons, and the party programme makes a toxin-free environment a fundamental right.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto requires that Sweden's waters are saved so that children can bathe without being exposed to poisons, and the party programme makes a toxin-free environment a fundamental right. The party programme moreover points out that chemicals are daily used whose effects on humans and nature are harmful or unknown, which is exactly what the counter-proposal wants to meet with grouped regulation and attention to combination effects. The plan therefore argues for sharpening the EU's chemical regulations to be driven faster and more ambitiously. On procedural order the plan says nothing.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver att Sveriges vatten räddas så att barn kan bada utan att utsättas för gifter, och idéprogrammet gör giftfri miljö till en fundamental rättighet. Idéprogrammet pekar dessutom ut att kemikalier dagligen används vars effekter på människa och natur är skadliga eller okända, vilket är just det motförslaget vill möta med gruppvis reglering och hänsyn till kombinationseffekter. Planen talar därför för att skärpningen av EU:s kemikalieregler drivs på snabbare och mer ambitiöst. Om beredningsordningen säger planen ingenting.
- toxin-free environment for childrendecisive»Rädda Sveriges sjöar, vattendrag och hav. Våra barn ska kunna bada utan att utsättas för gifter, nedskräpning eller algblomning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Save Sweden's lakes, watercourses and seas. Our children shall be able to bathe without being exposed to poisons, litter or algal blooms.”
- unknown chemical risks»Dagligen används kemikalier och tekniker vars effekter på människan och naturen är skadliga eller okända.« (party programme ↗)“Daily are chemicals and techniques used whose effects on humans and nature are harmful or unknown.”
- toxin-free environment as right»Tillgång till rent vatten, ren luft och giftfri miljö är en fundamental rätt för alla människor« (party programme ↗)“Access to clean water, clean air and a toxin-free environment is a fundamental right for all people”
- leading on environmental issues»Centerpartiet ska vara det ledande partiet i miljöfrågor« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party shall be the leading party in environmental issues”
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 explicitly requires that European chemical legislation be tightened with special regard to children's and young people's sensitivity and to the combined effect when several chemicals interact.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that European chemical legislation be tightened with special regard to children's and young people's sensitivity and to the combined effect when several chemicals interact. That is exactly what the counter-proposal requests: faster and more ambitious tightening, a children's perspective and consideration of combination effects. The plan also bases chemical policy on the precautionary principle and sees the EU as the most important instrument.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen att den europeiska kemikalielagstiftningen skärps med särskild hänsyn till barns och ungas känslighet och till den samlade effekten när flera kemikalier samverkar. Det är precis vad motförslaget begär: snabbare och mer ambitiös skärpning, barnperspektiv och beaktande av kombinationseffekter. Planen bygger dessutom kemikaliepolitiken på försiktighetsprincipen och ser EU som det viktigaste instrumentet.
- tightened EU chemical legislationdecisive»kemikalielagstiftningen behöver skärpas, och särskild hänsyn tas till barn och ungas känslighet« (party programme ↗)“chemical legislation needs to be tightened, and special regard is given to children's and young people's sensitivity”
- consideration of combination effects»samt till den samlade effekten då flera olika kemikalier samverkar.« (party programme ↗)“and to the combined effect when several different chemicals interact.”
- precautionary principle as foundation»Kemikalielagstiftningen ska utgå från försiktighetsprincipen.« (party programme ↗)“Chemical legislation shall be based on the precautionary principle.”
- the EU drives environmental work»EU-samarbetet är vårt viktigaste instrument för att driva på miljöarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“EU cooperation is our most important instrument for driving environmental work.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan points to legislation with prohibitions and limit values as a strategic instrument, requires that action is grounded in the precautionary principle when suspicion of irreversible damage exists and establishes that children have the right to a safe environment for growing up.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan points to legislation with prohibitions and limit values as a strategic instrument, requires that action is grounded in the precautionary principle when suspicion of irreversible damage exists and establishes that children have the right to a safe environment for growing up. Faster and more ambitious work with group regulation and chemical-free environments for children follows from this. The plan sees the EU as often the right level for environmental issues.
Original (Swedish)
Planen pekar ut lagstiftning med förbud och gränsvärden som strategiskt instrument, kräver att agerandet grundas på försiktighetsprincipen vid misstanke om oåterkallelig skada och slår fast att barn har rätt till en trygg uppväxtmiljö. Ett snabbare och mer ambitiöst arbete med gruppvis reglering och giftfria miljöer för barn följer av detta. Planen ser samtidigt EU som ofta rätt nivå för miljöfrågorna.
- prohibitions and limit valuesdecisive»Lagstiftning med förbud och gränsvärden« (party programme ↗)“Legislation with prohibitions and limit values”
- the precautionary principle»agerandet grundas på försiktighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“action is grounded in the precautionary principle”
- safe environment for children's upbringing»Barn har rätt till en trygg uppväxtmiljö.« (party programme ↗)“Children have the right to a safe environment for growing up.”
- EU the right level for environmental issues»EU i många fall den mest lämpliga nivån« (party programme ↗)“EU in many cases the most appropriate level”
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 promises powerful measures for the marine and water environment and to reduce emissions of hazardous substances, and means that the EU should focus on problems Sweden cannot solve alone.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan promises powerful measures for the marine and water environment and to reduce emissions of hazardous substances, and means that the EU should focus on problems Sweden cannot solve alone. Chemicals legislation is precisely such a harmonized matter. The counter-proposal's requirement for faster and more ambitious EU regulation of hazardous substances is therefore in line with the plan, which at the same time requires that science and facts are leading.
Original (Swedish)
Planen lovar kraftfulla åtgärder för havs- och vattenmiljön och att minska utsläppen av farliga ämnen, och den menar att EU ska fokusera på problem som Sverige inte kan lösa ensamt. Kemikalielagstiftningen är just en sådan harmoniserad fråga. Motförslagets krav på snabbare och mer ambitiös EU-reglering av farliga ämnen ligger därför i linje med planen, som dock samtidigt kräver att vetenskap och fakta är ledande.
- powerful measures for the environmentdecisive»Mer än hälften av världens största områden med döda bottnar finns i Östersjön. Moderaterna vill vidta kraftfulla åtgärder för att förbättra havs- och vattenmiljön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More than half of the world's largest dead-bottom areas are in the Baltic Sea. The Moderates want to take powerful measures to improve the marine and water environment.”
- reduce emissions of hazardous substances»Vi ska slå vakt om allemansrätten och minska övergödning, försurning, utsläpp av farliga ämnen och nedskräpning, inte minst i Östersjön.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall protect freedom to roam and reduce eutrophication, acidification, emissions of hazardous substances and litter, especially in the Baltic Sea.”
- cross-border issues in the EU»EU:s fokus ska ligga på att lösa problem som Sverige inte kan hantera ensamt, till exempel handel, klimat, migration och säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The EU's focus should be on solving problems that Sweden cannot handle alone, such as trade, climate, migration and security.”
- science-based regulationweak support»Vetenskap och fakta ska vara ledande i klimat- och miljöpolitiken.« (party programme ↗)“Science and facts must be leading in climate and environmental policy.”
flags: citat_svagt
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 the precautionary principle central when preventing new environmental problems and builds environmental policy on stewardship thinking, with increased priority for work against toxins.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan makes the precautionary principle central when preventing new environmental problems and builds environmental policy on stewardship thinking, with increased priority for work against toxins. Driving harmonized EU chemical legislation faster, with group-wise regulation and toxin-free environments for children, is in that line because the requirements are then common and not Swedish special requirements. The plan however wants resources to be put in where they do the most good.
Original (Swedish)
Planen gör försiktighetsprincipen central när nya miljöproblem ska förhindras och bygger miljöpolitiken på förvaltarskapstanken, med ökad prioritet åt arbetet mot gifter. Att driva den harmoniserade EU-kemikalielagstiftningen snabbare, med gruppvis reglering och giftfria miljöer för barn, ligger i den linjen eftersom kraven då är gemensamma och inte svenska särkrav. Planen vill dock att resurserna sätts in där de gör mest nytta.
- the precautionary principledecisive»konservativa principen om ett varsamt framåtskridande. Försiktighetsprincipen är« (party programme ↗)“conservative principle of cautious progress. The precautionary principle is”
- stewardship thinking»Sverigedemokratisk miljöpolitik utgår från förvaltarskapstanken och strävar efter att hitta de mest miljöeffektiva och kostnadseffektiva metoderna, som samtidigt inte skadar näringar och landsbygd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish Democrat environmental policy is based on stewardship thinking and strives to find the most environmentally and cost-effective methods, which at the same time do not damage industries and countryside.”
- toxins prioritized»Ökad prioritet i arbetet med att återställa förorenade områden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increased priority in work to restore polluted areas.”
- resources where they do most good»miljön bör satsas där de gör största möjliga nytta.« (party programme ↗)“environment should invest where they do greatest possible benefit.”
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.
Share and embed
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