Sveriges Konsumenter, The Swedish Consumers' Association
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Sveriges Konsumenter är en obunden, demokratiskt förankrad, ideell organisation som står på konsumentens sida.
ID: 779622525036-10
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Jessica Polfjärd (Member of the European Parliament)
5 Dec 2025 · Chemical Policy
Response to Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 and Action Plan on Consumers in the Single Market
28 Aug 2025
The Swedish Consumers' Association respond to the public consultation with attached position paper.
Read full responseMeeting with Tomas Tobé (Member of the European Parliament)
17 Oct 2024 · Anti-Fraud Policy
Meeting with Adnan Dibrani (Member of the European Parliament)
17 Oct 2024 · Bankbedrägerier
Meeting with Ilan De Basso (Member of the European Parliament)
3 Apr 2024 · Möte om bankbedrägerier
Response to Restrictions on bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols in food contact materials
8 Mar 2024
The Swedish Consumers Association (Sveriges Konsumenter) strongly supports a ban on bisphenols in food contact materials and articles. Bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols are a health concern across all age groups due to adverse effects on reproductive, developmental, metabolic, and immune systems. To strengthen the Commissions proposal and prevent regrettable substitution of BPA with other bisphenols, we recommend that the regulation bans bisphenols as a group for all food contact materials and articles, including recycled materials. Our consumer magazine Råd&Rön just published a test of crushed tomatoes where 5 of 6 of the cans tested had BPA levels over EFSAs tolerable daily intake level (whereas no BPA was detected in the tetra-paks). It is a shame that consumers cannot feel safe to buy canned food another reason we support this proposal! As noted in the proposal, some packaged food products have a long shelf-life. To prevent consumers from buying products that will continue to expose them to bisphenols for many months and years to come, the selling-off of inventories and transition time to safe alternative solutions should be minimal (shorter than the proposed time). This proposal marks an important opportunity to transition to safer products in line with the EUs Chemical Strategy for Sustainability and to prevent avoidable health impacts with their associated burdens on individuals and society.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Toy Safety Directive
27 Oct 2023
The Swedish Consumers' Association supports the revision of the Toy Directive to safeguard children's health and to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals in our homes, society, and the environment. As a member organization in both BEUC and ANEC, the Swedish Consumers' Association echoes the feedback BEUC provided on 17 October 2023. Specifically, we support a ban on endocrine disruptors and all bisphenols in toys for children of all ages. We also support measures to protect children's mental health. We support transparency and accessibility of information to inform consumer choice, safe use, and proper disposal. This information should be easily accessible and not require special apps or provision of personal information. Additional enforcement efforts are needed to reduce the number of noncompliant toys sold or imported in to the EU.
Read full responseResponse to Safety requirements to be met by European standards for certain children products (excluding toys)
31 Aug 2022
The Swedish Consumers’ Association has participated in both ANEC and BEUCs policy development on the EC draft decision on the safety requirements to be met by European standards for certain children’s products. We full support the feedback made by ANEC the 26th of August and by BEUC the 30th of August.
Read full responseResponse to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU
14 Mar 2022
Hyresgästföreningens åsikter angående översynen av direktivet om byggnaders energiprestanda
Hyresgästföreningen välkomnar åtgärder för att begränsa byggnaders negativa klimatpåverkan. Men noterar med viss oro de förslag vilka Europeiska kommissionens förslag till reviderat direktiv om byggnaders energiprestanda innehåller.
Rent generellt uppfattar vi att det reviderade direktivet i alldeles för stor utsträckning fokuserar på åtgärder syftande till detaljstyrning, och trots att EU-kommissionen klart uttalat att målsättningen är att skydda de svagaste bostadskonsumenterna, befarar vi att de krav det reviderade direktivet ställer skulle resultera i ännu större utmaningar för bostadssökande att finna en rimligt prissatt hyresbostad i Sverige. Dessutom befarar vi att detaljregleringen och de omfattande ändringarna skulle ta fokus och resurser från faktiskt energieffektiviseringsarbete.
Det är rimligt att förvänta att EU:s medlemsstater ska ha en långsiktig plan för omställningen till ett mer energieffektivt och klimatneutralt byggnadsbestånd. Nationella planer som utgår från de specifika förutsättningarna ger bäst möjlighet att identifiera de åtgärder som är effektivast i respektive medlemsstat.
Det reviderade direktivet presenterar en rad begrepp vilka dels överlappar med annan lagstiftning (EED, RED), dels överlåts åt Kommissionen att definiera i delegerade akter. Detta gör bedömningen av konsekvenserna svår men även möjligheten till efterlevnad otydlig.
Även om potentialen att identifiera kostnadseffektiva åtgärder i byggnader med sämst energiprestanda är stor, är det olyckligt att inte hänsyn tas till var i sin livscykel respektive byggnad befinner sig för att optimalt samordna energieffektivisering med underhållsbehov.
Introduktionen av s.k. renoveringspass riskerar att resultera i ett resurskrävande system snarare än ett effektivt verktyg som stimulerar energieffektivisering. Potential finns dock om syftet är att underlätta stöd åt stegvisa energieffektiviseringsrenoveringar, detta förutsätter dock frivillighet för fastighetsägare.
Mobilitetslösningar som är hållbara är av stor vikt. Dock kan det ifrågasättas om den typen av detaljer tematiskt är lämpliga i detta direktiv? Dessutom framstår skrivningarna såsom allt för detaljerade och medför därmed en risk att låsa in aktörerna i suboptimala lösningar, när behoven och lösningarna ofta skiljer sig åt mellan olika fastigheter.
Informationsutbyte såsom föreslås i det reviderade direktivet är av tveksamt värde för hyresgäster, såvida inte informationen dels rör den egna lägenheten, dels inverkar direkt på hyresgästens kostnader. Dessutom riskerar obegränsade informationsutbyten att äventyra skyddet för personlig integritet.
Vad avser finansiering, är tydligheten kring medlemsstaternas ansvar att ”tillhandahålla lämplig finansiering, stödåtgärder och andra styrmedel” föredömlig. För att uppnå de gemensamma målen om energieffektivisering kommer krävas renoveringar vilka inte kan rättfärdigas utifrån företagsekonomiska kriterier men istället ur ett samhällsperspektiv. Därför är det bra att detaljer i utformningen av stöd lämnas till medlemsstaterna.
Boende i de byggnader som har sämst energiprestanda korresponderar ofta med de som har sämst inkomster. Redan idag innebär renoveringar ofta hyreshöjningar som medför svårigheter att bo kvar. Kraven på ökad renoveringstakten för att nå direktivets mål riskerar att kraftigt förvärra den situationen. Renoveringskostnader kommer inte alltid att kunna balanseras mot minskade energikostnader. Därför måste bostadskostnadsneutralitet (hyra, energi, skatter) vara ledstjärnan för direktivet, och stödåtgärder utformas så att de kommer hyresgäster tillgodo.
Slutligen bör intervallen för energideklarationerna inte förändras, då en ny deklaration utan vidtagna åtgärder endast innebär en resurskrävande administrativ åtgärd, vilket riskerar att bromsa snarare än öka takten på energieffektiviseringarna.
Read full responseResponse to Review of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency
19 Nov 2021
Please see attached file for position of the Swedish Union of Tenants on the revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive.
Read full responseResponse to Short-term rental initiative
12 Oct 2021
Hotelification
Short-term rentals tend to reduce the inherent differences between hotels and the regular housing stock. Consequently, the hotel industry's pricing and contractual setup tend to be transferred to the housing sector. This phenomenon can be described as the "hotelification" of the housing market.
The level of hotelification is best described as the proportion of professional landlords i.e., landlords with more than one object on the market. Most likely, the landlord’s own housing needs are met with one object while leaving additional objects available for rental on the market.
In tourist-dense cities, short-term rentals tend to become professionalised as enterprises / private individuals buy several apartments from the regular stock intent on offering them as short-term leases.
As a hotel room is normally sublet daily and aimed at a specific target group – visitors – often willing to pay more than those seeking permanent accommodation, hotelification tend to exercise an upward pressure on rental levels. Consequently, dwellings disappear from the ordinary housing market instead being incorporated in the hotel stock, increasing the housing shortage for the city's population.
The hotelification of the housing stock is not dependent on the platform economy as a phenomenon. However, what Airbnb and other similar platforms offer is the reduction of costs associated with the search, the control, and the contract; in short it reduces the so-called transaction costs for buyers and sellers.
Reactions of the Touristic Cities
In recent years, cities with an extensive supply of hospitality industries have introduced local regulations to limit the negative effects of short-term rentals.
To increase municipal authorities’ knowledge about short-term rentals and enable them to limit the scope of this, the establishment of some form of register is a minimum requirement. In many tourist-dense cities, landlords are required to register when advertising on platform services. Inspectors are also employed to establish collaborations with the platform services, to obtain information about illegal lease practices.
EU and the Legislation
Many local regulations, aimed at limiting short-term rentals, have been criticized and appealed by the hospitality industry, effectively turning this into an issue of EU relevance. The E-Commerce Directive and the Services Directive – both dating before the platform economy arose – have been the subject of criticism in connection with local responses.
The E-Commerce Directive: prohibits the systematic monitoring of operator websites to provide authorities with information. On the other hand, Airbnb and other platforms when prompted does act on suspicion of specific illegal conduct pertaining to lease practices on the platforms.
The Services Directive: requires licensing practices to be limited to only the ones which are necessary, proportionate, and non-discriminatory. Quantitative restrictions are not allowed, i.e., measures aimed at limiting the number of dwellings being subject to short-term subletting practices.
We take notice of and encourage the Commission's ongoing work on the Digital Services Act, and perceive the Commission´s work as a confirmation of the validity of our problem description pertaining to the above directives – a transparent and regulated platform economy is of great importance for a well-functioning housing market
The Road Ahead
Hotelification practices are inherently local, and the scope varies across the EU. The impact is affected by local ownership, as well as the scope of the hospitality industry.
EU Member States, and in particular cities, therefore, need to be given the freedom to require registration and licenses, to create a level playing field including also short-term subletting practices, and be allowed to monitor compliance with the license schemes. The E-Commerce Directive and the Services Directive are in dire need of modernisation to enable local regulation
Read full responseResponse to Review of the general product safety directive
31 Aug 2020
The Swedish Consumers’ Association agree to the problem definition, emphasising the challenges posed by new technologies, e-commerce and a fragmented legislative framework for market surveillance.
We recommend Opt 4. A full revision of the legal instrument is necessary to address safety risks brought by the Internet of Things and Automated Decision Making, to clarify the obligations of all actors in the supply chain, including online marketplaces, and to ensure consistency with other legislation.
In addition, because the GPSD does not contain any product safety requirements, we believe that there is an urgent need to revise how safety requirements are set:
A shortcoming of the GPSD is that it provides the European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs) with the freedom to decide the detailed safety requirements for specific products. Although we do not consider the present setting of safety requirements complicated, we think the related EC Decision should be legally binding.
The measures adopted must be detailed enough so they can be enforced directly. They should be product-specific implementing measures, based on preparatory studies for product groups and following a prioritised programme, in analogy to the Energy-related Products Directive.
A hazard-based approach should be followed during the development of safety requirements and the drafting of standards. This would identify the hazards and assess and address risks. The safety levels set out in the requirements should be relevant to the significance of the hazards and risks and be defined by the policymakers, not the ESOs.
As the ESOs do not have to accept the Standardisation Request (SReq) related to the EC Decision, no legal certainty exists for economic operators and market surveillance authorities in the absence of standards. The safety requirements could be used to for market surveillance purposes, even if the ESOs decide to reject the SReq.
Member States should be able to introduce a Formal Objection (FO) to a standard earlier. The possibility for a Member State to express a FO to a standard intended to support legislation before the publication of its reference in the OJEU should also be introduced. This would be a step to aiding legal certainty.
The voice of consumers in the ESOs must continue to be heard. Knowingly or unknowingly, the position of business interests in the development of European standards can undermine the broader consumer interest. Hence the role of ANEC is crucial in influencing the content of standards so all consumers can benefit from their use. Business realso tends to reflect the needs of only ‘average’ or ‘mainstream’ consumers in standards, which disadvantages ‘vulnerable’ consumers: children, older people and persons with disabilities. Noting public authorities have also withdrawn from many standardisation activities to the detriment of the public interest, we call on authorities to become more engaged in standardisation and support consumer participation in standardisation at national level.
As option 4 will include repealing the current GPSD, the new GPSD must continue to function as a safety net, to cover lacunae in sector specific legislation and for all those consumer products for which no specific rules exist; be based on the precautionary principle and allow market surveillance authorities to withdraw products from the market based on this principle.
Besides the need to address new challenges, the revision of the GPSD must also: -Make it possible to apply higher conformity assessment procedures
-develop criteria to assess the safety of child appealing products
-collect EU-wide accident and injury data
-improve the functioning of the Safety Gate
-use the GPSD as a tool to reduce consumer exposure to harmful chemicals -Ensuring quicker market intervention and emergency legislation
-common safety rules for food-imitating products.
More detailed recommendations can be found in our joint ANEC/BEUC’s position paper attached.
Read full responseResponse to A New Consumer Agenda
24 Jul 2020
The Swedish Consumers’ Association (Sveriges Konsumenter) has fully participated and contributed to the response made by The European consumer voice in standardisation, ANEC, and the response that will be made soon from The European consumer organisation, BEUC. Additional to our full support to the positions of our European consumer organisations we would like to highlight three especially important topics for the New Consumer Agenda from The Swedish Consumers’ Associations perspective.
# The role of consumer rights in sustainable development and climate policy
Consumer rights is essential and a must for any organisation claiming to address sustainable development. This has been clearly demonstrated in the international standard on social responsibility ISO 26000, that is now also in the process of becoming a European standard. The European Commission’s work on climate and sustainable development will only be a success if consumer rights are fully respected and consumers and their organisations are a clearly identified part of the sustainable solutions for a green and climate friendly European Union.
It is evident that addressing sustainable development, and especially climate change, is the highest priority for the European Commission. For this ambition to be successful a strengthening of the consumer priorities within the European Commission must be achieved and fully reflected the New Consumer Agenda. This has to be followed by a substantial increase of the consumer budget and the amount of commission staff working on consumer affairs within DG JUST but indeed even more so in integrating consumer rights and policies in all relevant departments/directorates.
# Vulnerable consumers and the use of average consumer
Consumer policy must give protection to all consumers and provide non-discriminatory and inclusive policies and legislation. In this the present use of “the average consumer” in consumer law needs to be revised to give adequate protection for all consumer groups, including consumers with cognitive disabilities. Additionally, the principle of universal design must be introduced as the norm for the provision of all products and services in the European Union.
# A formal consultative mechanism with the national consumer movement
The excellent tradition of the European Commission consulting national consumer organisations, that has been around since 1973 in different formats, must stay and be further developed to better integrate the national consumer experiences in all consumer relevant policies within the European Commission. This is even more important today when consumer issues are broadening and becoming relevant in an increasing number of the Commissions priorities and initiatives. One evident example of this is The Green Deal with the majority of its actions relating to important consumer priorities.
We attach a letter addressed to the new Commission, on the importance of a consultative permanent forum, signed by all the Nordic consumer organisations in November last year.
Read full responseResponse to Chemicals strategy for sustainability
18 Jun 2020
Sveriges Konsumenter välkomnar EU-kommissionens strategi för hållbarhet. Vi har deltagit i utformandet av ANEC- och BEUC:s svar till denna konsultation och står bakom de två europeiska konsumentorganisationernas remissvar. Därutöver vill vi delge vår nationella ståndpunkt ”Kemikalier i vardagen” som tagits fram tillsammans med Sveriges Konsumenters medlemsorganisationer. Ståndpunkten beskriver i stort vår hållning till EUs framtida kemikalielagstiftning och bifogas som pdf till detta svar.
Read full response