International conventions and agreements

Content:

Agenda 2030 and the global sustainability goals
Global Framework on Chemicals
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Rotterdam Convention - Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
Minamata Convention on mercury
Globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS)
OECD
HELCOM and OSPAR – protection of the marine environment

Sweden is a party in many international conventions and other international agreements. For several of these, the Swedish Chemicals Agency is participating in the work.

Agenda 2030 and the global sustainability goals

In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted Agenda 2030 with 17 sustainability development goals (SDGs) and 169 targets which aims at achieving sustainable economic, social and environmental development in the world by the year 2030. Sweden shall achieve the goal of the agenda nationally, and contribute to the achievement of the goals globally.

Several of the SDGs have direct or indirect connections to chemicals. The use of chemicals is today prevalent in the whole society. Preventive chemicals control is therefore a prerequisite for a sustainable development and an important step to achieving most of the goals in Agenda 2030.

The Swedish Chemicals Agency’s work with preventive chemicals control, both nationally, within EU and globally is contributing to the implementation of Agenda 2030. The Swedish environmental goal “A non-toxic environment” is an important part of the work.

Global Framework on Chemicals

The Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste (GFC) was adopted on 30 September 2023. Countries and stakeholders from around the world have agreed on a roadmap for the sustainable management of chemicals throughout the life cycle. The framework is a successor to the Global Strategy, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) from 2006. The new framework contains important elements such as:

A clear vision - a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste for a safe, healthy and sustainable future,
Five overall strategic objectives,
28 targets.

Most of the targets are to be implemented by the year 2030 and the implementation is to be made measurable through a system of indicators currently under development. One of the targets is that all countries in the world are to have functioning chemical legislation by the year 2030. In addition, the global framework contains a process for nominating and initiating measures for issues of concern.

The decision to adopt the Global Framework on Chemicals was taken at the Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5). The meeting was attended by governments and representatives from industry, civil society and UN organizations. In addition to the global framework, the conference adopted the so-called Bonn Declaration. In this declaration, ministers, heads of delegation and stakeholders commit to implementing the global framework on chemicals. They also support that pollution from chemicals is the third global environmental crisis of our time, along with climate change and loss of biodiversity. Furthermore, a number of resolutions were adopted on, among other things, a global alliance on highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), a measurability structure and a fund to support implementation.

The global framework, the Bonn Declaration and the various resolutions can be found here: Link to more information on the global framework on chemicals. External link.

In a report, the Swedish Chemicals Agency presents its analysis of how Sweden and the EU can contribute to the achievement of the targets of the Global Framework on Chemicals Report 3/24:The Global Framework on Chemicals – now and onwards - Kemikalieinspektionen External link.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

The objective of the Stockholm Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from substances that are persistent in the environment, are being absorbed by plants and animals, and have negative effects on human health or the environment. These pollutants are also called POPs, Persistent Organic Pollutants. The substances are transported over national borders via air, water and articles.

The Stockholm Convention entered into force 2004 and contains currently a list of 34 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are banned or restricted.

The POPs Regulation is implementing the Stockholm Convention within the EU.

The EU POPs Regulation

Rotterdam Convention - Prior Informed Consent (PIC)

The Rotterdam Convention makes it possible for countries to in advance receive information about import and export of certain dangerous chemicals and pesticides that are banned or severely restricted in other countries. The countries can then choose to approve or reject the import in accordance with their national rules. This is called “Prior Informed Consent” (PIC). The convention entered into force in 2004 and is currently covering 55 substances.

The EU PIC Regulation is implementing the convention in EU.

The EU PIC Regulation

Minamata Convention on mercury

The Minamata Convention on mercury regulates mercury in a life cycle perspective, from primary mining to final disposal. The convention entered into force in 2017. The Mercury Regulation implements the Minamata Convention within the EU.

The EU Mercury Regulation

Globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS)

The United Nations decided in 2002 to encourage all countries to adopt the globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS). The GHS aims at ensuring availability of harmonized information on the dangerous properties of chemicals to enhance the protection of human health and the environment during the handling, transport and use of chemicals.

GHS contains criteria for classification of substances and mixtures based on their physical hazards and hazards to human health and the environment. The system also includes a common standard for labelling with hazard symbols (pictograms), hazard statements and precautionary statements, and a standard for the format and content for safety data sheets.

The implementation of GHS is an important part of sustainable management of chemicals, and this is also emphasised in the global frameworkon chemicals (GFC). To make GHS legally binding, each country or region need to implement the system in their legislation. GHS was implemented in EU legislation in 2007, mainly by the CLP Regulation. The part of GHS concerning safety data sheets have been implemented in the Reach Regulation.

OECD

Sweden is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is an international organisation with 38 member countries. The Swedish Chemicals Agency is the Swedish contact point for the OECD's chemicals programme. This is done primarily by participating in working groups within the framework of the Environmental, Health and Safety Programme, EHS. Several of the EHS programme's activities are linked to the implementation of EU chemicals legislation. Development of test methods and guidance documents takes place primarily through the OECD's test methods programme.

HELCOM and OSPAR – protection of the marine environment

Sweden is a party to two regional conventions regarding protection of the marine environment, HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission) from 1974 and OSPAR (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-Ease Atlantic – the Oslo and Paris Commissions) from 1972.

The work within Helcom and OSPAR from 2021 to 2030, is guided by HELCOM's updated Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) and OSPAR's North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy (NEAES).

The website of HELCOM External link.

The website of OSPAR External link.

Last published 20 March 2025