Support for chemicals control

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A sound chemicals control is necessary for a sustainable development. The Swedish Chemicals Agency is cooperating with several countries, regions and organisations to support the development of a sound chemicals management.

Development cooperation

It is important to manage chemicals in a safe way in order to avoid harm to human health and the environment. If chemicals are handled incorrectly, it can lead to huge costs to the society. Control of chemicals before they are placed on the national market is a necessary part of a sound chemicals management, but the preventive chemicals control is in many countries non-existent or very weak.

The Swedish Chemicals Agency are cooperating with several countries and regions as a part of the Swedish development cooperation (development aid). The cooperation is done in global, regional and bilateral programmes run by the Swedish Chemicals Agency, with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Examples of activities within the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s development cooperation programmes:

  • Support for the development of national legislation.
  • Develop and strengthen the capacity for chemicals control at authorities and training to develop core competence, especially in the areas such as risk assessment, risk management, systems for informing about risks (classification and labelling, safety data sheets), chemicals register and enforcement.
  • Support the implementation of the global framework on chemicals, GFC and the conventions in the area of chemicals.

In development cooperation, it is important that the partner countries have a political will to lead themselves and take responsibility for their development. The partner countries are responsible for the capacity to implement the projects, with support from the Swedish Chemicals Agency.

Read more about the Swedish Chemicals Agency’s global programme for development cooperation regarding chemicals control

Read more about the Swedish Chemical Agency's bilateral and regional cooperation

What countries could be possible partner countries in development cooperation with the Swedish Chemicals Agency is governed by Sweden’s policy for global development together with the Government policies and development cooperation strategies for specific countries, regions and fields of work.

Read more about the Sweden’s development cooperation and with what countries Sweden is cooperating with on Sida’s website External link.

Other types of cooperation with strategic countries

The Government has allocated specific funds for bilateral cooperation with countries that have a significant impact on the global environment and/or global environment and climate cooperation. Four Swedish authorities are participating in the bilateral cooperation projects: The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI), the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV), the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is deciding about the distribution of the funds.

The Swedish Chemicals Agency is currently cooperating with, among others, Indonesia, Republic of Korea and Vietnam.

Read more about the cooperation between the Swedish Chemicals Agency and some of these strategic countries

Read more about the cooperation with the strategic countries on the website of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency External link.

OECD

Sweden is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Swedish Chemicals Agency is the Swedish national contact point for the OECD Chemicals Programme.

Read more on the website of OECD. External link.

Last published 30 June 2026