The spread of chemicals over the entire world means that Sweden cannot be satisfied with a chemical policy at national level. International co-operation is essential. Sweden is active in several international fields and, inter alia, pursues her policy on chemicals at the United Nations and the European Union. The goal of this article is to investigate how the Product Choice Principle (PCP), more usually called the substitution principle, is being interpreted in Swedish society; how different authorities perceive it; examine the current and potential role of the PCP in shaping environmental policy; give examples of practical application of the PCP exist; and look at the international spread of the PCP and what could be done to make the principle more widespread and more practically applicable. Section 2 presents the Product Choice Principle as it is defined in the Environmental Code, provides interpretations of it from the literature and interviews with authorities and other relevant stakeholders, looks into the kind of products to which it is applicable, and its legal status, whether it is legally binding and the enforcement opportunities. Section 3 presents insights on how the PCP is used in Sweden by different stakeholders, mainly national and local authorities and industry. Section 4 offers an overview of how the PCP, is presented in European policies, mainly the scope was on EU policies and Directives. Section 5 provides some reflections about problems regarding the application of the PCP, and the conditions for an effective functioning and implementation are also briefly discussed. Section 6 concludes the article and provides some recommendations for further research and information dissemination.
European Energy and Environmental Law Review